Mississippi State Basketball- 2009 SEC Tournament Champions!!!

Thanks to All!

2009-02-06T12:29:00.002-06:00

I didn't want to leave anyone hanging. I'm sorry I have not been posting, I just came to the conclusion that I just don't have the time to keep the blog up. Maybe next season, but for this season, I afraid I just don't have the time between family and work. Its not been easty to let go b/c of the great response I've have gotton. Thanks to all who have kept up with the blog. Everyone have fun the rest of the season as we try to gain ground onLSU. Thanks to all again and remember to never lose faith.
-Arliss

Sorry for the Layoff

2008-12-14T08:26:00.002-06:00

As most know this time of year with loved ones and holiday season, time is streched so thin. Look for the blog to crank back up when SEC action starts. Thanks for hanging in there. All have a Merry Christmas. -Arliss

Glad that is behind us.

2008-11-28T19:18:00.003-06:00

State suffered their first loss of the season. MSU 52 WSU 63. Simple, the dogs got beat by a better team. Young team, we knew we were going to take some lumps, and we have plenty more to take before the dogs will be playing to their potential this season. According to this game as Jarvis goes so does the team. Tough night for Jarvis. Would be surprised if we don't play TT tomorrow. Recap here.

MSU 76 St. Bonaventure 71

2008-11-25T19:34:00.003-06:00

WHEW!!! This is the first of many learning experiences for the dogs on the young season. Way to many turnovers. Benock made some timely 3's. Barry having a bad off night seemed to hurt us some. Bost had a rough game with turnovers . The first road test of the season is always going to be tough regardless of opponent. Free throws key to the victory. Beckham played some quality minutes tonight. Our 4's got alot of fouls tonight. Last and biggest-Jarvis was the MAN!!! 19 pts 12 rebs. 6 blks. Oh yeah, nice put back and rebound Ravern!! Go Dogs!!!

SWAT

2008-11-25T16:31:00.002-06:00

I'm sure I'm not alone in saying when I'm not at the games I am entertained more by keeping up with SWAT's blocks. I'm adding the national leaders list as a link here and on the sidebar. Enjoy.

MSU 84 Mrs. Dickinson 58

2008-11-22T20:10:00.004-06:00

Young team showing itself with turnovers. Nice numbers for Jarvis 16pts 14 rb and 8 blks. Nice to see Mr. Beckham get some playing time. Nice to see Rick mixing up the lineup. Considering the competition, this was not our best game. We'll see how good this team is over the next week. With Kodi in foul trouble, Osby's minutes continue to grow. Congrats to Jarvis, all time bock leader at MSU. Go Dogs!!!

MSU 102 N. AL 61

2008-11-20T07:14:00.004-06:00

Recap
This was actually my first chance to see the Dogs play in person this year. Last night was a good time to watch the dogs b/c they had the inside out game going strong. Especially the inside, but that's not surprising when the tallest guy in the starting line up is 6'6". We have alot stiffer competition coming, but we've seen the dogs shoot over a zone and last night we feed the inside versus man to man. Bost had 10 assists which included some nice passes. I think last night was Osby's coming out game. He had one play where he rebound edand brought the ball back down the court, lookin like a guard coming down the court. He is very impressive passing out of the paint. After 3 games I'm not convinced now that Barry won't be our leading scoring, he is some much more comfortable at the 2. I was very impressed with Phil and Holcomb's defense last night, and not to mention Benock. That 2nd unit is a nice spark off the bench, when they subbed the first time, they increased the lead. I'm very excited to see what kind of stats we can put when Rick settles on a mixing the subs. Biggest stat of the game, 89% from the FT. Wow. If Bailey can continue to shoot the free throws like he is, he will be a crucial part. He'll eat up space and get to the foul line. Well, i'm reserving judgement for when this young team hits the road. Go Dogs!!!-Arliss

Matthew 14:31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

MSU 78 LA Monroe 49

2008-11-17T20:57:00.002-06:00

Starting to look like we could be a pretty nice team from behind the arc. You have to like Kodi having a somewhat of a breakout game. Jarvis 9 blocks (all in 1st half), 11 rebounds. Dee, 15 pts, 7 assists and 2 to's. You have to like the defense we are playing, our offense will only get better as this team starts to gel. I know its only two games in, but starting to get a good feeling about Bost and Chris Warren impact he could make this season. We took it to them on the boards in the second half. 42 % from beyond the arc, not too shabby. It will be interesting to see how the stats settle out when we solidify a starting five. Not too many complaints from this one. Looking forward to Wednesday, Go Dogs!!!!!

Good Guys 77 Other Guys 55

2008-11-15T15:52:00.003-06:00

You have to like the distribution of points. Top scorer Ravern. 15 points on 5 3's. Elgin a solid 10 points. Jarvis 9pts 11 rebounds, and 7 blocks. Long way to go, not one the better teams we'll play pre-SEC, but you have to like the young pups on this team. Go Dogs!!!

The Fab 5

2008-11-07T10:00:00.006-06:00

The easiest question to ask and the most frequent question to ask it who will be the starting five? I always like to pose the question-Who will be the starting five by the time SEC begins? Outside of injury, the lineup should be settled pretty good by that time. Granted, we've had one exhibition game and one scrimmage, but I've tried to digest the new players and try to predict how they will fit in and what their role will be.

In no particular order, the starting 5 by SEC play:

First at the 3, I 've been excited about Ravern Johnson ever since he hit the radar his sophomore year in high school. If any one has the potential to be our 20 point man this year, I think it is Ravern. He has the range to get his 20 just heaving it up from beyond the arc. You mix in what we've seen with his quickness to the hoop, I see him being our #1 scoring option.

Second at the 5, that's a tough one, Jarvis Varnado. Here is the question you have to ask your self though. If his offensive production goes up, will he defensive production go down? I personally don't think he just comes out this year and doubles his offensive output. I would rather see him focus on defending the paint than backing off and trying to score more points. When he is on his defensive game in the paint, its like night and day for our back court defenders. I say that about Jarvis's offense to say this:

Third at the 4, Romero Osby, I don't think J.V. will have to double his offensive production b/c Ro will pick up the slack. I believe Osby will be a the double double king by the time he leaves MSU. I think he can be a consistent 10-10 guy this year. I see Osby being the best rebounder since Roberts in time and he gets it started in his freshman campaign.

Fourth at the 2, Barry Stewart. Barry will be essential to this year's season. It doesn't matter if we have all the talent in the world he will be our experienced leader. Barry will be the glue that keeps the team together.

Last at the 1, Dee Bost. Obviously, Dee will have alot on his shoulders this year. The question that keeps coming to mind is can Dee be a more consistent Chris Warren. If he can, I don't think anyone would complain and it would be a stellar freshman campaign. The thing that helps me feel good about Dee is I don't think this will be as painful of a process of grooming a pg as it was with Jamont. I was very impressed with Dee's assist to turnover ratio numbers in the exhibition. I think he has some 20+ point games in him this season, but I'll be watching those assists and turnovers.

Well, I know I didn't say a thing about the backups, but I do have to say Elgin could easily be in the 4 spot two, after last season he is in my top 2 favorite players on the current roster. So, its just my opinion, but this seems to be a topic that all like to take their stabs at. If you agree, don't agree, speak up! Lets hear it. Hope some of y'all will have a chance to attend the scrimmage on Saturday, I won't be able to attend. Go Dogs!!!

Revelation 14:12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.

Open Discussion about Scrimmage

2008-11-01T20:02:00.001-05:00

Out of town today, welcomed comments about scrimmage.

Couple of stats:
Jarvis 17 pts, 12 rebounds, 8 blks in 24 mins.
Ravern 19 pts in 24 mins.
Bosts 13 pts 7 assists 3 to in 32 mins.
Osby 10 pts 11 rebounds in 13 mins.

Scrimmage Report by 005

2008-10-26T19:19:00.001-05:00

With one scrimmage under their belts, the basketball Bulldogs move forward looking for certainty at key positions. In Saturday's action, marked by two twenty minute sessions and an additional overtime simulation, fans got a glimpse at the future and saw the return of a few familiar veterans. The White team, anchored by Jarvis Varnado won an up and down contest 114 - 94. Although players changed sides repeatedly, Varnado and Bost notably spent almost all with the winning group.

True freshman Dee Bost handled most of the point guard duties and didn't disappoint, totalling 34 points on the afternoon. If the 2008-2009 Bulldogs hope to win at their accustomed pace, Bost will be a key factor. What may surprise many is his ability to shoot the ball. Dee looked comfortable on the perimeter, going 5-8 from long range. When closely guarded he also has the quickness and handle to twist ankles and draw the extra defender.

Another factor in the development of any college basketball team would be the progress of second year players. Ravern Johnson looked very smooth and self-confident offensively and led all scorers with 35 points on 13-22 shooting, 2-7 from beyond the arch. Ravern was especially efficient shooting from mid-range, on dribble penetration, and in transition. This might provide what has been missing in the Bulldog arsenal for some time, and effective scorer on the wings. Johnson will have to continue improving his defensive intensity but, as the Coaches have pointed out, that's an area that he has the length and athleticism to make up ground quickly.

Elgin Bailey is lighter, quicker, and more responsive physically. He looks like a "live" athlete now. The key words with Elgin are "active" and "aggressive." He really entered the program with those attributes but now has the confidence and understanding to go along with them. It's not certain whether he'll start or not, but he figures to be a valuable rotation player from tip to finish.
While Dee Bost, Ravern Johnson, and Elgin Bailey all seem to be emerging favorites, one shouldn't forget another freshmen. Romero Osby is a point forward in the true sense of the word. He plays facing the basket and possesses triple threat capability. Osby also has the ability to work the boards, carrying a 6'8" 230 frame. Conventional wisdom says that he'll come off the bench most, if not all, of his freshmen year. This is another young Bulldog who may be playing like a veteran well before his time. Romero chipped in 23 pts, including an official 4-4 from distance.

What unnerves this writer, and most discerning fans, is the reliance on so many new faces. Barry Stewart resumes his role at shooting guard, only this year he takes back seat to no one in terms of leadership. Barry is overcoming a foot injury sustained over the summer, but brings the familiar "icewater" presence to a team that will appreciate his experience. Barry had a low key performance scoring 24 on 7-18 shooting.

The back line and the bottom line will be Jarvis Varnado, and he anchored the Maroon Team, scoring 26 on 10-14 shooting while bringing down 14 rebounds. Brian Johnson, who most believe will be a role player contributed a quiet 5 points. Notably absent were Riley Benock and Twany Beckham. Beckham reportedly suffered a foot injury earlier in the week and will be sidelined up to four weeks.-005

Stats from the Scrimmage

2008-10-26T08:04:00.002-05:00

Take a look at the stats from the scrimmage. The numbers can be alittle inflated in a scrimmage, but you have to like Bailey and Ravern's stats. Since he stepped on campus, I thought Ravern could be our top scorer, but with the defections it looks to be coming a year early. The scorer cometh and his name is Ravern Johnson. Is is just me or did the Bost taking 21 shots seem alittle Gordan like for a pass first point guard. Oh well, were going to need some scorers this season, so let it fly Dee!

Revelation 17:14 They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers."

Open Scrimmage Time Set

2008-10-20T13:47:00.001-05:00

The open scrimmage has been set for this Saturday from 2pm -4:30. I won't be able to attend so if anyone is going and want to give a recap please email me.

Anchor of the 09 Class

2008-09-24T06:48:00.002-05:00

MSU got a huge, but expected commit from Shaunessy Smith yesterday. Smith is the anchor of the 09 class. Here are a few words from Mr. Veazy on Mr. Smith's commit. Now, we need a some big men to round out the class.-Arliss

Schedule is Out

2008-09-20T15:11:00.001-05:00

Sat, Nov 01
Montevallo [Exh.]
Starkville

Sat, Nov 08
Oklahoma City [Exh.]
Starkville
2:00 p.m.

Sat, Nov 15
Centenary
Starkville
TBA

Mon, Nov 17
Louisiana-Monroe
Starkville
7:00 p.m.

Wed, Nov 19
North Alabama Legends Tournament (Regional Rounds)
Starkville
7:00 p.m.

Sat, Nov 22
Fairleigh Dickinson Legends Tournament (Regional Rounds)
Starkville
TBA

Tue, Nov 25
St. Bonaventure
Olean, NY
6:00 p.m.

Fri, Nov 28
Washington State Legends Tournament (Championship Rounds)
Newark, NJ (Prudential Center)
TBA

Sat, Nov 29
Pittsburgh/Texas Tech Legends Tournament (Championship Rounds)
Newark, NJ (Prudential Center)
TBA

Sat, Dec 06
Alabama State
Starkville
TBA

Wed, Dec 10
Charlotte
Starkville
6:00 p.m.

Sat, Dec 13
South Alabama
Starkville
TBA

Thu, Dec 18
Cincinnati SEC/Big East Challenge
Cincinnati, OH (U.S. Bank Arena)
5:30 p.m.
ESPN2
Mon, Dec 22
Nicholls State
Jackson, MS
7:00 p.m.

Tue, Dec 30
San Diego
Starkville
7:00 p.m.

Sat, Jan 03
Houston
Starkville
TBA

Mon, Jan 05
Western Kentucky
Starkville
7:00 p.m.

Sat, Jan 10
Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR
6:00 p.m.
SEC-TV
Wed, Jan 14
Alabama
Starkville
7:00 p.m.

Sat, Jan 17
Vanderbilt
Starkville
7:00 p.m.
SEC-TV
Wed, Jan 21
LSU
Baton Rouge, LA
7:00 p.m.

Sat, Jan 24
Georgia
Athens, GA
5:00 p.m.
ESPN2
Sat, Jan 31
Ole Miss
Starkville
12:00 p.m.
RAYCOM
Tue, Feb 03
Kentucky
Lexington, KY
6:00 p.m.
RAYCOM
Sat, Feb 07
Arkansas
Starkville
2:00 p.m.
RAYCOM
Wed, Feb 11
LSU
Starkville
7:00 p.m.

Sat, Feb 14
Auburn
Auburn, AL
4:00 p.m.
SEC-TV
Wed, Feb 18
South Carolina
Starkville
7:00 p.m.

Sat, Feb 21
Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL
3:00 p.m.
RAYCOM
Wed, Feb 25
Tennessee
Knoxville, TN
8:00 p.m.
RAYCOM
Sat, Feb 28
Auburn
Starkville
5:00 p.m.
SEC-TV
Wed, Mar 04
Florida
Starkville
8:00 p.m.
RAYCOM
Sat, Mar 07
Ole Miss
Oxford, MS
TBA

MSU Preview from College Hoops Net

2008-08-23T15:46:00.002-05:00

Take a look, I have alittle higher expectation than 96, but at least someone is talking basketball.

http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/200809-mississippi-state-basketball-preview-96-65293

The Shape of the Future by 005

2008-08-10T17:46:00.001-05:00

The Shape of the Future

With two scholarships available the Bulldog staff has focused on a narrow group of recruits. Bulldog fans know that that availability is subject to change so the class could certainly expand up to three players.

Keith Gallon 6'8" 280 Oak Hill Academy (Houston, Tx) - A massive center recruit who has tipped the scale at more than 300 pounds. By many accounts he is close to ending his recruitment and becoming a Bulldog. He's no stranger to the Mississippi State campus as his sister is a former member of the Lady Bulldog program. Gallon ranks among the elite centers in the 2009 class and figures to be a huge building block to his program of choice. His game has been compared to that of Robert Traylor (Mich) and Glen Davis, notably for his quick footwork and soft touch around the basket.

Shaunessy Smith 6'5" 210 Noxubee Country HS ( Macon, MS ) - Smith is known for his athleticism and shooting skill at the wing positions. His path, of late has been marred by injury but he looks to return to form in time for his senior season. Although he hasn't been propelled by notable AAU performances he has seen offers from Clemson, Iowa, USC, and Ole Miss. Also showing interest are Stanford, Kentucky, and Memphis. Shaunessy is very familiar with the Bulldog program having been a regular attender of MSU home games.

Latavious Williams 6'8" 215 ( Progressive Christian Academy [MD] (Starkville) - Williams has been reclassified to the 2009 class and has seen his stock soar through the roof of late. Although Gallon seems to have taken precedent, there should always be room for an athlete of Latavious Williams to experience a homecoming.

SEC Schedule From the Head Man Himself

2008-08-01T22:44:00.001-05:00

BASKETBALL SCHEDULE While we still may be a few weeks away from releasing our complete men’s and women’s basketball schedules, the Southeastern Conference has announced the league’s men’s basketball schedule, television plans and game times for those contests. Our full SEC hoops schedule, TV tie-in (if any) and game times (CT) follow for your planning purposes:
Saturday, 1/10/09 at Arkansas
Wednesday, 1/14/09 Alabama
Saturday, 1/17/09 Vanderbilt
Wednesday, 1/21/09 at LSU
Saturday, 1/24/09 at Georgia (ESPN/ESPN2)
Saturday, 1/31/09 Ole Miss (Raycom, 12 noon)
Tuesday, 2/3/09 at Kentucky (Raycom, 6 p.m.)
Saturday, 2/7/09 Arkansas (Raycom, 3 p.m.)
Wednesday, 2/11/09 LSU
Saturday, 2/14/09 at Auburn
Wednesday, 2/18/09 South Carolina
Saturday, 2/21/09 at Alabama (Raycom, 3 p.m.)
Wednesday, 2/25/09 at Tennessee (Raycom, 8 p.m.)
Saturday, 2/28/09 Auburn
Wednesday, 3/4/09 Florida (Raycom, 8 p.m.)
Saturday, 3/7/09 at Ole Miss

Team Outlook -005

2008-07-31T05:27:00.000-05:00

Team Outlook

The roster sheet is short on experienced production but long on talent and potential. Make no mistake, this team isn't overly youthful, just lacking in dependable scoring punch taken away with the loss of Gordon, Rhodes, and to a lesser point Ben Hansbrough. Opportunity abounds for newcomers like Bost and Osby. Returning players such as Ravern Johnson, Kodi Augustus, and Elgin Bailey will be pressed to make the most of their college experience in heightened roles. Needless to say, a Rick Stansbury team will learn to play sound defense and with Varnado on the back line there is strong assurance that will continue.

As usual, the summer outlook is generally focused on the SEC West. There have been additions and subtractions notable to most of the rosters, making the division "up for grabs."

Alabama - Alabama loses Hendrix and (whew) Riley, but returns Ronald Steele after a season lost to injury. They have several valuable recruits coming in and Gottfried teams are always a chemistry experiment regardless of talent.

Arkansas - John Pelphrey faces the most turnover with the loss of 5 key contributors, all to graduation. It's hard to see Arkansas being more than a .500 team overall.

Auburn - They are tentatively my "team to watch" in the SEC as they return a lot of experience along with injured players like Korvotney Barber.

LSU - The Tigers lose super frosh Anthony Randolph to the NBA but they keep super guard Marcus Thornton and return Tasmin Mitchell. Super recruit J'mison Morgon was released from his LOI and signed instead with UCLA, leaving new Head Coach Trent Johnson to work with remainders. With Butch Pierre at Oklahoma State, the Louisiana border just got a little softer for basketball recruiting.

Ole Miss - Ole Miss basically lost it's front line experience and muscle, but traded for the type players that Andy Kennedy wants for his system. The redux continues as the Rebels make another strong bid for the NIT.

Scheduling Note

2008-07-31T05:18:00.002-05:00

University of Louisiana-Monroe. The Warhawks will be coming to the Hump on November 17, a Monday.

Psalm 119:75 I know, O LORD, that your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness you have afflicted me.

We All Know Who Will Be the Center of Attention by 005

2008-07-24T06:20:00.002-05:00

Center

The real strength of the 2008-2009 Bulldog roster figures to be junior center Jarvis Varnado. Jarvis has shown the natural progression of a valuable college player regardless of position. Even by modest expectations, he figures to improve on his productive sophomore season where he assaulted the record books. In Varnado, Rick Stansbury has a legitimate All SEC performer and a definitive game changer. Any doubters should be pointed to archived broadcasts and told to pay special attention to the team's performances with and without "The Swat."

If Varnado is to continue his improvement, he should hope to pack on as much lean muscle as possible. He's used to playing within his light frame, but added strength and stamina can only make him better at holding his position on the blocks. Also at issue will be the expectation of offensive contribution. If the group at power forward isn't immediately productive then Varnado will have to become a 17-10-5 type player respective to scoring, rebounding, and blocking shots. He might be capable of that, but the big guy is obviously placing "Help Wanted" signs in the lockers of Brian Johnson, Romero Osby, and Elgin Bailey.

Speaking of Bailey, he's had a productive Summer in terms of basketball and is said to be a few pounds lighter for his second go round. Elgin is the perfect change of pace for resting Jarvis. He's a wide body, but he's quick for his size and very agressive. From a production standpoint, he might be overlooked. From a competitive standpoint he's going to be outstanding depth.-005

Interesting Schedule Note

2008-07-24T06:10:00.002-05:00

Ole Miss released it schedule and it looks like we will be playing our last game of the regular season away this year. March 7 in Oxford. If there is any way you can make one away game, I strongly recommend it. I went last year and had a blast, even with the loss. Bulldogs had a great showing.

Luke 17:5 The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"

Who Will Hold the Power? by 005

2008-07-17T16:28:00.000-05:00

Power Forward

Gone is the steady presence of Charles Rhodes. There was a point where it never seemed appropriate to use that description for Charles, but he really was a productive player at the SEC level and clearly earned the "consistent" label over the course of his final year. In the wake of his graduation the Bulldog staff is looking to several players for production.

Brian Johnson averaged just under 10 minutes per game in his junior season and hopes to improve on his 2.3 point and 2.2 rebound averages. The big fellow is still fighting to recover full confidence in leg ailments that previously sidelined his career prior to transferring from Louisville. Johnson plays smart and proved to be tenacious in his limited role a year ago but most wonder if he's capable of expanding that role in his final campaign. If history is any indication this Coaching staff will rely on his experience before looking to other options.

Romero Osby enters as a prized Magnolia State recruit and a familiar name to those who follow recruiting closely. At 6'8" and 230 Romero definitely has the size and strength to transition into major college basketball. On top of size, he has a substantial amount of skill that has had analysts looking at his potential facing the basket.

Kodi Augustus is one reserve who should enter the season with a chip on his shoulder. A year ago, his shooting ability was praised as being tops on the squad. What wasn't known was his inexperience playing the brand of defense expected in the Bulldog program. Although Kodi might see a few minutes further away from the basket he promises to play somewhat of a role closer to the basket, occasionally flashing to the perimeter. Whatever role he plays is entirely up to him. He has close up knowledge of what is expected that Osby hasn't pictured yet, at this point that might be his only advantage.

Charles must be replaced by a committee it seems. The good news is that there are a trio expecting to compete for minutes at power forward. The bad news is that returning production offers only speculation at this point.-005

Could a Wingman Help Us Soar to the Top? by 005

2008-07-10T19:24:00.008-05:00

Small Forward

Small forwards, in the conventional sense, have been in short supply over recent MSU basketball history. Small lineups have prevailed and we've grown accustomed to an extra guard making the lineup extremely quick but without a genuine scoring threat on the wing. Though some are infatuated with young combo forwards like Kodi Augustus and Romero Osby sliding out to the perimeter. One only needs to consider defensive liabilities to perish that thought.

By all appearances, Ravern Johnson is poised to take over the bulk of the minutes at small forward. He showed flashes of play making brilliance as a true freshmen but obviously lacked the strength to go from 2A Coahoma County to the SEC in a year's time. In watching him perform late in the season, he obviously has the lateral quickness to excel on the perimeter. Strength and instinct also played a factor and Ravern wasn't used to defending the way his veteran teammates were accustomed to. Like Dee Bost at point guard, he now has inherited a great deal of playing time by default. Competition at small forward will come from transfer Jaquiese Holcombe and the smaller and faster Antiquawn Beckham. Guard oriented lineups will feature Phil Turner and possibly Riley Benock in smaller capacities.-005

Who Will Define the Next Era of MSU Basketball? by Arliss

2008-07-03T19:37:00.004-05:00

I got to thinking the other day while I was looking at the schedule posters I have collected over the years. I've got schedule poster back to the 2000-2001 season. When I think of eras, I think of a player that was the face of our program for those seasons. Dating back to 2000, it was Mario Austin 00-02, Lawerence Roberts 03-04, and Jamont Gordon 05-08. So who will define the next era? I would have to think to qualify to define an era, someone would have to play a minimum of two seasons. Two players come to mind, Ravern Johnson and Romero Osby. Even though no one is likely to flirt with Jarvis's defensive numbers for years to come, most of us will think of offense when we think of a headliner.

My mind keeps flashing back to the bits and pieces that Ravern showed up driving to the basket last season. Ravern shot lights out in high school, but the kid has some athletic ability. When he came to State, I thought his place during his freshman campaign would be waiting for a shot on the wing. But the flashes of talent I saw him display, makes me think of just what he can bring to the table when he puts it all together. He has a mean first step, and he has an arc on his shot that frustrates defenders. Like I've said before, after the defects from last season, Ravern Johnson could come out smelling like a rose. But will he take advantage of it, I hope so. I think Romero, will be a major contributor this year and could be possibly be in the starting lineup come January, but I think Ravern Johnson will be the man. Will he define the next era in MSU basketball? We'll see.

Who will take the 2? by 005

2008-07-03T08:22:00.002-05:00

Shooting Guard

1 foot..... 12 inches. The three point line extends from 19 ft 9 inches to 20 ft 9 inches. Apparently governing concerns felt that the old NCAA line was no longer a challenge. Bulldog shooters would offer a differing opinion and fans would agree as 3 for 17 type performances seemed commonplace with a team that lagged behind SEC averages in the perimeter shooting department. Shooting guard hasn't been a strength position for the Bulldog program and might be considered one of the weaker areas for the 2008-2009 squad.

Barry Stewart is a steady player. Ever since he put on the Maroon and White he's had a reputation for being a cool customer, a guy who's bubble always seems to be on the level. Some may note a sag in shooting percentages from his Freshman to Sophomore campaign, but there's more to the numbers than what meets the eye. As a freshman he was coming off the bench behind Reginald Delk and didn't face the performance pressure he met his second time around. Also worth mentioning is the fact that he served a dual role in handling some point guard duties. Although he isn't a great athlete compared to his sEC peers, he is deceptively quick when opponents are switching defenders or if he gets his man leaning. On the defensive end, he does an admirable job staying in front of his man and keen observers know that he's continued to improve in the passing lanes.

It appears that Twanny Beckham will assume a dual position role and Barry will play the bulk of the minutes at shooting guard. Beckham, although not known as a pure shooter is said to be a hard nosed defender who likes to attack the basket on the offensive end. Riley Benock is another option off the bench. Riley needs to develop a shooter's mentality, taking cues from his hero Jason Reddick and former Florida standout Lee Humphrey. This writer doesn't see the point of playing Riley if he's not looking to shoot.-005

Wanted-Point Guard by 005

2008-06-27T17:21:00.005-05:00

The oft maligned Jamont Gordon is now casting his fortunes to the professional basketball winds. Although a steady and productive performer he never was a comfortable fit at the PG position. The proof was in the turnovers, which compared to his positive statistics bring to mind the old adage. "Can't live with him, can't live without him."

As choices dictate, the Bulldogs are living without Gordon a year earlier than some had hoped. The clear successor is Dee Bost, a flashy prep recruit often described as a combo guard in point guard training. This won't be unusual for Maroon and White observers as the Stansbury regime often seeks out multi-tasking back-court performers. Bost showed a tough prep school league what he's made of in leading Hargrave to the Invitational Title in the confines of New York City last winter and brings his combination of speed and athleticism to the front in Gordon's absence.

This writer estimates that Bost is more than ready for the SEC challenge as he excelled among ( and against ) the highest available competition both as a play maker and as a defender. The questions remain, "how good" and "how soon ?" Only time will give the answers on that question, but necessity will afford him every opportunity to take command early. In Gordon's absence there are no experienced players that stand in the way. Barry Stewart has had some part time experience and may be called on to steady the team. It's clear, however, that Stewart's niche will be at shooting guard where his mostly undivided chore will be shooting the ball.

It appears that Antiquawn "Twanny" Beckham will assume some responsibility at all three perimeter positions. If film is a good indicator, he is comfortable handling the ball to the left AND right. When Bost sits, expect Stewart and Beckham to share ball handling duties.

It should be every Bulldog's hope that Bost doesn't sit very often. He needs to be the real deal, right away. First year mistakes are expected and forgivable just as Jamont's third year mistakes were mitigated by his carrying the team in other areas. Bost promises to be more suited to the position and the prospects of a smooth transition have Bulldogs hoping to stay atop their own back yard, the SEC West.-005

New Agent 005

2008-06-26T17:44:00.003-05:00

Its a slow time of year for sports, much less MSU basketball. I've recruited a new agent to write some articles. Agent 005 has quite an insight on incoming freshmen and will offer up his opinion on MSU basketball. New articles to come soon!

Bits and Peices of Schedule Coming Together

2008-06-20T15:48:00.002-05:00

According to the Centenary athletics website, the Centenary men’s basketball will open the 08-09 season with our Bulldogs on November 15, 2008 at the Hump. For more info take a look here.

So, What Do You Want To Talk About?

2008-06-16T20:05:00.001-05:00

What are some summer topics you would like researched and written about? October can't get here quick enough.

At Least Someone Is Talking SEC Basketball

2008-05-24T07:30:00.003-05:00

It might be coming from the blue nation, but at least someone is talking SEC basketball. I think it will take the full summer of digesting the roster to get a feel for what direction our team will head. But for now, it could help us get through the summer.

Mississippi State will contend for top honors in the West. If you will notice, in my earlier evaluation of the West, I had Mississippi picked to win the league. I have changed my mind on that. Judging from the tenor of Jamont Gordon's remarks, I expect him to stay in the draft. If he does, the two Mississippi teams will likely fight it out for second place in the West. MSU loses Charles Rhodes to graduation in addition to the likely defection of Gordon, but has a nice stable of players and some excellent recruits coming.
Rick Stansbury has done a very good job of coaching this team, and I look for the Bulldogs to once again compete for the West. The loss of Ben Hansbrough does not help their outside shooting, but the addition of Demarquis Bost and Romero Osby will more than make up for his loss. My pick as a strong second in the West.

Acts 27:25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.

Coach Kirby Candidate for Grambling Job

2008-05-11T18:52:00.003-05:00

Coach Robert Kirby has been mentioned as a candidate for the head basketball coaching position at Grambling.

Luke 5:20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."

Last Piece to the Puzzle?

2008-05-02T20:58:00.002-05:00

New signee Jacquiese Holcombe. Could add some depth to the three, we'll see how he adjusts. What do ya think?

It's a Little Low.

2008-04-24T18:23:00.002-05:00

MSU Basketball is low on the sports screen right now, so let go with the obvious but always interesting question. What is the lineup with Jamont gone? (SEC Precictions)Personally, I say Varnado at the 5, Osby at the 4, Ravern at the 3, Barry at the 2, and Antwain running the point, yes thats my prediction for early summer what do you think? (I think Bost is a 2). We'll see!! Go Dawgs, I miss Ben already, just kidding, eyes forward focused on the 07-08 season.
Arliss

New Commit Antiquawn Beckham

2008-04-13T20:06:00.003-05:00

Link

Will he play the one or the two? We'll see. We need as many options at the one and two as we can get for next season.

From a 2007 ESPN evaluation: "Twany" is a point guard in a wing's body as he has good size and athleticism but plays the game as if he were a facilitating point guard. He would be an ideal fit on a team that needs a backcourt mate for a scoring little guard as Twany thinks pass first and is more than capable of initiating offense. In fact, he would do well to become more aggressive looking for his own shot. When in scoring mode he is at his best when slashing along the baseline where he has a quick first step and finishes fairly well. His jumper has improved to the point where he is a consistent threat to make open shots, but he will never be considered a shooter. He also uses his size to his advantage by bringing smaller defenders to the block where he can create his own shot or find teammates for open looks if the defense doubles down. Beckham rebounds well from the perimeter and is also a capable defender thanks in large part to his long physique and above average quickness.

No Reason to Cry Over Spilt Milk

2008-04-08T17:09:00.002-05:00

Ben is gone, yes I'm for one am dissapointed. Jamont coming back is looking slim, yes I would like for him come back. While it keeps the boards buzzing, lets move on!! We have two returning starters Barry and Jarvis. We have the best interior defender in country in the last15 years to build our team around. Ravern Johnson is coming out of this thing smelling like a rose. I thought by the 09-10 season, our offense would run through Ravern, but the learning curve just got cut by a season. I believe he will be our top scorer next season. I think Osby and Kodi will play the four and Elgin and Brian can spell Jarvis. If we can get a steady point guard and Ravern plays like we saw flashes off last season, we have the post in place. Folks can blame Rick if they want, but remember, Rick will be there longer than 4 years, so he is our coach and we have to trust his decision making while he is our head coach. Some will like it and some will not. Well, it will make for a long summer of tossing around lineups. So for awhile, no news is good news. Go Dawgs!!

Ben's to Transfer

2008-04-07T20:31:00.002-05:00

From the CL:
STARKVILLE - Starting guard Ben Hansbrough will leave Mississippi State's basketball team and intends to transfer, MSU coach Rick Stansbury said today.

"Ben is a good kid and we wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors," Stansbury said in a news release.Contacted earlier today, Stansbury wouldn't comment beyond what was in the release.A message left on Hansbrough's cell phone wasn't immediately returned.Hansbrough, a 6-foot-3 sophomore, was State's fourth-leading scorer in its recent run to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Hansbrough started 28 games and averaged 10.5 points per game. He shot 36 percent from behind the 3-point line and led the team in free throw shooting percentage, making 78.9 percent of his attempts.

Didn't really see that one coming, I don't like the reoccuring theme on the team.

Its not delivery, its C-Rhodes!!!

2008-04-03T18:09:00.000-05:00

The 2008 DiGiorno College All-Star game (for Seniors only) in San Antonio as part of this week's NCAA Final Four. He will play for the American All-Stars coached by Dave Odom (former SC coach) against the National All-Stars coached by Oliver Purnell (Clemson). Joining Rhodes will be Sundiata Gaines (GA.), David Padgett (Lousiville), Mike Green (Butler), and Brian Butch (Wisc.). For the National All-Stars will be Ramel Bradley (KY), Shan Foster (Vandy), Jonathan Wallace (G-town), DeMarcus Nelson (Duke), Cliff Hammonds (Clemson) nd Josh Duncan (Xavier). The game is scheduled to be played Friday at 5PM CT at the Alamodome and televised on CSTV. Go get 'em Charles.

Thanks to All

2008-03-23T18:25:00.003-05:00

I would like to thank all who have taken the time out of there day to read of a couple of words from the blog. I started the blog not as a tool to garner internet traffic and advertising, but a place for the MSU basketball fans who just couldn't get enough from the regular MSU internet outlets. In the beginning I put forth an effort to post everyday, but soon after I found out that my wife and I were pregnant with our first child, my time and efforts were shifted a bit. I've had several insiders/00 agents along the way, some that even got alittle more involved than they thought they wanted to be. None of this blog would be possible with the insiders, especially 001. 001 has been my insider from the beginning and the info he has provided if what keep the folks coming back for more. I hope all that read the blog got alittle extra out of it. Faith, if i didn't have my faith were would I be. Even though it was just a daily bible verse, I hope you found some inspiration in it. Last but not least, what this season and MSU basketball means the most of all to me is spending time with my dad. I was blessed to have been raised by two Christan parents and a father who I thought of more of a friend. When kids leave the nest and get married and move away alot of sons lose touch with their fathers. My older brothers are moved away or are to busy to get into sports. My dad and I were able to attend 12 games this season together at the Hump. MSU basketball has given me an opportunity to spend time with my father that once it is gone, its gone. So MSU basketball is such much more to me than cheering for the bulldogs and typing away on the blog. I always be able to look back one day after the Lord has called my father home, and feel no regret that I could have spent more time with my dad or got to know him better.
Again, I want to thank all who have graced these pages and all that have contributed to this blog. Always remember to keep you faith, and the Lord will see you through.
Sincerely,
Arliss

The Game

2008-03-23T08:44:00.002-05:00

I can honestly say that if we would have lost the game on Friday it would have overshadowed alot of our accomplishments this season. Now, the dogs have what they want. A chance to knock off the a #1 seed whose only loss is to TN. As long as they leave it all on the court I will deem this season a success. But, that is all I will even allude to in the losing sense. I really think we can take down the tigers. We play down to competition and we play up to competition. The difference will be the 3. As a backcourt if has not been there since we left the Hump. If we make our 3's we can shock the world. If MSU want the national respect back in basketball circles, this it.

Mark 16:6 "Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.

Mark 16:14 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

Great Job State!!!!

2008-03-21T20:42:00.001-05:00

Way to brass up!!!! You couldn't ask for more to prove yourself. Let's be the first to take out the number one seed!!! Go Dawgs!!!!

At the Half

2008-03-21T19:27:00.001-05:00

You have to feel we can adjust, lets hope. The season could be over soon. If we can make some 3's it will be the difference.

The 8-9 Draw

2008-03-17T06:19:00.002-05:00

Well, do you like the match up. I thought it could have been alittle better. KV's article in the CL said that Oregon lives and dies by the three and they have a 6'9" forward who shoots 50+ percent from behind the arc. Their weakness is on the inside. Sounds alot like Quan Prowell and Auburn. If you had to pick a number 1 to face, it would be Memphis. We've got at least 3 players who match their athleticism and 2 others who come close with effort. We let other team dictate the tempo. If we make it to the second, it could be a good match up. I don't feel as bad about our draw as Ark or TN. The east bracket is a killer especially the Ark. vs Indiana match up. Well, whats your thoughts on the our seeding. Go Dawgs!!!

Acts 3:16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.

Will They Have Enough?

2008-03-15T18:34:00.002-05:00

Will UG have enough? Well, we'll see. Is Georgia better than when we play them early in the season? Obviously they are, or they wouldn't be playing us tonight. They are very agressive on the inside and didn't shoot the 3 well today. I hope we take care of business tonight. The way it should be tom? ARK vs. MSU on Sunday. Enough said.

3 Strikes and Your Out Bama!

2008-03-14T07:59:00.004-05:00

It is hard to beat a team 3 times in a row. I believe our Dogs are focused and and playing their best ball of the year right now. I want to see Jarvis and Jamont get Hendrix in foul trouble. If we can do this and keep Riley in check we should take care of business. Can a team shoot that well for 2 nights in a row, lets hope not. If your stuck at work today and you want to watch the first two games check it out here. Arkansas could go down today, so we might be the only chance left in the west after today. Go Dawgs!!!

Ezekiel 18:9 He follows my decrees and faithfully keeps my laws. That man is righteous; he will surely live, declares the Sovereign LORD.

To Be Worthy Of or Not to Be Worthy Of

2008-03-11T18:33:00.008-05:00

This is probably one of the years as a fan base we have a lot of gripe when the Coaches SEC awards came out today. First what we all agree on. Charles and Jamont first teamers and Jarvis defensive player of the year (no brainer). Jarvis getting defensive player of the year was like placing first in a competition with no other contestants. He separated himself nationally in February. I'm really happy for Charles, he stepped up his game the last 2 months and the coaches recognized him for it.

Now, the first gripe. Lets start up with the least of the arguments. Jamont for player of the year. Not too much room for argument, especially after Foster put his superman cape on for our game last Wednesday. If want to look at from a half full perspective, maybe this is a little motivation to come back next year and win the award.

Second, Jarvis not on the first or second team. Did any one player affect a team's game plan more than Jarvis. I guess folks put more emphasis on offense. But not second team, come on. Maybe when Jarvis set the record for triple doubles next year, he will garner the attention he deserves. Interesting note: Jarvis is two years removed from high school. Tyrus Thomas 05-06 season two years removed from HS comparision. Poor man's Tyrus Thomas, I think not the stats dont't lie:
Jarvis SEC stats: PPG 8.8 RPG 7.8 BPG 4.8 6'9" 210 lbs
Tyrus SEC stats: PPG 10.2 RPG 7.8 BPG 2.7 6'9" 215 lbs

And last but not least, Coach of the Year. Most agree on Earl the Pearl, but Billy Bluecat? Oh well Rick just keep doing your job, I personally and the bulldog faithful appreciate he job you've done. Personally, I think Rick has taken his game coaching to a whole other level this season. The records were the same and we get no love, so the other coaches thought Billy Bluecat got the nod over Rick. Well, lets see if we agree with the AP more than the coaches. Agree, disagree, what do your think?

Mark 10:52 "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Off to Atlanta!!

2008-03-09T15:34:00.001-05:00

Well, considering the 5-5 start its safe to say we had a very good season. Like Rick mentioned on the post game, we were two shots away from being 14-2 and regular season champs. Since the league split into east and west divisions, a 12-4 clip was good enough six different times to take the regular season title. Charles played a huge role coming down the stretch and played like we always hoped he would this season. Through all the drama he provided us over the last four years, you'll be hard pressed to find anyone to say anything negative about Charles who had the chance to meet him in person. Charles will always be one of the most fan friendly players we've every had. Thanks you Charles for stepping up to the plate this season. I don't think many people know what Jamont is going to do. Alot depends on the big dance, but my gut says he'll be back.

Now, off to Atlanta! Do we match up better against Bama or UF? I think UF and I think that is the matchup. Jarvis give the gators alot of problems but Hendrix gives Jarvis alot of problems. One thing I've learned following the dogs over the years is the only way to be a fan and not yank all your hair out is to take it game by game. But if we take care of business on Friday, we could see the Rebs again. I would rather see KY, especially with Patterson out, but KY could give our back court fits.

001 said at the game on Sat. that Vandy was a quality loss, if there is such a thing. After Rick's post game comment on the atmosphere at Vandy the toughest atmosphere from here on out (including Atlanta and NCAA's), that makes alot of sense to me. My honest opinion of this team, we are playing our best ball of the year right now and I think Rick has a Sweet 16 team. I think we play on Sunday in Atlanta and I'm hoping for a 5 for 6 seed. I think we get hosed with a 8 or 7 seed. If we do get a 7, I would like to see us in the same bracket as a 2 seed Duke. I originally planned to make the trip to Atlanta, but our first child is the way soon, and we will be limited to watching on TV. I hope all enjoy the weekend to come and the big dance. Personally, the next 3 weeks are the greatest time of the year for sports. If you have any thoughts, predictions, or anything to get off your chest, let it rip! Go Dogs!!!

Matthew 9:22 Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.

LSU Report Card by 001

2008-03-09T14:29:00.005-05:00

What a great game this was. Our 2 senior players and senior manager getting a send off from almost 9000 fans. It was also nice to see the crowd give Butch Pierre a standing invitation during the pre-game ceremonies. We started the game well and after Varnado went to the bench with 2 fouls, we sort of lost our composure and that extended into the first several minutes of the second half. Then we went on a run and the game was ours from then onto the finish. This game also gave us the SEC title for blocked shots in a season at 263. The old record was held by Kentucky at 260. We also got to witness Varnado’s first ever 3 point basket. However, it did take the glass and a whole lot of rim to get it to drop.
OFFENSE B
We were 28 of 62 for 45.2% for the game, including 8 of 20 from beyond the arc for 40.0%. Our team allowed LSU to control the game in the first half, but the second half belong to State. We did collect 15 points off of 14 offensive rebounds. We had 36 points in the paint and 10 off of LSU turnovers. But we were at 0 on fast break points. Our bench out scored our opponent 10 to 4. Overall, a pretty solid performance.
DEFENSE B
We have played better defense in previous games. But in this one, it was just good enough to win. The team held LSU to 28 of 72 for 38.9%. Another sub 40% defensive effort for the guys. Apparently Coach’s half time talk inspired our guys. They had been out rebounded in the first half and LSU had taken a 1 point lead in at half time. According to the players, rebounding and defense were preached at half time. We came back out and held LSU to just 32 points in the second half and out rebounded them also. I feel our biggest failure on defense was allowing Marcus Thornton to hit 13 of 27, including 6 of 12 3 pointers for 38 points in this game.
ASSIST TO TURNOVER RATIO C
We lost this category again.. 9 assist to 14 turnovers. Gordon had 4 assist and 5 turnovers and Stewart had 3 assists with 2 turnovers. Going into the SECT, we need to maintain better control of the ball. One thing I admired was a couple of spectacular assists in the game when we really needed them.
REBOUNDING C
LSU out rebounded us 41 to 40 in this game. They held a 23 to 14 edge for the first half. However, in the second half we came back and out rebounded LSU 26 to 18. Kudos to Rhodes on his double-double pulling down 10 rebounds to go along with his 27 points. Had we been a little more aggressive in the first half we could have won this battle.
3 POINT SHOOTING B+
We were 8 of 20 from outside the arc for 40.0% for the game. Gordon was 3 for 37, Hansbrough was 3 for 6, and Stewart was 1 for 6. Stewart just had an off night from the arc or our completed percentage would have been better.
FREE THROW SHOOTING A
Gone was the fiasco of free throw shooting of the Vandy game as our guys knocked down 20 of 24 from the charity stripe for 83.3% for the game. We were 6 for 6 in the first half and 14 of 18 in the second half. This type of shooting needs to carry over into the SECT action.
OFFICIATING B+
Another game in which the officials let the players play. There were a few calls that I disagreed with, but that’s just me. I may have allowed Patrick Evans to color my vision somewhat in this game because he is one of my least favorite officials.
OVERALL B
This actually worked out to be a C++, but I rounded it off to a B. This was a very emotional game for the guys, the crowd and especially for Charles Rhodes. Here at the end of the regular season, I think our guys are stepping up the potential they possess and are finding ways to win games. If this carries forward, we could have a nice run in the SECT and go deeper into the NCAAT than any other Stansbury team ever has. GO DAWGS!!!

Your Thoughts

2008-03-07T06:06:00.000-06:00

What are your thoughts about the game on Wednesday (I'm still speechless) and the game against LSU on Saturday. Farewell to Charles and off to Atlanta!

Will They Be Playing Our Tune in Music City?

2008-03-04T17:39:00.005-06:00

No doubt about, we our playing some of our best ball now, much like we did toward the end of last season. I think we play better in Nashville than at Bud Walton. I heard Rick say on Dawgs Talk that will try to exploit Ogilvy's weaknesses like running the floor, come off some screens. Foster shoots an amazing 60% at home compared to 40% on the road. Jamont should draw the task. Can we win at Vandy? Yes I think we can. Will we, yes I think we will. What do you think? This could improve our seeding drastically. We'll see, I just hate there is no TV coverage. What do you think? Go Dawgs!!!

UF Report Card by 001

2008-03-03T16:30:00.000-06:00

Congrats to the SEC Western Division Champs! And they didn’t need help from anyone to get this honor. They did it on their own. It was a heck of a game. State scored first, lost the lead at the 18:15 mark, tied the game at the 17:53 mark, and went ahead at the 17:28 mark and never looked back. Our offensive game wasn’t nearly as good as it has been, but the defensive game was spot on. Our bench production was identical to Florida ’s bench scoring with eight points. This was also the lowest scoring for Jamont Gordon for the season, and we still found a way to win. Although Jamont only scored 4 points for the game, his play in other areas of the game were excellent. He had 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals and outstanding defensive play.
OFFENSE B
Although Gordon was limited in scoring, the rest of the team took up the slack. All of the other starters were in double figures. Varnado had an excellent game with another double-double scoring 11 points with 11 rebounds to go along with one assist, 7 blocks and 2 steals. Our shooting was somewhat better in the first half than the second half. In the first half, we were 14 of 31 for 45.2% and in the second half, we were 9 of 24 for 37.5%. For the game we were 23 of 55 for 41.8%. This is a lot lower than our previous games. But still good enough for the win, and on the road. We also got 12 points off of 7 offensive rebounds, that’s an excellent mark. Maybe we are previewing a return of the “Road Warriors.”
DEFENSE A-
Anytime you can hold Florida team to 36.1% shooting, you have done a great job on defense. Actually, that is really somewhat higher than it should have been. After Florida called a time out at the 00:35 mark, Coach instructed our guys to slow them down, but not to foul them. Consequently, they got 2 uncontested lay ups in the remainder of the game. Coach Stansbury and staff had a great defensive game plan put together. His switching our defenses from man to zone and so on really kept the Florida offense in somewhat of a disarray. Our guys held their offense in check for most of the game giving up 22 of 61 attempts for 36.1% for the game. They also held Florida ’s 3 point shooting in check allowing only 7 for 25 attempts for 28.0% for the game. Overall, a very good defensive outing.
ASSIST TO TURNOVER RATIO A
We had 13 assists compared to just 8 turnovers in this game. By far the lowest number of turnovers by the Dawgs this year. Gordon led the way with assists at 5. Ravern Johnson had 2 assists off the bench. We need to keep working on this category for the remainder of the season.
REBOUNDING B
We tied with the Gators in this category at 40 each. We collected 23 rebounds in the first half and only 17 in the second half. Had we done just a little better in the second half, we could have won this battle. But a tie is always better than a loss in this area of the game.
3 POINT SHOOTING B
We were not quite up to par in this category for this game as a team. We were 7 of 21 for 33.3% for the game. However. Hansbrough by himself would have graded an A on going for 4 8 for 50.0%. Ravern Johnson was one for one. It’s good to see others stepping up when our mainstays are off.
FREE THROW SHOOTING C
Our free throw shooting dropped off in this game. We only made 15 of 25 for 60.0% from the charity stripe. We have been doing better than this in our last 3 or 4 games. Hopefully, it’ll be back up for our next game which is another road game. Hansbrough and Stewart were good off the line 4 for 4 and 2 for 2.
OFFICIATING A
I felt this was well officiated game. The officials let the guys play and missed very few calls in my opinion. I would love to see this type of officiating for the remainder of this season.
OVERALL B
This was a very good road win for this team. When you beat Florida at their house, you should be congratulated. They play as well at home as any team in the conference. This win give us 2 Eastern Division wins on the road and 2 Eastern Division wins at home against 1 Eastern Division loss at home, with one Eastern Division game on the road at Vanderbilt. I still like the way our team is stepping up to their potential. Memorial gun at Vandy is a hard place to play. I’ve been up there for a number of our games and feel that if we do play to our potential and can hold Shane Foster to less than 5 3 pointers, we can win up there again. Go Dawgs!

MSU 68 UF 59

2008-03-01T18:35:00.002-06:00

These dogs take care of business! Great game for Ben. Its nice to see other players step up when Jamont is having a bad game. This team is playing good ball at the right time of the year. I think we have a real chance to play a close game at Vandy. Off to Music City to play alittle string music! Here is a good recap.

Game Day at the Swamp

2008-03-01T07:25:00.004-06:00

The thought on every one's mind now is a Co-SEC Championship. Wow that would be great, but depending on other teams to lose with a two road games and a much improved LSU team left at the Hump is a tall task. But, anything is possible. It will be interesting to see how KY can react without Patterson in the lineup against UT. Today's game will be an interesting match up down low. We win today and there is no doubt were in the big dance. If you like me and you already curious about possible locations and ticket prices, take a look at the sites for the first two rounds. Check out some game day articles from the CL and DJ.

2 Timothy 2:22 Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Auburn Report Card by 001

2008-02-28T15:47:00.001-06:00

This win put us in the driver’s seat! We now own at minimum a share of the SEC West championship. One more win and we will win it outright. The guys played one heck of a game last night to put us in this position. Rhodes played his heart out for this one. He had 30 points (career high), 9 rebounds, 2 blocks and only 1 turnover. But give everyone credit for this win. All of the starters were in double figures in scoring. Yes, I know that Auburn was out manned, but they have been playing really good basketball with their short bench. And they are well coached. Auburn ’s Quan Prowell hit a career high in scoring with 31 points. In fact 4 of their 6 players were in double figures. But be that as it was, we still beat them in all categories except free throw shooting where they beat us 76.9% to 75.0%.
OFFENSE A
This game was similar to the Ole Miss game where we put it all together. Shooting was outstanding for our guys. We were 16 for 27 for 59.3% in the first half and improved to 17 for 28 for 60.7% in the second half giving us 60.0% for the game. A new standard for State. For the game, we scored 16 points off of offensive rebounds. This was great! We turned the ball over 6 times in each of the halves for a game total of 12. This also is great for this team. In fact, Rhodes only turnover came just 17 seconds in the first half. Everybody that played gave productive minutes for our team. All of our starters shot in double figures lead by Rhodes with 30, and Gordon with 20. Turner was the only bench player to score with a 3 pointer. But Brian Johnson had an offensive rebound and an assist to Varnado for a dunk. Although we got somewhat lackadaisical in the first half, we came back in the second half with more grit and energy and played much better. Our 3 point shooting was much better in this game going 11 of 23 for 47.8%. And last, but not least, we shot the ball well from the charity stripe at 75.0%. This type of offensive play can win you a lot of ballgames.
DEFENSE A-
State played a very good defensive game tonight. The only player we had no real answer for was Quan Prowell. He was 7 of 10 from beyond the arc and had 20 points at half time. We did however do a better job on him in the second half limiting him to 11 points. We switched from man defense to a 2-3 zone at 15.35 minute after a media time out in the second half and held him to just two 3 pointers. Making this defensive change was a wise decision on Coach Stansbury’s part. You could see the disruptive power it had on the Auburn team. Also, on the defensive end of the court, we pulled down 26 defensive rebounds to Auburn ’s 16 offensive rebounds. Even with their scoring 78 points in this game, we held FG percentage to 39.4% for the game.
ASSIST TO TURNOVER RATIO A
In this game, our assist to turnovers was almost 2 assist to 1 turnover. We finished the game with 22 assists to 12 turnovers. Gordon had half of our turnovers, but also had 6 assists. Several of his assist while driving the lane were things of beauty because each turn out to be slam dunks.
REBOUNDING A
We again won the rebounding war collecting 36 to their 29. This was not quite as good as the first time we played them, but was adequate. Stats showed we pulled down 10 offensive boards and scored 16 points off them. This is very, very good. We also out rebounded our opponent on the defensive boards 26 to 16. Rhodes and Varnado both came up 1 rebound shy of getting a double-double.
3 POINT SHOOTING A
What more can be said about this category when our guys shot 47.8% from beyond the arc. Compare this to the South Carolina game when we shot just 27.8%. This type of 3 point shooting can win against about any opponent we face. Kudos to the team for this performance.
FREE THROW SHOOTING A
I was proud of the way our guys stepped up in this area of their game. 12 of 16 for 75.0% from the charity stripe. This just adds icing to the cake for State. Rhodes hit 7 of 8 and Hansbrough was perfect at 3 for 3. We need to stay in this shooting range for the remainder of the year for our overall success. Free throw shooting practice is paying dividends now.
OFFICIATING B
I should most probably give this category an A-, but just couldn’t bring myself to do so. The officials did allow the players to play. There were 3 or 4 instances where people got hammered under the basket without a foul being called. But a no call is better than having a foul called against us. The primary reason for this grade is I just can’t tolerate Doug “Showboat” Shows as a ref.
OVERALL A
Since I don’t use the officiating grade in the overall score, State gets an A. This game was very similar to when we beat Ole Miss in the last perfect game I scored an A. Coach Stansbury always talks about find the guys finding a way to win. In this game, they didn’t have to find a way to win. They won it heads up with beautiful basketball play.

P/S…If you will go back and read a column I wrote on February 5th, What's in the future for the Dawgs now?, you see a forecast I did for the remaining 9 games at the time. I now feel that with the way our Dawgs are stepping up to their potential, we have a very good opportunity for a victory at Florida this coming Saturday. Go Dawgs!!!

MSU 89 AUBURN 78

2008-02-28T07:42:00.003-06:00

Upon arrival at the Hump, the pregame atmosphere felt very lackluster. You could just sense that the game was going to be closer at times than expected. Prowell had an amazing game for AU. Congrats to Charles for a career high of 30. If they would have feed more he could have had forty plus. Charles had no competition, most all of his shot where in the paint. He was not forced to use his fade away shot. Congrats to the dogs on locking up at least a share of another west title. I think we can win on Saturday. LSU will not be the team we opened the SEC with. I think we can win 2 of next 3 and improve our seeding drastically. Win 2 and think we get at least a 7. Win 2 of next three and then win 1, about the same, win 2 maybe a 6, win the tournament and I think we get a 5. We'll at this point its just dogspeak. Go Dawgs!!!

One extra note, I noticed that Romero Osby was decked out in maroon last night now that his season is over. It was a beatiful thing!

1 Corinthians 16:13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.

Game Day Articles

2008-02-27T07:01:00.002-06:00

From the DJ: link

From the CL: link

The Auburn Game

2008-02-26T19:01:00.003-06:00

Here is a great preview by secsports.com :
MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS (18-8, 9-3)Having surpassed last year's regular-season totals for overall wins and SEC victories with two weeks remaining in the regular season, the Bulldogs return home to play host to Auburn mid-week before heading back out on the road for a Saturday contest at Florida. State has reached double digits in home wins during all 10 seasons that Rick Stansbury has been at the Bulldog helm. The Bulldogs have claimed 12 of the last 14 series meetings with Auburn. With a current seven-game series win streak at home over Auburn, MState has prevailed in those seven prior Starkville meetings against AU all by double figures and by an average margin of 21.3 points per home win over the Tigers. MSU has won 11 straight home decisions against SEC West competition dating back to the 2005-06 season. The Bulldogs have clinched their fifth winning SEC season during the Stansbury era, having previously posted four straight winning seasons in SEC action while making four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances earlier this decade (2002-05). State is bidding to reach twin digits in SEC victories for the third time during the Stansbury era (14-2 in 2003-04 & 10-6 in 2001-02). Ranked second in the nation in blocks as a team (8.23 bpg), MSU enters the week with 214 blocked shots and now needs nine swats to sit a new single-season school standard for blocks for the second straight year. Also standing second nationally in field-goal pct defense (.366) after limiting South Carolina to just 31 percent shooting on Saturday, the Bulldogs have held 16 of their 26 opponents to less than 40 pct field-goal shooting.

Matthew 25:23 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

USC Report Card by 001

2008-02-25T17:18:00.001-06:00

Boy was this an exciting game to grade. It was really a game of firsts for the Dawgs. It was the first time we won at the Colonial Center , the first time we have put up 3 free throws to send a game into overtime the first time that Carolina had lost to an SEC West team and it was the first time that Jarvis Varnado has taken a charge in his MSU career. But it was a great win, especially in the manner that we won the game. Three pressure packed free throws to get it into overtime and then losing Gordon 12 seconds into the overtime, with Varnado already on the bench. In comes Phil Turner off the bench and his first shot attempt is a made 3 pointer. Man, it doesn’t get anymore dramatic than that. Charles Rhodes played like the man he is and the man that all of us want to see every game. He had 24 points, 9 rebounds, 3 turnovers and 3 assists. Those kind of numbers help you win lots of games.
OFFENSE B
We struggled on offense, but in the end found a way to win the game. Overall, this was one of poorest shooting performances. We were 9 for 24 for 37.5% in the first half and 10 for 22 for 45.5% in the second half giving us 43.4% for the game. We were able to collect 9 points off of 10 offensive rebounds. What really hurt us were the 19 turnovers we had in this game. Our offense has to pick up for the remainder of the season.
DEFENSE A-
This was a key area for us winning this game. Our guys held Carolina to their lowest shooting percentage of the season at 30.8% and one of their lowest point totals of the season at 56 points in this game. They probably did the best job of defending Devan Downey (Bob Cousey Award finalist) that has been done on him all year. He played 43 minutes in this game and was held to 6 of 18 including 3 of 9 from 3 point range.
ASSIST TO TURNOVER RATIO D+
We fell down in this category again. We had 19 turnovers to 14 assists. Carolina picked up 26 points off of turnovers. That’s darn near half of their total points for the game. Carolina on the other hand had 11 turnovers and we only garnered 5 points off their turnovers. It is imperative that we protect the ball better from this point on.
REBOUNDING A
Again, we out rebounded our opponent 42 to 36. Mike Holmes for Carolina gathered in 13 rebounds in 27 minutes of play and was their main man. On the other sides of the coin, Vanado had 12 rebounds and Rhodes was one rebound shy of a double-double in the game. This is a category we need to keep going for success.
3 POINT SHOOTING C-
We only made 5 of 18 3 point shots in this game. However, in this category, there were two 3 pointers that stood out from the rest. First was the missed 3 by Hansbrough when he was fouled and then made the 3 points from the charity stripe to tie the game, and then Phil Turner’s 3 pointer. coming into the game cold in overtime, and knocking down a 3 pointer to put us up by 5 points.
FREE THROW SHOOTING A
Although the overall free throw shooting wasn’t all that good at 10 of 15 for 66.7%, it was Ben’s 3 at the end of regulation that helped us win the game. It’s hard to put a statement together about FT shooting for this team because in the morning shoot around and practice, they were hitting FTs as well as you ask them to do.
OFFICIATING B
I felt two of the officials, Tom Eades and Mike Thibodeaux called a pretty darn good game. However, Patrick Evans slammed us hard with his calls. His calling infuriated me to a large extent.
OVERALL B
With no intent to take away from our players, because they played a heck of a game in front of a large, vocal and hostile crowd, I personally have to attribute this loss by Carolina to Coach Dave Odom. With 7 seconds left in the game and holding a 3 point lead at 50 to 47, he should have had a player foul one of our guys before a shot was taken. Sure we were in the double bonus, but that would have still left us short even if we made the two. But I’m still proud of the toughness our guys showed in finding a way to win this one.

MSU 61 USC 56

2008-02-23T17:26:00.002-06:00

What can you say. Maybe Iceman? Great job Ben!!!! What an ugly game. I'm just about speachless. Two things in overtime, Phil's 3 and Elgin's rebound, huge, huge. Lets hope the friendly confounds of the Hump will get us out of our shooting slump. Great game Charles. If we win the West by 1 game, we owe to Ben. I can't handle those types of games. Did everyone else about pass out with that ending. Let get home and take care of business on Wednesday. Go Dawgs!!!

New Footage of Osby

2008-02-23T14:40:00.001-06:00

Check out some new video on Mr. Osby:
http://mefeedia.com/entry/romero-osby/6768885/

Moss Point 56, Northeast Lauderdale 55
In South 4A, Dandy Dozen senior Travis Rasco scored 15 points to power the No. 3 Tigers (30-4). Dandy Dozen senior Romero Osby, a Mississippi State signee, had 22 points for the Trojans (24-11).

We Had No Answer

2008-02-20T21:27:00.003-06:00

Just back from the Tad Pad. We had no answer for the rebs tonight. They brought their A game tonight and the dogs were rattled at the half. They played like they were a 17-0 team with a national ranking. Jamont tried to take over the game at the end, but just couldn't do it. Several thing doomed us. They attacked the basket at will, out rebounded us, we didnt shoot well and just looked like a tired team at times out there. Warren got his touch back tonight. We had two runs in the second, but just couldn't stop them. The rebels had all the celeberties out tonight. Shepard Smith and Eli were in attendance. We just have to swallow this on and move on. USC is a must win on Saturday. Lets put this one behind us and move on to Carolina.

Off to Enemy Territory

2008-02-19T16:33:00.003-06:00

I'll be making my first trip to the Tad Pad for a bb game tomorrow. I expect the rebels to give us as much hospitality as we gave them in Starkville. I think we can take care of business, but there are so many tangibles that go into a rivalary game. If you plan on going let us know here. Here is a good preview compliments of secsports.com : http://www.secsports.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=3&url_article_id=10481&url_subchannel_id=&change_well_id=2

I think it will be a close game or we win by 15+, I'm not feeling much in between.

Ezekiel 18:9 He follows my decrees and faithfully keeps my laws. That man is righteous; he will surely live, declares the Sovereign LORD.

Future Bulldog?

2008-02-17T19:38:00.003-06:00

His name is Deandre Hersey and he is from Reform, AL. From a fellow blogger who doesn't want to be named. Check it out here: http://www.cdispatch.com/articles/2008/02/12/sports/sports02.txt

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20080206/NEWS/261965761/1015/NEWS

Could he be a possible replacement, won't know until April.

Interesting: "Wallace said Hersey has a 7-foot wing span and shoots 73 percent from the foul line. He scored 33 of his team’s 56 points in a game against Class 5A John Carroll.“He’s scoring right at 40 percent of our points,” Wallace said. “As far as what he means to this basketball team, he’s rock solid. He’s not a selfish individual. He does his job for his teammates every single night.”Hersey didn’t play AAU basketball during the summer. He stayed around home and volunteered for a church-sponsored program to improve the community. Wallace said Hersey is active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes."

ARKANSAS REPORT CARD by 001

2008-02-17T15:25:00.002-06:00

No one on the staff or team would dare say it, but this was a must win game for us. We have the harder future schedule than does our closest opponent. When you look at the stats for this game, you will see that they were pretty evenly matched with two exceptions. Arkansas made more field goals than State, but State made more free throws than Arkansas . And that’s really where we won the game. AT THE CHARITY STRIPE.
When your key player is held to one field goal and only 9 points in the game, you have to say we played an outstanding game with everyone else picking up their game. This win definitely gave us the advantage in the SECW race. Now it’s up to us to hold that lead through the remainder of the season. If you have the opportunity this week, come out to cheer the guys on at Oxford .
OFFENSE A-
Except for a short period in the beginning of the second half when we allowed Arkansas to overcome a 15 point deficit, we played great ball. We made 26 of 54 shots for 48.1%.
Even with Arkansas blocking 7 shots and making 8 steals, we still won the game. Our passing was good overall and our guys moved very well without the ball for most of the game. Towards the end of the game, they did stand around more. But in the last 2 minutes of the game, they did start moving better. Surprisingly, our last field goal came 4:54 mark in the game. From that point on, we only attempted one shot and that was a 3 point attempt by Stewart at the 3:00 minute mark. Every other shot we took in this time frame was free throws. We made 9 of 12 free throws and that is what won this game for us. Rhodes had an outstanding first half with 19 points of our 47 first half points. He finished the game with 24. Also, a tip of the hat to Elgin Bailey who quietly in 11 minutes pulled down 3 rebounds and scored 8 points. Jamont came close to a triple double with 9 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists.
DEFENSE A
Nothing more needs to be said about our defense yesterday. We won that football game! Or rather it looked like a football game at times because the striped shirts allowed a lot of banging and knock downs that no whistle was blown on. Seriously, our guys did played good defense. They were active all over the court. We pulled down 22 defensive rebounds, caused 14 turnovers, had 6 blocked shots and 7 steals. We are now at the point that anytime Jarvis blocks a shot, he is setting a new record. He now had 114 blocks on the year. I must admit that Arkansas did better offensively than most teams we played this year. They came away from the game shooting 46.0%. But we still won. Beverly, who we all know is a great player for Arkansas was held scoreless the last 13 minutes and 54 seconds of the game. That in itself speaks for our defensive effort.
ASSIST TO TURNOVER RATIO D
This is the same grade I gave us in the last game. Yesterday, we had 10 assists to 14 turnovers. In most games that could be costly. But in this case, other aspects of the game overcame this deficiency. Although Gordon had 6 turnovers, he did have 8 assists. Of interest to note is that our bench players only contributed 4 turnovers. The other 10 were between Gordon and Stewart. I think we will see improvement down the road in this category.
REBOUNDING A
We out rebounded Arkansas by 5, 38 to 33. I gave this an A because most of the Arkansas big men are seniors and should have done a better job than they did. I think this was a direct reflection of the way our big men stepped up. Jarvis again had a double-double with his 10 rebounds and 10 points.
3 POINT SHOOTING B
This area of the game could have been better if Jamont hadn’t tried so hard. He was 0 for 4 in this game. However, we ended up in pretty good shape hitting 5 of 13 for 38.5%. Not quite as good as the last game where we shot 43.5%. We have the shooters and this will show improvement down the line.
FREE THROW SHOOTING A
Same as last game. What more can be said when you hit 23 of 29 for 79.3%. That gives us 46 of 55 for 83.6% over the last two games. In this game, the winning edge came from free throws, especially in the last 3 minutes.
OFFICIATING D
This has to be one of the worst called games in the Hump this year. There were times when our game looked like a football game. This game was called by Mike Stuart, Mike Nance and Ron Groover. Remember these names. I hope I never see them in a game again.
OVERALL B+
I was hoping for a grade out of an A today, but it didn’t come out that way. But this win went a long way towards making this a successful season for our Dawgs. We now have the clear lead in the SECW and are 2nd in conference play to only Tennessee . We now need to protect this lead Wednesday at Oxford . Go Dawgs!!!

Hard on the Heart

2008-02-17T07:27:00.002-06:00

The game yesterday was hard on the heart. Myself, like most of the fans in the Hump were emotionaly drained upon our victorious exit. There is only one way to describe it, the dogs just gutted it out. I don't care to see Arkansas again this season. We have never matched up very well against their current lineup and we could struggle on a neutral court. That was one of the most physical games I have seen played at the Hump in awhile. One thing I have been very impressed with this season is the dogs ability to break the press. Barry and Charles just outhustled the hogs down the court in the first half. FT's was the difference and our recent turnaround is nothing short of amazing. As I watch every passing game, I like Elgin's play more and more. The most entertaining part of the game to me was watching Hill trying to get position against Elgin, it was not happening. As most saw, Ravern has some serious athletic ability. One last comment, Jamont's blocks to end the last possesion of the game was fantastic. Up two with six to go. I'm sticking to my guns with a 4-2 finish with 21 wins heading into the tournament. I sure the team would agree with me in not being on the bubble heading into the tournament would be nice. Next, off to Oxford. I'm heading to the Tad Pad on Wednesday and I'm looking forward to heading into the heart of enemy territory.

Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

Osby at the 4

2008-02-16T08:12:00.002-06:00

It seems that Osby would be a natural at the four position and could create some major matchup problems. Here are some of Mr. Osby's quotes confirming that: http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080216/SPORTS06/802160351/1117

"Osby said MSU coaches have told him he'll have a chance to fill Charles Rhodes' shoes next season but with more of an inside-out role than the Bulldogs' senior big man."

Could be just what we need to fill the absence of Charles.

1 Corinthians 15:14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.

How The West Was Won

2008-02-15T10:17:00.002-06:00

How was the west won? We might be able to find out come Saturday at 3 PM. Since the TN loss, our focus as fans has shifted from daydreaming of an overall title to taking care of the west. I heard a stat that the last time the Hogs won at he Hump was when Nolan was at the reins back in 2000. Which seems about right, b/c it seems we win about as often at Bud Walton. Everything will be laid out on the line on Saturday and we should see a much better showing than the last matchup. This is the first of 3 home games remaining that are must wins to make the big dance. So, just how will we match up tomorrow? I just can't see everybody on the team including the cheerleaders sinking 3's like last time. I don't see it being a blowout like last season. I think we win, b/c we are a much better team with Ben on board. We have been able to adjust when someone went down throughout our first winning streak, but make no bones about, Ben will be that 3rd option we will need down the stretch. Arkansas has not proven themselves on the road yet. A 2 game lead in the west after Saturday would be a big advantage. I think their advantage as always will be in the paint. Our backcourt will have to carry the load. Hint, hint, Mr. Hansbrough. It will be a good one, hope all that are able will be there. Go Dawgs!!!

ADDENDUM TO AUBURN REPORT CARD

2008-02-14T17:12:00.001-06:00

ADDENDUM TO AUBURN REPORT CARD It came as somewhat of a surprise that no one has made any comments about something I have complained about in my report cards. And that is Offensive Rebounds. OR is a direct result of a missed shot by a team. After doing some further analysis of the play by play stat sheet, I have come up with the following. As I said above, an OR is the direct result of a missed shot. In this game, we had 23 misses and Auburn had 45 misses. We ended up with 12 OR and Auburn had 14 OR. To draw a better relationship to this, we had 34 DR to Auburn ’s 14 OR. That equates to us having almost two and half rebounds to their one off their board. Furthermore, their 14 OR only produced 7 points and three of those were free throws because of fouls. By the same token, Auburn pulled down 13 DR to our 12 OR. This is almost equal. But we did get 11 points off of the OR. Six of which were free throws because of Auburn fouls. I hope this makes more sense to you. I made this additional analysis after something Doug said in comment 7 to the original post. Another thing that I didn’t point out in the original post was points off steals by either team. We ended the game with 6 steals for 5 points while Auburn had 13 steals that they converted into 21 points. Let us hear from you via your comments

Talent Coming to A Hump Near You?

2008-02-11T16:31:00.000-06:00

The Jackson area is loaded with talent for the 2010 & 2011 classes. Take a look:
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080211/SPORTS06/802110317/1287/SPORTS&referrer=NEWSFRONTCAROUSEL

Two players to keep an eye on:
Dundrecous Nelson, Murrah
5-10, sophomore (22 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists)

LaQuinton Ross, Callaway
6-8, freshman (17 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists)
Ross could be a top five player in the nation in this class.

You might think freshmen, Class of 2011, but Stans has already been on them a year by the time they are high school freshmen. Thought you might enjoy.

Auburn Report Card by 001

2008-02-10T18:52:00.000-06:00

This game was hard to write a report card because you found yourself applauding them one minute and cussing them the next. The game was ragged with mistakes on both sides of the competition. State did an excellent job in most categories with two exceptions. They became lax and had 24 turnovers. Eight of these by Gordon. However, he wiped this out scoring 24 points, passing out eight assists and pulling down a team high of eighteen rebounds. But the free throw shooting that we have been fussing about improved dramatically. We were 23 of 26 for 88.5%. By far our best FT shooting over the previous three or four years. The final outcome, 83 to 64 improved us to 16-7 overall and 7-2 in SEC play. This kept us in the lead of the SEC West. And our next game is with Arkansas , presently in second place in the SEC West.
OFFENSE B+
I would have given us an A in this category except for two aspects of the game. Turnovers (24) and offensive rebounds (12 vs. 14 for Auburn ). As outmanned as Auburn was in this game, we should never have allowed them to pull down more offensive rebounds than we did. But our shooting in this game was great. We knocked down 25 of 48 attempts for 52.1%. That type of shooting will win you a lot of games. We also went 10 of 23 on 3 pointers for 43.5%. And then made 23 of 26 attempts from the charity stripe for 88>5%. I just hope this type of shooting holds up over the next 3 or 4 weeks as we move towards the end of the regular season. Our starters ended up with 76 of our 83 points. I will say that I was a little disappointed that Coach Stansbury didn’t give our bench more playing time in this game.
DEFENSE A
What can I say? Although Auburn was outmanned from the get go, we did do a number on them. Our guys held them to 23 of 68 attempts for 33.8%. This is two to three percentages points better than our average. We also pulled down 34 defensive rebounds to their total rebounds of 27. We held them to just 6 of 25 attempts on 3 pointers which equates to 24.0%. Kudos to Jarvis Varnado for his 6 blocks which set a new season’s record for State, eclipsing Erick Dampier’s record of 106. Jarvis now has 111 swats for the year. We also had 6 steals in this event. I think the intimidation factor of our big men, especially Varnado and Rhodes played a large part in our defense in this game.
ASSIST TO TURNOVER RATIO D
Before writing this, I had considered giving this category an F. But that would probably been a bit harsh. Fourteen assists to 24 turnovers will lose a lot of games down the road. Auburn ’s mid-court double teams on Gordon should never have happened if Jamont had kept his mind in the game as long as his body was in there. Stewart also had some lapses in that he had four turnovers to go with just one assist. This category has to improve and improve constantly down the schedule.
REBOUNDING B+
Although we out rebounded Auburn 46 to 27, we still could not top them in offensive rebounds. They had 14 to our 12. With out big men playing down low, this should never have happened. Conversely, we did have 34 defensive rebounds to their total 27 rebounds.
3 POINT SHOOTING A
It’s nice to have Hansbrough back with his 3 point shot. We made 10 of 23 attempts for 43.5% from behind the arc. This type of 3 point shooting can win you a lot of games. We were 4 of 10 in the first half and 6 of 13 in the second half.
FREE THROW SHOOTING A
This is a grade that I never thought I would possibly give this team this year based on what they have done in the past. They went 23 of 26 for game. 14 of 15 in the first half and 9 of 11 in the second half. This just shows that the guys are capable of good free throw shooting. Now we will wait to see if there is consistency in this category. Let’s hope so.
OFFICIATING B
The officials let the men play the game. To my old and inexperienced eyes, I detected no bias in the calls made in this game. I would love to see this type of officiating for the remainder of our games.
OVERALL B-
Two areas of the game kept us from grading out higher for this contest. Turnovers and offensive rebounding. I think we should see better results in our next game, especially in the turnover category. We have to, because we already know that Arkansas will be pressing us from he very start of the game. AIN’T it nice to see the results of what practice can do for you in some areas such as free throws. Onward and upward. Go Dawgs!!

ADDENDUM TO AUBURN REPORT CARD It came as somewhat of a surprise that no one has made any comments about something I have complained about in my report cards. And that is Offensive Rebounds. OR is a direct result of a missed shot by a team. After doing some further analysis of the play by play stat sheet, I have come up with the following. As I said above, an OR is the direct result of a missed shot. In this game, we had 23 misses and Auburn had 45 misses. We ended up with 12 OR and Auburn had 14 OR. To draw a better relationship to this, we had 34 DR to Auburn ’s 14 OR. That equates to us having almost two and half rebounds to their one off their board. Furthermore, their 14 OR only produced 7 points and three of those were free throws because of fouls. By the same token, Auburn pulled down 13 DR to our 12 OR. This is almost equal. But we did get 11 points off of the OR. Six of which were free throws because of Auburn fouls. I hope this makes more sense to you. I made this additional analysis after something Doug said in comment 7 to the original post. Another thing that I didn’t point out in the original post was points off steals by either team. We ended the game with 6 steals for 5 points while Auburn had 13 steals that they converted into 21 points. Let us hear from you via your comments

MSU 83 Auburn 64

2008-02-09T19:54:00.000-06:00

Great win for the dogs. Jamont scored some points and put up some stats, but he had some ugly turnovers. The difference in the game was Ben, he could be the difference down the stretch. And not to forget, great free throw shooting. One of the best rebounding games we'll probally have this season. Our lead sets up nice in the west over the next 7 days. Arky plays at TN on Wednesday and we play the hogs at home on Saturday. We could have a 2 game lead in the west by next Saturday night. No matter who it is, road wins are huge. Enjoy the break, root for the Vols on Wednesday and see ya next week at the HUMP for a big one. Go Dawgs!!!

Game Day Articles

2008-02-09T09:31:00.000-06:00

From the DJ:
http://www.djournal.com/pages/story.asp?ID=265604&pub=1&div=Sports

From the CL:
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080209/SPORTS030102/802090319/1079
Bailey getting some props.

How will we do against the small lineup? I hope we react better than UM did. We need to root for the rebs today. Hogs loss and dog win put back alone atop the west. The games are back to back on the FOX networks today. Settle in and Go Dawgs!!

Signee Update

2008-02-09T09:02:00.000-06:00

Dee Bost
Hargrave 90 South Kent 68
Dee Bost scored 21 points and had 5 assists.

Hargrave 89 US Naval Academy (USNA)
Hargrave was led by Dee Bost with 20 points and a team high 7 steals.

Hargrave 127 Virginia Tech 59
Dee Bost scored 14 points.

Hargrave 84 Massanutten 54
Dee Bost scored 16 points and had 3 steals.

Romero Osby
NE Lauderdale 59 Quitman 52
Romero Osby 23

Wayne County 60 NE Lauderdale 49
Romero Osby 15

Laurel 43 NE Lauderdale 58
Romero Osby 26

Kemper County 47 NE Lauderdale 65
Romero Osby 34
Season Avg. 23.38 ppg

Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

Alabama Report Card by 001

2008-02-07T12:45:00.000-06:00

Mississippi State won this game to go up 15-7, 6-2 SEC and regain the lead in the SEC West. Our guys played just well enough to garner this win. It was a game of short runs by both teams. We would play well for a while and then go brain dead for a while. Same with Alabama . The officiating didn’t help either. There were times when I thought they were playing football on the court and officials let it go, especially Tom Eades. Our free throw shooting was pretty good until the last minute of the game when we starting missing. Overall I guys did a nice job of keeping us ahead from after the first 16 minutes of the first half until the final buzzer. Several things stand out from this game. Stansbury got his 200th win. We swept Alabama for the first time since the 1998/99 season and three straight over ‘Bama since the 1984/5 season.
OFFENSE B-
As I said above, we played just well enough to win this one. We had some 3 point shooting that was timely to either put us ahead or lengthen our lead when tied. Gordon had a djouble-double17 points and 10 assist. Up until the last minute of the game, we were shooting free throws respectably. We had four players in double digit scoring and ended up with four blocked shots. But Varnado did alter some shots. Ben Hansbrough was a welcome sight and proved his mettle with 10 points. Ben’s first 3 pointer came at a very opportune time. We were leading 9 to 8 and his shot put us up 12 to 8. It is just that we found ways to stay ahead of Bama and win the game. The biggest down side of our offense was offensive rebounding.
DEFENSE B-
I don’t think our defense played with the same energy that Bama did. Whereas Bama was playing in your face and bumping, our guys didn’t play with that same degree of energy. And if they did, they were called for fouls. However, we collected nine more defensive rebounds than our opponent. Several times on turnovers and fast breaks, we had guards that stayed with the opponents and caused them to miss lay ups. We also had six blocked shots. I would have sworn we had more from just watching the game. I felt we did a good job of defending the 3 point shot also. Bama was just 7 for 21 in that category. Our guys did a pretty good job getting Bama into foul trouble too with Hendrix fouling out in the last 48 seconds of the game.
ASSIST TO TURNOVER RATIO B-
Because of going brain dead from time to time, we had more turnovers than we would like to see with 13. That was offset by the number of assists we had. In this game we had 16 assists to the 13 turnovers. Gordon had 10 by himself. Although the stat sheet shows Varnado with only one assist, I would have sworn he had three from just watching the game. We still need to work on the turnovers to try and keep them in the 9 to 10 per game. That would help us tremendously in the second half of the SEC play.
REBOUNDING C+
This improved over the previous two games. We out rebounded Bama 41 to 38. We had 34 defensive to Bama’s 25, but fell short on the offensive end, getting beat 13 to 7. We desperately need to improve in the offensive rebounding category and sooner rather than later.
3 POINT SHOOTING C
We fell down somewhat in this category, going 6 for 20 for 30% overall. We were 4 of 11 for 36.4% in the first half and 2 of 9 for 22.2% in the second half. The saving grace in this area was when the 3 points were made. On at least 3 occasions they stopped Alabama runs. Stewart was 3 for 8 and Hansbrough was 2 of 5.
FREE THROW SHOOTING C
We shot free throws well up until crunch time when Bama was fouling our guys in the last minute of play. In the first half, we were 3 of 4 for 75%, but only managed 12 of 18 for 66.7% in second half. Although get only got two attempts each, Bailey and Hansbrough were both perfect at 2 for 2 from the line. In the last minute and a half of play, we only made 6 of 12. We still need work in this category.
OFFICIATING D-
I almost gave this category an F, but decided not to for several reasons. The officials were letting the guys play and two of the officials (Mike Nance and Anthony Jordan) called a pretty decent game. But Tom Eades (Head Official) should have sat on the Bama bench during time outs because he was Alabama sixth player on the court the entire game. Of interest to note, during a dead ball situation Anthony Jordan ran the length of the court to get into “Got Fried’s” face and they had a heated exchange. I felt for a moment he was going to throw a “T”, but he didn’t.
OVERALL C+
I think we played fairly well in this game, but not with the energy that is necessary to win all of our future games. We just need to continue to improve in some areas of the game and we can still end up with a very good season.

MSU 73 ALA 66

2008-02-06T20:49:00.000-06:00

We'll still have our say in the west. Great game for Jamont 10 assits, 17 pts, 6 rbs. Charles with 17 pts and 9 rbs. Sweeping bama goes along way toward a west title, not an easy task. Good to have Ben back. Go Dawgs!!!

WHAT’S IN THE FUTURE FOR THE DAWGS NOW?

2008-02-05T08:39:00.000-06:00

With the loss to Tennessee , State is now 14 and 7 overall and 5 and 2 in conference. So where can we go from here? We have 9 games left in regular season, plus the SECT. Of the 9 games remaining, 5 are on the road and 4 at home. We have Alabama (2/6), Arkansas (2/16), Auburn (2/27) and LSU (3/8) at home. We have Auburn (2/9), Ole Miss (2/20), South Carolina (2/23), Florida (3/1), and Vanderbilt (3/5) on the road. It is my personal belief that we have to win 6 of these games if we want to make the NCAA tournament. If we are to win that many games over the remainder of the regular season, we are going to have to pick up our play. Everyone is going to have to give a 110% of themselves to get it done. The three losses that I forecast are Ole Miss, Florida and Vanderbilt. All on the road. I think the NCAA selection committee looks at who is playing well towards the end of the season and if we can accomplish the above and then win one or 2 in the SECT, we make the big dance, otherwise, it’s the NIT again. To me, going to the NIT is like kissing your sister instead of your lover. Just not worth it. How do you feel about the remainder of the season? Let us hear your opinion. -001

Sorry for the absence Late Report Card

2008-02-05T08:37:00.000-06:00

I got what has been going around and haven't opened the labtop since Saturday morning. Its a little late but I wanted to run it anyway:
TENNESSEE REPORT CARD
This was a game that was played out in 38 seconds. That’s when State called a time out trailing Tennessee 73-71. They brought the ball back down court and Chism was fouled by Gordon at the 34 second mark. Chism missed his free throw and Rhodes got the rebound. Gordon brought the ball down court and fed the ball to Benock who was unguarded in the corner. Benock froze with the ball and didn’t take the shot and then traveled with the ball for a turnover. The rest is history. We lost 76-71 because we had no recourse except to foul and they made the free throws. We played really good the first 7-8 minutes of the game and the last 3 minutes except for the final 34 seconds. Somewhere in between, we played pretty mediocre. We did have 3 or 4 players that played some good ball in this game. And Benock played decent defense but was somewhere out in left field on offense. He took no shots, had one offensive rebound, and had two assists and four turnovers.
OFFENSE C
We missed Ben Hanbrough this game. Benock was a star in the Ole Miss game, but failed to show up for offense in this one. Rhodes played a decent game with 15 points on 4 of 9 field goals and 7 of 8 from the charity stripe. He also had 10 rebounds and 5 blocks. But he did turn the ball over 5 times. Gordon and Stewart had decent games on offense. Just not enough in the middle part of the game. After shooting just 34.8% in the first half, we came back in the second half and shot 58.3% for 46.8% for the game. That topped Tennessee , who shot 41.3% for the game. However, they shot the ball 63 times to our 47. One other interesting thing to note is we had 4 players out of 9 that played 30 minutes or more while Tennessee had no players out of 11 that played 30 minutes. In scoring we lost 24 to 20 in the paint,18 to 8 on points on turnovers, and lost the bench points 24 to 11.
DEFENSE B-
Overall I thought our guys played pretty good defense. You already knew that Tennessee had some good 3 point shooters and they proved it this game. Four of their starters hit 10 of 21 for the game. Our worst defense was on second chance points where they had 18 points. We caused them to turn the ball over 13 times, but by the same token, we turned it over 16 times.
ASSIST TO TURNOVER RATIO D
We came out again and reverted to our old ways in that we 10 assists and 16 turnovers. Gordon did have a positive ratio here with 6 assists to 4 turnovers. Rhodes had 1 assist to 5 turnovers and Benock had 2 assists to 4 turnovers, including a game killer at the very end of the game.
REBOUNDING D
We lost the rebounding battle to Tennessee by 10 at 42 to 32. Rhodes as the only starter that had more than 4 rebounds, as he had 10. Our starters had 22 rebounds against 17 for our opponents. But our bench let us down in this category also.
3 POINT SHOOTING B
We beat Tennessee percentage wise in this category 47.6% to 42.9%. However, because of the number of shots they took, they made 2 more 3 pointers than we did. Kudos to Stewart for knocking down the 3 pointers at the end of the game to get us back into contention and brimstone to Benock for not taking a shot the entire game. I suppose Riley must have gotten a bad case of freshman jitters in this game.
FREE THROW SHOOTING C
We ended up making 17 of 29 for 58.6% for the game. Whereas Tennessee was 12 of 18 for 66.7% for the game. But they did make them at the end when it really counted. We have to improve in this area or fall flat on our collective faces in the remainder of the season.
OFFICIATING F
This was the poorest officiating I seen in a game this season. I’m still trying to find out what the Technical foul on Bailey was all about. Touch fouls and no calls were as bad as I have ever witnessed.
OVERALL C-
We lost…All the grading in the world can’t take that away. We had some bright spots and some very dull moments. I think the dull moments were much more vivid that the bright spots.

Game Day Articles

2008-02-02T07:25:00.000-06:00

From the CL, with a Scotty twist:
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080202/SPORTS030102/802020324/1287/SPORTS&referrer=NEWSFRONTCAROUSEL

From the DJ:
http://www.djournal.com/pages/story.asp?ID=265122&pub=1&div=Sports

This game could make or break all the sucess we had in January. Win were back in the top two in the SEC, lose and were back fighting to keep the west lead. It could go either way, I hope the team that played UM comed out.

Acts 11:24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

MSU 58 Arkansas 78

2008-01-30T21:00:00.000-06:00

That was ugly! Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers. I'm glad that one was over. It makes me sick to talk of it anymore. Lets move on and rebound against the Vols on Saturday. Go Dawgs!!!

MSU vs Arkansas

2008-01-30T06:43:00.000-06:00

Not enough time to research the matchup in depth, but wanted everybody's comment on the game. For stats and more click here: http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/teams/page/AR

Luke 7:9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel."

According to Veazy's Blog

2008-01-28T17:04:00.000-06:00

Charles Thomas has been suspended for the MSU game on Wednesday. This should be a hit to ARK's lineup and will be interesting. Thomas has done a good job in the past of defending Charles. Thomas has been contributing 10.5 pts and 5.1 rbs on the season.

www.clarionledger.com

In at #25

2008-01-28T12:57:00.001-06:00

We come in at #25 in the coaches, #26 in the AP. Looks like the media is back in love with Florida again.
http://sports-ak.espn.go.com/ncb/rankings

Report Card is Back!

2008-01-28T12:32:00.000-06:00

OLE MISS REPORT CARD
What a game to grade. We finally put it all together in the same game. A 20 point blow out of the #15 team in the nation. We played great offense, great defense, sharp, crisp passes and as a team, good free throw shooting. I feel that the greatest compliment Charles Rhodes has ever gotten came from Andy Kennedy when he said, “Charles Rhodes told us what he was going to do and he did it.” But Charles wasn’t the only one that did great. The no look, back of the head pass to Rhodes from Gordon was a thing of beauty and brought everyone in the house to their feet yelling. I even think a few of the Ole Miss fans may have applauded that basket. We’ll share more on others below.
OFFENSE A
This is the game where just about everyone on the bench made some type of contribution. Everybody that dressed out got to play. TF Benock coming off the bench for 21 minutes made up for the lost production of Ben Hansbrough (out with mono) hitting 4 of 5 from behind the arc. Bailey and Johnson both getting 11 minutes while resting our starters played well. Combined they pulled down 6 rebounds and scored 10 points. In fact, Bailey took a sharp pass near the floor, caught it and stuffed it for two. Before hand, I would have sworn he could never make that play. This turned out be a game where the starters didn’t really have to play the whole game for us to win. Stewart was the only starter that played more than 30 minutes and that was for 33. In this game, our bench players outscored the Rebels 25 to 16. I feel there were so many superlatives by our team in this game that it would take several pages pointing them all out.
DEFENSE A
As a team, our guys turned in a stellar performance. Gordon’s harassment of Chris Warren held him to 5 of 20 shooting, which included on 2 of 10 from behind the arc. We were able to get Ole Miss’s big men in foul trouble which also limited their scoring and rebounding production. Because of our defense, the Rebs had to play 3 of their starters for over 30 minutes including Warren playing for 35 minutes. The way our defense chased him around, he probably needed that 5 minutes of breathing time. Shot blocking also came into play in this game with our blocking 8 shots to the Rebs 5. “Swat” Varnado had 4. Bailey had 2 blocks, Gordon and Augustus picking up the other two.
ASSIST TO TURNOVER RATIO A
On average this was our best of the year. We ended the game with 15 assists and 11 turnovers. Gordon ended the game with 6 assists to 1 turnover. In fact, it this area, our bench players did well also with 5 assists and 2 turnovers. I sincerely hope this is a continuing trend. As a comparison, Ole Miss had 8 assists and 6 turnovers.
REBOUNDING A
Again, we out rebounded our opponent 40 to 39. Curtis was a hoss for the Rebs with 11 rebounds. However Curtis and Williams (starters) combined for 14 rebounds. But, Varnado and Rhodes teamed up for 14 also. Surprisingly, Phil Turner pulled down 6 rebounds in this contest. We could probably have done just a tad better on offensive rebounds, but that’ll come as the season goes on.
3 POINT SHOOTING A
Although we were only 7 of 19 from behind the line, they were timely and help knock the wind out of the Rebels. TF Benock was 4 of 5 from behind the line. Overall, we 36.8% from behind the line. But in the second half of the game, we were 4 of 8 for 50%. I think Rhodes has found his scoring zone because he didn’t attempt the first 3 pointer in this game.
FREE THROW SHOOTING A
In some respects, I suppose we will always criticize this area of the game until they are consistently hitting 100%. In this game we were 7 of 10 in the first half for 70%. In the second half, we were 6 of 9 for 68.4%. But if we could have made just one more of those misses, we would have been 14 of 19 for 73.7% as a team. I think we would all feel more comfortable with us consistently shooting FTs in the 70’s.
OFFICIATING A
I thought the officiating in this game was pretty decent. They may have missed some calls and they allowed the players to play and I don’t feel they showed any bias in their calls. To me, that is all you can ask for.
OVERALL A
What more can be said. I graded out all categories with A’s. They played a complete game against a very good opponent and blew them out. GO DAWGS!!!-001

MSU 88 UM 68

2008-01-26T20:29:00.000-06:00

Where do you start with the game. It was the most complete game the dogs have played to this point. They just made play after play. This team lived up to the expectations we had as a fan base going into this season. Our team is scary good when we shoot 57% to go with our defense. Charles was dazzling, why can't you play like that game in and game out Charles!! He talked the talk and back it up, good game Charles. If you continue to play like that, they will pay you to play next year!!! The best thing is that you have to feel like we're catching fire like we did towards the end of last season and its late January and WE ARE 5-0 SEC folks. Great game all around, we are one of the most versatile teams in the land, each time a player goes down, we get better. Good game by all the players, gotta love Elgin's play. We took their game and turned it up a notch and turned it on them. One more thing, the behind the back pass to Charles from Jamont has to be one of the 10 best plays I've seen an MSU player make. Good job dogs, if we take care of business in Arkansas, look out SEC!!!!

MSU vs. UM Preview

2008-01-24T18:41:00.001-06:00

MSU, Ole Miss. Four PM, Saturday, Humphrey Coliseum. Enough Said. Any Comments?

Signee Update

2008-01-21T19:09:00.000-06:00

1/19/2008 Hargrave 100 Averett 83
Dee Bost scored 14 points and had a team high 6 assists.

1/15/2008 Hargrave 115 Patrick Henry CC 74
Dee Bost scored 22 points and had a team high 8 assists.

01/04/08 NE Lauderdale 75 Kemper County 58 Osby 15pts

01/05/08 NE Lauderdale 79 Quitman 66 Osby 35pts

01/08/08 NE Lauderdale 72 Laurel 59 Osby 25pts

01/11/08 NE Lauderdale 61 South Jones 63 Osby 16pts

01/18/08 NE Lauderdale 78 Northeast Jones 53 Osby 27pts

01/21/08 NE Lauderdale 66 St. Jude (AL) 79 Osby 26 pts

1 Corinthians 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

MSU 66 AL 56

2008-01-19T17:40:00.000-06:00

Its time for folks to stand up and notice our bulldogs. The SEC season is young, but 4-o is something to stick your chest out a bit. Jarvis found his krytonite in Hendrix today, but still had some key put backs. Great game for Elgin, if he can hold his own against Hendrix he has a bright future ahead of him. Ben did a great job in his first game back. I'm most proud of our team's ability to be so multi dimensional. Its seem like its something different every game and this team continues to answer. Why are we 4-0 in the SEC after being 5-5, one word chemistry. This team's toughness and ability to keep their head above water when they are getting there opponents best punch will carry us a ways this season. Great victory over the tide, its great for to be 4-0 and doesn't hurt making the tide 0-4. Saturday will be where the rubber meets the road when Johnny Reb comes to town. We'll see what prevails, offense or defense? We'll see. Go Dawgs!!!!!

The Big Bad Tide

2008-01-19T11:21:00.000-06:00

The big bad tide, well not as big and bad as in years past will play host to our dogs today at 2PM. I like to look at this next week as Jarvis's last hurdle to the supreme post man in the SEC. Hendrix and Curtis will be the last two big men to topple. I think Hendrix will be a load today. The tide are defeated in the SEC and we need to keep it that way. We'll see what dimension of Jamont's game will take down the tide today. Tune in at 2. Go Dawgs!!!!

MSU 69 KY 64

2008-01-16T00:36:00.000-06:00

What a game, what a game, WHAT A GAME! The end of the game was spent on the edge of my seat hoping for at least 1 of 2 FT's. Great game for Jamont and Jarvis. Its becoming obvious he has a real shot at the SEC record and looks like the MSU recording could be falling with double digit games left in the season. Jamont seemed to have an answer to keep the lead stretched when we needed it.
Great win for MSU: http://www.mstateathletics.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=16800&ATCLID=1369323
If we can go to AL and win on the road, folks will have to take us serious with two road wins and two wins against SEC east teams. Big game on Saturday and a nail biter tonight. Go Dawgs!!!

Mr. Osby on Showcase

2008-01-15T06:18:00.000-06:00

For those of you in the metro area who want a chance to see MSU signee and Mr. Basketball play, here is your chance. Romero will be playing at the Rumble in the South event at Mississippi College's A.E. Wood Coliseum in Clinton, MS. Romero will play at 6 p.m, Monday, 01/21/08.: Northeast Lauderdale vs. St. Jude, Alabama. For more info:

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080115/SPORTS06/801150365/1117

1 John 5:4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

The Cats are Coming to Town!!!!

2008-01-15T06:01:00.000-06:00

The cats are coming to town tonight and it should be a good one. For the past two seasons, it seems like there was only one man that could stop Jamont and that was Randolf Morris. Thankfully he's gone and KY will has been thin in this area. The only frontcourt player with any type of experience before this year is 6'9" 190 lb Perry Stevenson. Newcomer Patrick Patterson is the man in the middle for the wildcats. Jarvis should match up well with with Stevenson or Patterson. The cats are a guard dominated lineup with several key players still missing from the rotation. The cats knocked Vandy from the ranks of the unbeaten and should be flying high when they get to the hump. I think its time we took KY down a couple of notches tonight. Its obvious Ben won't be at full strength tonight, could we see Ravern or Riley come into their own t0night. Be their if you can, or catch it on ESPN @ 8PM. Go Dawgs!!!

Need more, find it here: http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/teams/page/KY

3 John 1:3 It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth.

The Quest for the Record

2008-01-12T20:23:00.001-06:00

Jarvis has a real shot at the blocks record for a single game and the season. From now own we'll be keeping up with his progress and his quest for the record. If you look at the record and the average that is needed it is within reach. So keep any eye on progress game by game for the record.

“I just block shots and rebound. That is what I do. There is no pressure at all.” -Jarvis Varnado AKA- Mr. Swat

MSU 60 Georgia 49

2008-01-12T18:18:00.000-06:00

This was one of the more awkward MSU games I have attended in a while, as far as the refs go, a block and a charge on the same play and a jump ball b/c none of the 3 refs could tell who touched the ball last. It was a physical game, we had some casualties. I anxious to see how long Ben will be out and to see the prognosis on Charles. That has to be a MSU record for Jarvis with 10 blocks in 21 minutes played. Georgia came out of the half and mauled Jarvis not letting him block shots. I hope all had the opportunity to see Jarvis's 3 blocks on one Georgia possession, it was a thing of beauty. Jarvis is the best shot blocker the SEC has seen since Roy Rogers of Alabama. The Dogs couldn't get anything near the paint in the first half. We are playing some excellent defense and Phil Turner is play a big part of that. Look for Benock & Ravern to step up in Ben's absence. Everyone saw the lazy passes and I never seen MSU milk the clock like they did toward the end of the game. I hope is all possible, you will make it to Starkville on Tuesday, the cats will be riding high after knocking Vandy from the ranks of the unbeatens. Any way you spread it, we are 2-0 in the SEC and playing some good defense, will be a good one on Tuesday. Go Dawgs!!!!

Dogs and the Pups

2008-01-11T20:32:00.000-06:00

Last season we did not play well in Athens. The Bulldogs are led by Billy Humphrey and Sundiata Gains in the back court which is the strength of this Georgia team. Georgia has a deep front court with size, but no one has stepped up and become a star yet. This is Felton's fifth season, so the pressure is on for an NCAA bid. Another game with Charles, will the success continue to be there as we get deeper into the SEC season. The pups are coming off a close win over Georgia Tech. The pups are 9-4 and looking to get their SEC win. Want some more info check out here:
http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/teams/page/GA

Mark 11:22 "Have faith in God," Jesus answered.

MSU 61 LSU 39

2008-01-09T20:34:00.000-06:00

Two things seem to rising to the top with the absence of Charles, Jarvis is being given the opportunity to be the man in the middle and he is taking advantage of it (13pts 17 rbs 7 blks) and we are playing some good defense with this small lineup. The points continue to be spread around. LSU seems to have a long season in front of them. That is some of the worst first half shooting I've seen in awhile for LSU. Jamont came on late, and Ravern continues to look to be some energy off the bench. Our turnovers were horrible in the first half. We need to keep this train rolling , the game on Saturday should be a good one. Dogs and Pups at 1PM.

Swat

2008-01-09T06:23:00.000-06:00

If you haven't seen it yet check out Kyle's article on Jarvis, very good:
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080109/SPORTS030102/801090339/1287/SPORTS&referrer=NEWSFRONTCAROUSEL

Acts 15:9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.

LSU Preview

2008-01-08T18:13:00.000-06:00

The first thing that stands out to about this game is that we open and close the season with the bayou bengals. The star of the team is McDonald's AA Anthony Randolf who is second in scoring. Randolf is 6'10 and can play inside and out. They are led by Marcus Thornton in scoring with 17.5 ppg. The tigers are 7-7 and have lost to teams that were expected and some that were not. This is a must win for the dogs and we need to strike while the tigers are down, they could be a totally different team by the time we end the season. Our third game in a row without Charles, lets cross our fingers and hope the small lineup continues to be successful. More info check it out here:

http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/teams/page/LSU

Luke 8:25 He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him."

Game Recap MSU 77 Laf. 53

2008-01-05T17:19:00.000-06:00

I don't know if it was the opponent or the facility, but this was not one of the more entertainin MSU games I've attended. The scoring was spread around with Ben making some nice catch and shootsplays. MSU has been know for playing down to its competition and at times this game was no exception. It just felt like the team wasn't pushing the ball down the court like they could. The leopards got alot of loose balls that they had no business getting to. The game was highlighted by two things, a bunch of nonathletic players from Lafeyette coming up about 6 inches shy of dunks on more than one occasion. The leopards have played some folks close, but they were one dimensional and when they couldn't hit their 3's, our lead grew. The other thing that stuck out in the contest was Ravern Johnson, 11 point wasn't much to write home about but he had some nice moves and I he might have shot one 3 the entire game. I still think our offense will run through Ravern in a couple of years. It was a win none the less, but from the time the buzzer sounded to end the game, its time for SEC. Whatever disappointments we've experienced so far this season, it doesn't matter now. Its SEC time and lets take it game by game. It looks to be a weaker conference than years past and still think 10 wins will take the west. 12 wins might take the overall title this season. Well bulldog fans, it time and it all starts Wednesday night. It's a new season, I'm ready, are you?

Lafayette Preveiw

2008-01-03T20:43:00.000-06:00

The first thing I had to do is google Lafayette College to figure out just where they are located. They hail from Easton Pennsylvania. They were founded in 1826 and have an enrollment of 2381. The Leopards hail from the Patriot Conference and finished 8th in the conference with a record of 9-21. They return all five starters, they shoot the 3 well, but it will take much more than that to compete with the Bulldogs. They play #13 Pitt a good first half. The injury must be pretty bad if Charles won't play in front of the home crowd. I have to be honest I like the shakeup it has caused and could be what we need heading into SEC. Here is a little more info:
http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/teams/page/LAF

So, that only leaves one question, which player for Lafayette will have a career high, I'm going to say Matt Betley. Just a guess.

Acts 20:21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.