Mississippi St

Unsubstantiated Speculation: Draft Links & Rumors: Tuesday

Jason Tomassini — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 22:18:02 -0700

Nothing about the NBA Draft makes any sense. GMs intentionally lie about who they want to confuse the rest of the league, agents pull players out of workouts to manipulate their value and the Milwaukee Bucks continue to pretend they are trying to win. Mock drafts are always way off, the rumored trades never go down and the ones that do are always out of left field. There is no rhyme. There is no reason. And that is exactly why it is so great. Sports fans love to speculate, and the NBA Draft is 90 percent speculatastic. So in an exercise of almost certain futility, I bring you Unsubstantiated Speculation, a column containing all the relevant, completely false draft news links from around the Intertubes. Look for this once or twice a week leading up to the draft. Believe nothing.

And if you are a blog that covers the draft and feel you deserve to be on the Links, click the e-mail link on the right sidebar.

Even with the Finals starting (as you might have heard, there are quite a few storylines with the match-up this year), there has been tons of draft links lately. Let's sift!

(I'm holding to my promise to myself of not getting into the OJ Mayo thing. All I will say is there some weird, completely nonsensical double-standard going on here where Beasley is somehow seen as equally or more of a character risk than OJ, whose bad character is overrated in its own right. I hate the media sometimes, hopefully GMs can see through the fog... riigggghhhht.)

Orlando Pre-Draft Camp
- I really can't say this enough, but DraftExpress has really pulled out all the stops this year. They have their usual scouting reports and interviews but this year have added video, player blogs, extensive team need evaluations and even ventured deep into the underground of the Interwebs with podcasts. On the down side, they are making this column mildly irrelevant. Rush the Court has also done a very nice job, albeit without the access.

- This draft notes column by Chad Ford was interesting for a couple reasons. One, Seattle is fending off rumors they will take Jerryd Bayless No. 4 and Phoenix doing the same about Brandon Rush at No. 15 (which I had merely minutes after the draft order was set... toot toot). But the main reason this was interesting was to hear that Lester Hudson played his ass of in Orlando and could be rising up draft boards. I always liked Hudson because he can get to the rim and is a decent shooter. Kind of like a lower middle class man's Rodney Stuckey. One thing that concerns me: Here is Ford's recap of day 2 of the camp. Notice the common connection between all the players featured as "standouts:" Gary Forbes, Wayne Ellington, Malik Hairston, Josh Duncan. All of them are between positions for the NBA. I'd like to think that's a product of the small-ball trends in the NBA but it's probably more of a product of playing against a bunch of other mediocre, second-round tweeners.

- If you want to know everyone that played in Orlando and what it means for them and their respective college teams, Andy Katz obliges. And within this notes column by Katz, my suspicions that Kevin Love would be flying up draft boards due to a lack of girth was correct and sadly, for George Hill, Pride of Ooey Pooey, the dream is over. And finally, this feature by Katz on Jeremy Pargo was great. It's interesting that his brother Jannero, who was less talented than Jeremy coming out of college but is one of the better reserves in the NBA, has advised his brother to consider going back to school (he will oblige if he isn't a first-rounder apparently). I still think Pargo has a decent career.

- Apparently former Iowa State guard Mike Taylor played really well and could be the first D-League player to get drafted. Taylor instead of Rod Benson?! Boom tho?

- Posts like these from the Atlanta-Journal Constitution's Sekou Smith on new Hawks GM Rick Sund are proof that Atlanta should always have a first-round pick so this man has something to cover come draft time. He is a boss.

- Good mini-feature from Michael Lewis (go Blue Hens?) on Keith Brumbaugh, even though it doesn't explain his amazing, troubled story to those who don't know it. This helps, however. I still think he must be better than Ndubi Ebi. Speaking of washed up former HS stars (sorry Keith), whatever happened to Lenny Cooke? Seriously though, hope the guy gets picked.

Michael Beasley is an enigma
- Actually, no he's not. But everyone in the media sure likes to write like he is. There is this, which contains a quote from Beasley that I was thrilled about.

"I just turned 19 years old in January," Beasley said. "How mature do you want me to be? I’m still a kid. I’m not 20 yet. I’m not legal. I can vote, but that’s about it. On the basketball side of things, I’m 30 years old. Off the court, I don’t know how old y’all want me to be. Do you want me to act 25? 30? 40?. I’m 19. I’m a kid. I’m going to live my life. I’m going to mess up. I don’t know as much as you do or him. I’m learning day by day. I hear a lot about character issues. But I’ve yet to hear what those character issues are. Until I hear somebody tell me, I don’t feel the need to change."

I still fail to see what he has done that is so horribly wrong. He went to many high schools and some coaches piggybacked his ability to better themselves. This happens to every single big-time basketball recruit. How is a teenager who knows he will be in the NBA in the near future supposed to just ignore all these people with power showing him how to get there? And how is Rose any different? Ugh. Hopefully the media treats him as the quirky, outspoken Gilbert Arenas-type rather than the Josh Howard-type who gets blasted whenever he's honest about something. He's probably somewhere in between (in both personality and ability). Oh and any Beasley item on the Internet must link to this article in the WashPost, as required by federal Intertubes laws.

- TrueHoop, which is also very outstanding, approached this fairly. Thank you Mr. Abbott.

- Linked in the TrueHoop item, this piece, which in true NBA Draft form, makes insane speculation that Beasley "is not Pat Riley's type of player." (the same guy writes the same thing in another piece here). Suddenly nothing can be written about this man without the words, "immature," "playful," "candid" and the like being bandied around. I think Chad Ford started all this. Seriously people, let's come up with something new....

- ... Not quite, but getting warmer...

- ... OK, this will have to do.

Things of Different Persuasion
- I was none too pleased to see Donte Greene hire an agent. The only logical explanation for this was that he got one of the 16 "physical only" invites to Orlando, which means he thinks he's like, a top 16 player. This is bad news for my Orange and could be worse news for Donte Greene. NBA GMs love tall shooters but the guy didn't show an ability to do much else in college. And I loved Donte Greene. But who can he guard? Who can he beat off the dribble? Who can he box out? Perhaps the more important question is: Who can he fool into taking him in the top 15?

- Every year Andy Katz is good for a few of those, "How is this college coach handling his players testing the draft waters?" features. This one is on Richard Hendrix and Ronald Steele at Alabama. (I wouldn't be losing sleep Coach Gottfried, Steele is already coming back.)

- I really love the Ball Don't Lie blog over at Yahoo!, even if they are a bit light on draft stuff. The incomparable Kelly Dwyer does well with this rant on mock drafts. Couldn't have put it better myself. (This may prompt another mock draft before draft day where I oblige Mr. Dwyer with his dream mock draft. Or something.)

- Gary Parrish, a true college basketball Internet writer, continues to churn out columns in this offseason. This one is a nice look at how batshit insane some North Carolina fans are. Oh and leave it up to Parrish to actually look at the Mayo thing will a tinge of rationality.

- Fran Frischilla speaks, a New York Post writer listens.

- Lang Whitaker over at Slam Online with an entertaining second-person perspective thingy on being John Paxson (not a working screenplay by Charlie Kauffman). I'm not so sure about the Doug Collins hiring but I still think it's better than Avery Johnson. He's just as likely to want Rose as Avery, but at least he won't try to turn him into Anthony Carter.

- Looks like Jamont Gordon is leaning toward staying in the draft, which I pleased about. He should be a late first-rounder as an impact reserve for a playoff contender.

- Way to strike when the iron is hot, Mike DeCourcy. Will your next column be about how great it is that the draft is two rounds now?

Gordon Likely Staying in the Draft

Jeff Borzello — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:23:27 -0700

According to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger, Mississippi State junior guard Jamont Gordon is likely keeping his name in the NBA Draft and will not return to the Bulldogs for his senior season. "I've got...a lot of teams telling me I can probably slide into the first round and my stock has been rising," Gordon said. As a result, his trainer, Jerry Meyer, said that there is almost no chance he will come back to Starkville. "He's almost 100 percent set on staying in the draft," Meyer said. Gordon was one of the most productive all-around players in the country last season, averaging 17.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game.

Jamont Gordon: NBA Draft Profile

Jeff Fox — Wed, 28 May 2008 09:59:15 -0700

Jamont Gordon

College: Mississippi State

Class: Junior

Position: PG/SG/SF

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 230lbs

Accolades: First Team All-SEC (08), First Team All-SEC (07), NIT All-Tournament Team (07), SEC All-Freshman Team (06), Second Team All-American – Parade – high school (05).

Scouting Report: A versatile, “do-it-all” lefty.

Strengths: Extremely versatile – can play point guard, shooting guard or small forward. Very athletic. Nice lefty shooting stroke. Very strong build. Was “The Man” in college – his opponent’s defensive attention would be all on him. A stat-sheet stuffer – fills up all the columns. A big-time scorer – hit the 20-point mark 16 times this year. Excellent rebounder for his size and position. Great assist man. Solid defender. Good wingspan. Has three-point range on his jumper. Good experience – played big minutes all three years in college.

Weaknesses: NBA “tweener” – no real projected NBA position on floor – not a true point guard, too short for the wing spots. Very inconsistent. Turns over the ball way too much. Shoots for a poor percentage. Needs to become a more consistent three-point shooter.

Projected 2008 Draft Range: Mid second round pick.

Consensus: It makes no sense for Gordon to remain in this year’s draft if he is not going to be a first round pick. He should head back to Mississippi State for his senior year and try to improve his stock.

Stats: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=27284

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Ben Hanbsrough Leaving Mississippi State

Press Release — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:37:12 -0700

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State University head men’s basketball coach Rick Stansbury announced Monday that Bulldog sophomore guard Ben Hansbrough has decided to transfer following his spring semester at MSU.

“Ben is a good kid and we wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors,” Stansbury said.

A 6-foot-3, 205-pound guard from Poplar Bluff, Mo., Hansbrough was MState’s fourth-leading scorer this past season at 10.5 points per contest. Having started 28 games for Stansbury’s 23-11 NCAA Tournament squad in 2007-08, Hansbrough tied for the team lead with 62 made three-point field goals in shooting 36 percent from beyond the three-point arc. Along with leading the SEC West champion Bulldogs in free throw percentage (.789) this past year, Hansbrough ranked as the club’s third-leading playmaker with 77 assists (2.6 apg) while also averaging 3.8 rebounds an outing.

NABC All-Star Game Rosters Announced

Press Release — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 15:24:37 -0700

The NABC All-Star Game rosters were announced today. The NABC All-Star Game is a showcase for top seniors that takes place in the Alamo Dome Friday evening before the Final Four

American All-Stars
-coached by former South Carolina head coach Dave Odom

Brian Butch of Wisconsin
Jamar Butler of Ohio State
Jaycee Carroll of Utah State
Robbie Cowgill of Washington State
Sundiata Gaines of Georgia
James Gist of Maryland
Mike Green of Butler
Alex Harris of UC Santa Barbara
Robert McKiver of Houston
David Padgett of Louisville
Brian Randle of Illinois
Charles Rhodes of Mississippi State

National All-Stars
-coached by Clemson's Oliver Purnell.

Ramel Bradley of Kentucky
Will Daniels of Rhode Island
Josh Duncan of Xavier
Shan Foster of Vanderbilt
Cliff Hammonds of Clemson
Joe Jones of Texas A&M
Aleks Maric of Nebraska
DeMarcus Neslon of Duke
Sean Singletary of Virginia
Jason Thompson of Rider
Jonathan Wallace of Georgetown

Cheerleader of the Day: Mississippi State

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 09:17:00 -0700

Thanks to our friends over at Icon Sports Media, we now have access to thousands of great college basketball photos to use on the site. Each day, along with our Picture of the Day, we'll be featuring a Cheerleader of the Day. We'll be mixing up the schools & cheerleader so check back daily!

Mississippi State

- Check out past Cheerleaders of the Day!

- Also check out the Picture of the Day!

2008 NCAA Tournament Capsule: Mississipi State

Joel Welser — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:27:54 -0700

Mississippi State

SEC

by Joel Welser

Last NCAA Appearance: 2005, Second Round Loss

Coach: Rick Stansbury

Probable Starters:

Barry Stewart, Sophomore, Guard,

Ben Hansbrough, Sophomore, Guard,

Jamont Gordon, Junior, Guard,

Jarvis Varnado, Sophomore, Forward,

Charles Rhodes, Senior, Forward,

Key Roleplayers:

Phil Turner, Freshman, Guard

Brian Johnson, Junior, Forward

Why They Can Surprise:

Mississippi State only allows their opponents to shoot 36.7 percent from the floor. That is second in the nation and an amazing number. The solid perimeter defense looks even better thanks to Jarvis Varnado. Varnado leads the nation in blocks with 4.9 per game. There is no scoring around the basket when Varnado is in the paint. Last year he was a decent shot blocker, but this year he has learned to block without fouling and that will keep him on the floor.

Charles Rhodes is no slouch in the shot blocking department either. But Rhodes brings an offensive game to the Bulldogs frontcourt. Rhodes averages 16.2 points per game. Most of Varnado’s baskets are on easy put backs, but Rhodes is a true post scorer. They both are also solid on the glass and it is a rare occasion when the opposition grabs an offensive rebound.

Why They Can Disappoint:

With all that scoring in the paint, Mississippi State will get plenty of open looks from outside. However, the squad is not a great shooting team by any means. While the three-point shooting has improved as the season has moved along, it is pretty much up to Ben Hansbrough to hit the long balls. He will knock down about two per game, but if his shot is not falling, there are not a lot of other options that consistently hit the three-point shot. The same can be said for free-throw shooting. Hansbrough hits over 80 percent of his attempts, but nobody else who sees major minutes shoots over 70 percent from the charity stripe.

Who To Watch:

Jamont Gordon does everything well and the 6-4 guard leads the team in points, assists and steals and even grabs over six rebounds per contest. He can handle the ball to help out the young backcourt and hit the glass to help the frontcourt. Most importantly, he averages 17.1 points per game and rarely fails to reach double digits. Gordon will hit the outside shot, but is not very consistent from beyond the arc. When the outside shot is falling and he continues to use his size to get to the basket, Gordon will easily eclipse the 20 point mark.

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Game of the Week: Tennessee at Mississippi Sttae

Jeff Borzello — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 07:45:22 -0800

Game of the Week: No. 7 Tennessee at Mississippi State (Saturday, 7:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt/Regional TV)

With January on its way out and February just starting, it’s time for the best two-month stretch of the sports calendar to begin. From here on out, nearly every game matters, whether it is for at-large considerations, conference title races and for seeding. Since it’s only the midpoint for many conferences, most leagues are still up for grabs. This weekend features plenty of conference clashes, including two Pac-10 showdowns in Stanford at Washington State, and Arizona at UCLA, while two of the Big 12’s best collide as Baylor takes on Texas. However, in the SEC, teams from opposite divisions play each other only once every year, so it’s definitely a treat – and “Game of the Week” – when East leader Tennessee has to go on the road and face once-beaten West leader Mississippi State.

Tennessee Team Breakdown

Tennessee came into the season as the heavy favorite to win the SEC, but struggled a little bit to open the season, getting obliterated by 19 on a neutral court against Tennessee. Since then, though, the Volunteers have been one of the best teams in the country, winning 13 of their last 14 games, with the lone loss at Kentucky. They own wins over Xavier, Gonzaga, Ohio State, Vanderbilt, West Virginia and Mississippi. UT, the nation’s top-ranked team in the RPI, is ranked No. 12 in offensive efficiency and No. 24 in defensive efficiency.

The Volunteers have one of the deepest, most athletic squads in the country. It starts on the perimeter with All-America candidate Chris Lofton, a senior guard who had struggled shooting the ball this season before knocking down 17 of 32 three-point shots in his last three games. Flanking him is JaJuan Smith, a very good scorer and tremendous defensive player. Smith plays the passing lanes unbelievably well and has very quick hands. The two-headed point guard of Ramar Smtih and Jordan Howell combines to average 15.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 6.3 assists and just 3.2 turnovers per game. Smith is more of a scorer and playmaker, while Howell is a heady player who doesn’t turn the ball over. Former Arizona transfer J.P. Prince is the team’s fourth leading scorer since becoming eligible in mid-December.

Up front, Tyler Smith has made an immediate impact after coming over from Iowa and contributes in a variety of ways. He leads the team in rebounds and assists, and is third in scoring; he might be the most indispensable player on the entire Vols’ roster. Wayne Chism is a good inside-outside scorer who needs to get tougher down low. His scoring is inconsistent, but he has improved as a rebounder throughout the course of the season. Duke Crews missed nine games due to a heart condition, but he is athletic and can finish around the rim. Freshman rebounder Brian Williams has seen increased minutes lately in Crews’ absence, while Ryan Childress is a decent inside-outside option.

Mississippi State Team Breakdown

Mississippi State rode its late-season success last year to a preseason top-25 ranking heading into this season. However, the Bulldogs started just 5-5 in the non-conference, losing to Clemson and Miami (Fl.) at home as well as Miami (Ohio), Southern Illinois and South Alabama. They have since won nine of their last 10, including a 20-point pasting of Mississippi last weekend. The lone loss was Wednesday night on the road against Arkansas. MSU is 5-1 in the SEC so far, and looks like the favorite in the SEC West. It is ranked No. 82 in offensive efficiency and No. 6 at the other end of the floor.

In the backcourt, the Bulldogs are led by one of the best all-around players in the country, 6-4 jack-of-all-trades Jamont Gordon. He is ranked No. 6 in the SEC in scoring, No. 13 in rebounding and No. 5 in assists. He has also cut down on his turnovers, which was a major problem in the past. Joining him on the perimeter are sophomores Barry Stewart and Ben Hansbrough. Stewart is a very solid double-figure scorer who has struggled with his three-point shot in SEC play, while Hansbrough takes care of the ball and can knock down outside shots. However, he was diagnosed with mono last week and could miss the Tennessee game. If he is out, Phil Turner, who is averaging over 30 minutes per game in the last eight contests, will start. Riley Benock is the team’s best three-point shooter, hitting seven of his last 13 outside attempts.

Up front, Mississippi State has one of the best duos in the SEC in senior Charles Rhodes and sophomore Jarvis Varnado. Rhodes has the ability to be a premier big man, although he had battled bouts of inconsistency and lackadaisical play in the past. He is very effective once he gets the ball down low. Varnado has become a national story over the past few weeks, due to his tremendous shot-blocking ability. He leads the country in blocked shots and is No. 3 in the SEC in rebounds. Varnado alters entire game plans as a result of his prowess in the paint. He had back-to-back 10-block games earlier this month, and is averaging 10.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 6.0 blocks in the past six games before a disappointing performance against Arkansas. Former Louisville transfer Brian Johnson provides rebounding off the bench.

Game Analysis and Prediction

Although Tennessee remains the SEC favorite in most circles across the country, a loss here would give them their second loss of the league and drop them back in the standings. It will be a match-up of contrasting styles, as Tennessee loves to push the ball in transition for fast-break baskets and force turnovers on the defensive end with its non-stop pressure. The Volunteers shoot a lot of three-pointers and don’t often score many back-to-the-basket points. They are also adept at getting to the basket when defenders overplay the three-pointer. Mississippi State is second in the nation in field-goal percentage defense and blocked shots per game, and is also in the top-30 in rebound margin. The Bulldogs don’t force many turnovers and would much rather play in the half-court than an up-and-down affair. They contest nearly every shot, both inside and outside the arc, and don’t allow many second opportunities.

If Tennessee is going to walk into Starkville and the harsh confines of Humphrey Coliseum and come out with a win, it is going to need to do several things. In fact, of the elite teams, the Volunteers might be the only one that needs so many things to go their way in order to win. First, Tennessee has to impose its style of play on Mississippi State. The Volunteers want to push the ball at every opportunity, while MSU will attempt to make it a half-court game. The Volunteers have more athletes and much more depth than the Bulldogs, and would have a huge advantage if this game is played in the 80s. Secondly, if it is a half-court game, Tennessee needs to knock down its three-pointers and run its offense. The Vols become overly reliant on the three-ball at times, whether it is Chris Lofton, any of the Smiths, or even Wayne Chism. However, in this game, it would suit Tennessee to spread the floor and attempt to take the Bulldogs off the dribble. If Chism, Tyler Smith and co. can draw Jarvis Varnado and the MSU bigs away from the basket, driving lanes and penetration opportunities will open up going towards the lane. Additionally, MSU defends the three very well, so Tennessee will have to hit the open ones. Lastly, Tennessee will have to slow down Charles Rhodes and Varnado inside and keep the Bulldogs off the glass. The Volunteers are one of the worst defensive-rebounding teams in the country and don’t have the size to stop skilled big guys. If MSU dominates the paint and is not forced to make three-pointers, Tennessee could be in trouble.

On the other side, if Mississippi State is to pull off the top-10 upset at home, it will have to play arguably its best game of the year. More specifically, the main thing it can’t do is get caught-up in Tennessee’s transition game. Mississippi State can’t run with the Volunteers, and the Bulldogs could get run out of the building if they try to play a fast-break contest. They need to break the Tennessee press and then either get baskets if they have an advantage or slow it down and run their offense. Forcing plays that aren’t there will only hurt them. Defensively, the Bulldogs will have to contest Tennessee’s three-pointers but also stay in front of dribble-penetration. Gambling on the defensive end won’t make a difference; Tennessee is exceptional with the ball. Despite the pace UT plays at, it leads the country in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio. If the Volunteers have open jumpshots and driving lanes, it will cancel out the shot-blocking and size advantage that Mississippi State has. Lastly, Mississippi State will have to take advantage of its size on the offensive end. It starts in the backcourt with Jamont Gordon. He is too big and strong for any of the Volunteers’ guards. He has to take the ball into the paint and finish around the rim, or force Tennessee to foul him. Similarly, Rhodes needs to get enough touches inside to make a difference. He is one of the best big men in the SEC and will have the opportunity to take-over against the average post defenders of Tennessee. UT is awful at defending two-pointers and grabbing defensive rebounds; MSU is suited to exploit that.

This game is going to come down to which team can impose its tempo on the opponent. If the game is in the high 70s or 80s, Tennessee will get an edge because of its athletes and depth. Conversely, if the game is in the 60s or low 70s, the advantage goes to Mississippi State and its size and half-court defense. With MSU playing its best basketball of the season – and the fact the game is in Starkville – I’m going with the Bulldogs.

Prediction: Mississippi State 72, Tennessee 68

Cousy Award Finalists

Press Release — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 05:30:34 -0800

2008 BOB COUSY AWARD PRESENTED BY THE HARTFORD FINALISTS

DIVISION I
DJ Augustin Texas
Darren Collison UCLA
Devan Downey South Carolina
Jamont Gordon Mississippi State
Mike Green Butler
Dominic James Marquette
Ty Lawson North Carolina
Eric Maynor VCU
Tyrese Rice Boston College
Brian Roberts Dayton
Derrick Rose Memphis
Sean Singletary Virginia

DIVISION II
Luke Cooper Alaska - Anchorage
Johnny Reibel Rollins

DIVISION III
David Arsenault Grinnell College
Andrew Olson Amherst College

2007-08 Mississippi State Basketball Preview

Joel Welser — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 07:01:37 -0700

Mississippi State Bulldogs

Overall Rank: #23

Conference Rank: #3 SEC

2006-07: 21-14, 8-8, 1^st (t) West

2006-07 postseason: NIT

Four players are transferring from Mississippi State and maybe they saw what the rest of us will see soon enough…that this is a very deep and talented team. It has been a couple years since Coach Rick Stansbury has seen so many possibilities on his roster. The Bulldogs were in the NCAA Tournament in 2005 and anything but another trip in 2008 will be disappointing.

Who’s Out:

The Delk brothers are headed their separate ways. Reginald is the key loss to the team after averaging 9.5 points per game and starting all 35 contests. Richard started 33 games and tallied 5.7 points per contest. Both saw their minutes dwindle as the season progressed last year in favor of freshmen. Forward Vernon Goodridge started five contests and fellow forward Bernard Rimmer is joining him on the transfer list after seeing limited action last season. Dietric Slater missed the early portion of the season, but once the New Year hit, the versatile lefty wing was ready to roll. He was a hardworker and a solid defender and that is what Mississippi State will miss more than his 10.5 points per game. The only other senior lost is Piotr Stelmach who saw limited action in 19 contests.

Who’s In:

Brian Johnson, a transfer from Louisville, came on strong at the end of the 2005-2006 season for the Cardinals. If the 6-9 power forward can continue that trend, the Bulldogs frontcourt is suddenly full of talent. Johnson is extremely tough and can score in the paint. However, it is his ability to rebound that the team desperately needs in the frontcourt. Elgin Bailey will add some depth up front. The wide-bodied 6-8, 265 pound New Orleans, Louisiana product can use his size to get some easy baskets and rebounds, but it will be tough for him to make too much of an impact as a freshman. Kodi Augustus and Ravern Johnson will be the two most exciting newcomers. At 6-8 Augustus has great size for a wing and he will have some high flying dunks sooner rather than later. He is not the greatest shooter around, but he can at least keep the defense honest between drives to the basket. Johnson, the two-time Mississippi Player of the Year is the shooter of the bunch. At 6-7, he has great size for a player who can spend minutes at the two guard. Once he adds a little weight and strength, his size will be an asset if he ever wants to become more than just a catch-and-shoot guy. Point guard Riley Benock and redshirt freshman Phil Turner will bolster the depth on the perimeter. Walk-on Brandon Bolen also joins the program this year.

Who to Watch:

You can call him a point guard, you can call him a shooting guard or you can call him a wing, but whatever you call him, you better call him a great player. Jamont Gordon led the team with 16.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game last year and the hopes and dreams of a deep NCAA Tournament fall on his shoulders. Gordon took over the point guard duties last year and, eventually, it worked out pretty well. At times, the turnover numbers were horrendous, but it did get better by the end of the year. Joining Gordon in the backcourt will be sophomores Barry Stewart and Ben Hansbrough. Stewart had a surprising freshman campaign in which he averaged 9.8 points per game. He spent all of last year coming off the bench and with starters minutes coming his way and a year of experience under his belt, Stewart could become a household name in SEC country by year’s end. Hansbrough, the younger, shorter, less talented brother of North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough, earned nine starts last year and averaged 7.3 points and 3.2 assists. By the end of the season, when Mississippi State went on a nice run, it was Stewart and Hansbrough who were making a big impact and taking away the minutes from the Delk brothers. The group may be young, but they are talented and have already proven that they can play with anybody in the conference.

Final Projection:

The frontcourt is led by Charles Rhodes. After flirting with the NBA, Rhodes opted to return to college for his senior season. He is a decent scorer and can step out and occasionally hit the long ball, but the key for him is consistency. He was outrebounded by the 6-4 Gordon who was running the point all year and that is what Rhodes needs to improve on before thinking about playing at the highest level. Jarvis Varnado is the last on the long list of freshman who made an impact last year. He will have to battle with Brian Johnson for the starting job up front, but Varnado is a great shot blocker and will see more than 13.5 minutes per game this year.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA

Projected Starting Five:

Jamont Gordon, Junior, Guard, 16.0 points per game

Barry Stewart, Sophomore, Guard, 9.8 points per game

Ben Hansbrough, Sophomore, Guard, 7.3 points per game

Charles Rhodes, Senior, Forward, 13.7 points per game

Brian Johnson, Junior, Forward, DNP last season

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