STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State University men’s basketball players understand they can improve on defense.
The scouting report on No. 15 MSU (13-2) is simple: It can’t guard the pick-and-roll offense at the top of the key.
“Everybody in the country runs ball screens, and we have to get better guarding those,” MSU assistant coach Phil Cunningham said Wednesday in the SEC coaches teleconference.
Cunningham was substituting for MSU coach Rick Stansbury, who was attending a funeral Wednesday afternoon.
MSU’s concern about defending pick-and-rolls was highlighted last week in games against Baylor and Utah State. The No. 4 Bears and Aggies averaged nearly 30 points in the paint mostly on dribble penetration. Cunningham even referenced the game-winning layup by Baylor point guard Pierre Jackson, who went right by senior Dee Bost in a 54-52 victory in Dallas.
“Utah State runs more set plays than anybody we’ve played all year, and probably in a while,” Cunningham said. “We weren’t very good defensively. We got to be better on the ball. We lost a game on just a crossover and (Jackson getting) to the rim layup. Everybody saw that play.”
MSU will look to senior Brian Bryant and freshman DeVille Smith to continue to develop to help the team improve defensively. The Bulldogs also will look to Bost, a Wooden Award nominee for the nation’s top point guard, to emerge from a recent slump. MSU’s guard depth will be critical as it prepares to face the University of Arkansas (12-3) at 8 p.m. Saturday (Comcast Sportsouth) at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark.
“It’s been one of the strengths of our team this year, and what we need is all five players in the rotation to be more consistent,” Cunningham said. “We haven’t had that lately. Dee has struggled lately and DeVille, up until the first half of the game against Utah State, hadn’t been playing that well. It should be one of our strengths in league play.”
Bost a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award
Bost was named a finalist for the 2012 Bob Cousy Award, which is presented annually to the nation’s top point guard by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Bost, a native of Concord, N.C., is fifth in the Southeastern Conference at 15.9 points per game, second in steals (2.3), and fourth in assists (4.4). He leads the league in minutes per game (34.1).
Against Utah State, the All-SEC first-team selection became the school’s all-time assist leader, breaking the mark of 514 held by Derrick Zimmerman.
“It’s an honor to make the cut,” said Bost. “To make the cut of 20 means a lot. I thank God, my teammates, and coaches for putting me in position to get this type of recognition.”
On Feb. 1, the field will be trimmed to 10. The final five announced March 1. The winner of the 2012 Bob Cousy Award will be presented as part of NCAA Final Four weekend.
MSU players getting over flu bug
Stansbury said at least four players battled illness Saturday in the victory against Utah State.
Wendell Lewis had headache symptoms and junior forward Arnett Moultrie had sinus issues, while junior center Renardo Sidney and senior guard Brian Bryant had a stomach virus.
Cunningham said the players have recovered from the illnesses ad everyone should be available to play against Arkansas. He said Tuesday’s practice was “their best of the season.”
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