STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State University men’s basketball coaches thought Rodney Hood would be closer to 100 percent healthy by now.
That’s what Bulldogs assistant coach Phil Cunningham admitted Monday on the Southeastern Conference media teleconference when he addressed the squad’s depth concerns as it prepares to play the University of Georgia on Thursday in its opening game of the SEC tournament in New Orleans. The game could be the team’s first of four games in four straight days at the event.
“How is he going to bounce back?” said Cunningham, who will filling in for coach Rick Stansbury, who was with Dee Bost and Arnett Moultrie in Jackson for the presentation of the Howell Trophy. “We thought he’d be a little further along Saturday than he was, and we’re just hoping he can heal up a little better this week.”
Hood, a freshman wing player, came off the bench Saturday for the second straight game since injuring his left knee last week. He had three points, three rebounds, and two assists, but he missed all three of his 3-pointer in 21 minutes.
Stansbury said Saturday after the 79-59 victory against the University of Arkansas he wasn’t sure how much Hood would be able to play in the league tournament, but he said his presence has given the team a huge lift in its two-game winning surge.
The 6-foot-8 guard/forward was injured late in the first half of a 73-64 loss to then No. 1 University of Kentucky while fighting for position on
a rebound. With 4 minutes, 53 seconds left in the first half, Hood suffered what school officials classified as a left knee bone bruise.
The 2011 Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Mississippi had five points in 13 minutes Wednesday and in an overtime victory against the University of South Carolina in Columbia, S.C.
With only forward Wendell Lewis, guard Deville Smith, and Hood as regulars in the rotation, Cunningham pointed to wins MSU had against Texas A&M and the University of Arizona on back-to-back nights at the 2K Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York as examples the team is capable of playing at a high level without a lot of help off the bench.
“I think we’re just going to prepare for the Georgia game and not worry about after that because it is an issue with Renardo (Sidney), but he has done OK,” Cunningham said. “We had a situation in New York in November, and I know that was a long time ago, but we played on back-to-back nights and played pretty well up there.”
Moultrie wins Howell Trophy
On Monday, Moultrie joined an elite group of MSU players to win the Howell Trophy, an annual award presented to the top men’s college basketball player in the state of Mississippi. The award is named after former MSU player Bailey Howell.
Moultrie is the first Bulldog to win the award since Jarvis Varnado won in 2009 and 2010. Other former MSU winners include Lawrence Roberts (2005) and Jamont Gordon (2008).
“Bailey Howell is the greatest player to play at Mississippi State, and to have my name associated with his is quite the honor,” said Moultrie, a Memphis native, who is fourth in the SEC in scoring at 16.1 points per game. “I have to give a lot of credit to my coaches and teammates.”
Moultrie, in his first year at MSU after transferring from the University of Texas at El Paso, leads the SEC in rebounding (10.7) and double-doubles (18), while his minutes average of 35.2 is second behind Bost, a three-time finalist for the award.
Southern Mississippi’s Neil Watson joined Moultrie and Bost as finalists at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum.
“If I couldn’t win it, I’m glad Arnett could,” Bost said. “It’s hard to argue his numbers. He’s averaging a double-double. I’m proud for him.”
Delta State’s Veronica Walker won the Gillom Trophy, which is presented to the state’s top women’s top college player, for the second-straight year. MSU senior Diamber Johnson, who led her team in scoring at 14.7 ppg., was a finalist along with the University of Mississippi’s Valencia McFarland.
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