STARKVILLE — After a seemingly long journey, Tyson Cunningham has found his role with the Mississippi State men’s basketball program.
The senior walk-on guard showed Sunday he might be the Bulldogs’ most consistent outside shooter by draining two 3-pointers in a 65-64 overtime victory against Loyola-Chicago.
The back-to-back possessions that ended with Cunningham getting wide-open looks helped shift the momentum. MSU coach Rick Ray said he wants Cunningham to continue to take those shots.
“I think Tyson is a guy that makes open shots. It’s really that simple,” Ray said. “I don’t think Tyson can manufacture baskets, but if (Sword) is getting in the lane and Gavin (Ware) is converting at the block he’s going to be able to hit open jumpers.”
Cunningham’s second jumper came after he stole the basketball in the corner and saved it from going out of bounds to start a fast break. Loyola-Chicago stopped MSU’s initial foray, but a trailing Cunningham yelled for the ball and was left open in half-court transition.
“The real reason Tyson is able to make open shots is he’s in the gym every day working on his shooting,” Ray said. “He’s by far the guy that is in the gym the most for our team, and the rest of the players see that progress.”
Cunningham, who has drawn a cult following in the MSU program by not only singing the national anthem but also by earning a spot on the men’s team after being a practice player for the MSU women’s program, appeared in all 32 games and drew four emergency starts last season.
Cunningham, who plans to work in the music business after graduation, was given the opportunity to be in the drum line of the MSU Maroon marching band as a freshman because as he put it “they gave me the biggest drum probably because I was the only one that could carry it who tried out.”
Cunningham led the team in 3-point field goal percentage last season, shooting .413 (19 of 46), but he has been reluctant to shoot from the outside in the first six games.
“I think we became more of who we are and what our identity should be (in this game),” Cunningham said. “We have to be a team that just continues to grind out victories. We’re not going to be flashy, but that’s not our style. We need to be OK with that.”
From an effort standpoint, Cunningham, a former Columbus High School starter, is the poster child for Ray’s rebuilding project at MSU.
“If anybody wants to know who to hire on our team, hire Tyson Cunningham,” Ray said. “I don’t care what the job is or what sort of field it’s in.”
‘Game of Change’ ceremony concludes with re-enactment of legendary handshake
The halftime celebration of the historic 1963 NCAA tournament game between Loyola-Chicago and MSU ended with a re-enactment of the handshake between former MSU player Bobby Shows and Loyola-Chicago’s Jerry Harkness.
A picture of Shows and Harkness shaking hands prior to the game in 1963 has become a widely known piece or memorabilia from the moment. The men had a ceremonial handshake at halftime Sunday of the reunion game that celebrated the 50th anniversary of the historic moment.
Ray, the school’s first black coach in men’s basketball, was embarrassed to realize after he accepted the job he knew nothing of the game that is now referred to as “The Game of Change” in reference to the book written by former MSU beat writer Kyle Veazey.
“It’s really good that this game happened,” Ray said. “I know when I first got the job here, (Loyola coach) Porter (Moser) contacted me about doing this, and it’s a shame I didn’t know anything about the ‘Game of Change.’ People outside of Loyola and Mississippi State don’t know anything about that game. It’s a significant step in NCAA history of basketball.”
Veazey, former MSU announcer Jack Cristil, and several players from both schools were at Humphrey Coliseum to celebrate the 50th anniversary. MSU’s team defied a state injunction designed to stop the Mideast Regional NCAA tournament game in East Lansing, Mich. In 1963, teams from Mississippi weren’t allowed to play integrated opponents. The 1963 Loyola team remains the only Division I school in the state of Illinois to win a national championship in men’s basketball.
Ware struggles to second scoreless game
MSU sophomore center Gavin Ware had his second scoreless performance Sunday.
Ware was 0-for-3 in 16 foul-plagued minutes. The former Starkville High standout gave way to senior reserve Roquez Johnson, who had a career-high 20 points and 11 rebounds.
Ware’s last points came with 18 minutes, 43 seconds left in the second half against Jackson State. He scored just four points against the Tigers.
“He has to be able to get in the ball in the post at an angle so he doesn’t have to worry about the double team,” Ray said Sunday. “I think what happens now is he’s not getting a seal, and that forces him to put it on the floor with a dribble. Once that happens, the secondary defender is allowed to easily come over and bother him.”
Follow Matt Stevens on Twitter @matthewcstevens.
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