STARKVILLE – Mississippi State’s men’s basketball team is in desperate need of a break.
The Bulldogs’ schedule doesn’t appear to be granting one.
Three days after the latest in a string of disappointing losses this season, the most recent a 66-47 drubbing at the hands of Southland Conference member McNeese State, the Bulldogs (6-6) return to action tonight by hosting their toughest non-conference opponent of the season. The same night that MSU was losing to McNeese State, Florida State – which visits the Humphrey Coliseum for a 7 p.m. tipoff tonight – was earning a two-point win over arch-rival Florida in Gainesville, and the Seminoles have won four straight.
“This team is fractured right now,” said MSU coach Rick Ray, whose teams has lost six of its last seven after a 5-0 start. “We’ve got to find out exactly where those fractures are and what we have to do to fix them. But with our schedule right now, Florida State coming in and then conference play starting, it doesn’t give us a lot of time to stop and fix anything.”
The two programs have met eight times previously, with each team winning four times. That means the winner of tonight’s game will take a 5-4 lead in the series, a matchup that last took place in the NIT Quarterfinals in 2007, a game won by MSU.
This season, though, the game against Florida State is the final non-conference game of the season for the Bulldogs. The non-conference portion of the season started off promising for the Bulldogs, with wins over Utah State and St. Louis highlighting the early 5-0 run. But losses to TCU and Oregon State started MSU’s slide, and the Bulldogs added losses to Arkansas State and McNeese, both at home, to fall to .500 on the season.
“We are not doing any of the things we need to be doing to be a successful basketball team,” said Ray. “It’s very disappointing. Offensively, we knew we’d struggle, but I have been especially disappointed with our lack of defensive intensity. We are giving up way too many uncontested shots.”
The Bulldogs have been up and down on the defensive end, and they enter tonight fourth in points allowed among SEC teams. But at just 61 points per game, MSU is last in the league in scoring.
“It’s very frustrating,” said point guard I.J. Ready after MSU’s latest defeat. “We really can’t put our finger on what’s wrong. Just have to keep working.”
Florida State, which is riding the momentum of a four-game winning streak, is paced by Montay Brandon with his 14.2 scoring clip and 5.4 rebounds. Against the Gators, he had a team-high 17 points.
“Florida State is playing with a lot of confidence,” said Ray, whose team will make a return trip to Tallahassee next year. “They are a balanced team and are well coached. We will have to play our best game of the year.”
Following MSU’s game against Florida State, the Bulldogs will open conference play at home next Wednesday against Tennessee.
“I think that any team, I don’t care who the opposition is, you have to get off to a good start to give yourselves confidence and not give the other team confidence,” Ray said. “Right now, we’re struggling so much on the offensive end, and if we don’t get defensive stops, we just have a hard time sustaining any energy.”
Follow Dispatch Sports Writer Brandon Walker on Twitter @BWonStateBeat
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.