STARKVILLE — One week after having its nonconference home 26-game winning streak snapped by Louisiana Tech, the Mississippi State men’s basketball team is moving on.
MSU (6-2) faces defending Big 12 champion Kansas State (6-3) in the Never Forget Tribute Classic at the Prudential Center in New Jersey at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
The Wildcats are coming off a 86-41 throttling of Alabama State on Wednesday and return two starters from last year’s conference championship team. KSU’s offense runs primarily through senior forward Xavier Sneed, who averages 15.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Redshirt junior guard Cartier Diarra is the lone other Wildcat averaging double figures with 11.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest.
“They’re very well coached,” MSU coach Ben Howland said. “In 2018 they were in the Elite Eight. So they’re a very good program with a great basketball history and tradition. (KSU coach) Bruce Weber does a great job. They’re a team that pressures you … They’re going to get after us and we’re going to have to really play well to have success up there.”
Like a good portion of Weber’s better teams, the Wildcats are a defensive-minded squad. KSU is in the top two nationally in KenPom.com’s rankings in turnovers forced and steals recorded. Nevertheless, Howland said he isn’t straying away from his team’s normal gameplan offensively.
“I think that they do a good job – they’re athletic, and they’re long,” he said. “They’re going to play really hard. They’ve got good depth. So, we’re going to have to execute really well and be patient. It will be a grind-it-out affair, I’m sure.”
This will be the Bulldogs’ second year participating in the Never Forget Tribute Classic. A year ago, MSU defeated Clemson 82-71. Proceeds from the Classic will help support the education of children of the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks.
“We’re helping families, kids of fallen first responders, a lot of the people that were involved in 9/11 that ended up getting some of the terrible cancers and diseases from being there as first responders and also some of the people who lost their lives,” Howland said. “… The money’s been great, they’ve helped kids go to college and have helped put them in school, people that lost their major breadwinner in their family. So it’s really for a good cause.”
Finals week woes
Shortly after MSU’s loss to Louisiana Tech, Howland blamed himself for scheduling a game so close to his players’ final exams.
Perhaps no one suffered from the responsibilities of being a student-athlete more than MSU sophomore forward Robert Woodard II.
Woodard II, Columbus High’s valedictorian from the Class of 2018, admitted to Howland he didn’t sleep the night before because he was studying for his exams. The next day, Woodard II made his first two shots against Louisiana Tech but faded as the night dragged on, finishing with eight points.
“It showed because he was exhausted and was tired,” Howland said. “He hasn’t had a game like that, and no one would expect him to ever have another one like that. He knows that. He’s so important to our team, and he’s a real leader. His intensity and his energy is a huge part of who we are.”
KenPom prediction
According to KenPom.com, Mississippi State is projected to beat Kansas State 63-61. According to the website, MSU is ranked 55th nationally out of 353 Division I teams, while KSU is slotted at No. 78.
Hodge is the former sports editor for The Dispatch.
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