STARKVILLE — Mississippi State basketball quickly found itself on upset alert Tuesday when a lead as big as 13 was trimmed to three early in the second half against North Alabama at Humphrey Coliseum.
The Bulldogs – particularly forward Cameron Matthews, according to coach Chris Jans – looked lackadaisical.
“We didn’t come out of the locker room breathing fire,” said Jans, whose team won 81-54. “We came out of the locker room like the game was over. Certainly, that’s not what you’re trying to do.”
That was until forward Jimmy Bell Jr. got fouled going up for a shot and the two teams starting jawing at each other.
Technical fouls were equally distributed, but the momentum created from the commotion swayed heavily toward the Bulldogs. MSU (3-0) out-scored North Alabama (2-1) by 24 from there en route to a 27-point win that displayed how quickly the Bulldogs can be among the most dangerous teams in the SEC.
Mississippi State secured a 3-0 start – which is often critical for teams heading into Thanksgiving week. Here’s what we’ve learned about MSU ahead of a critical resume-boosting test against Washington State and either Rhode Island or Northwestern at the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic in Uncasville, Connecticut, this weekend.
Trey Fort, Josh Hubbard have added backcourt depth
Mississippi State, after finishing with the nation’s worst 3-point percentage last season, needed to find shooters in the backcourt. Trey Fort and Josh Hubbard were the answer.
Fort is 9-of-19 from beyond the arc this year while Hubbard is 9-of-21. For context, D.J. Jeffries led MSU last season with 40 made 3-pointers.
Jans and his staff landed Hubbard after a prolonged recruitment that saw Mississippi’s all-time leading scorer in boys basketball flip from Ole Miss in March. His collegiate career got off to a slow start against Arizona State in Chicago, but he scored 22 in MSU’s home opener against UT Martin before posting 12 against North Alabama.
Fort was a junior college addition for the Bulldogs who earned a starting spot in the opener with Shakeel Moore suspended due a violation of team rules. With Moore back Tuesday, Fort remained in the opening rotation alongside guard Dashawn Davis.
Gai Chol, Jimmy Bell Jr. holding down Tolu Smith’s spot
All-SEC forward Tolu Smith has yet to play for MSU and is expected out until conference play, but the Bulldogs have found trustworthy options inside. Bell has been the top guy, but freshman Gai Chol has showed promise in a season where he wasn’t expected to play much.
Chol posted two points in the opener before scoring 11 with three rebounds in the second game. At 6-foot-11, it’s apparent what Jans and his staff saw in the South Sudan product. His minutes are sure to drop when Smith returns, but a silver lining in his absence has been Chol’s chance to gain experience.
“I never dreamt that we’d have the injuries that we’ve had to be able to have that depth tested so early,” Jans said Tuesday. “But we have, and it’s been so far, so good.”
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D.J. Jeffries maybe finding a spark
Jeffries’ length and versatility make him a key piece for a defensive-minded coach such as Jans, and his efficiency stats back it up. Jeffries was a team-best plus-25 against Arizona State, a plus-19 against UT Martin and a plus-17 against North Alabama, but he has struggled on the offensive end.
However, he may have found a groove in the second half Tuesday despite not starting the period. Jeffries score eight points in the final 15 minutes – including a pair of 3-pointers – to up his average to 4.3 points per game.
“It’s just shot selection,” Jans said. “I’d rather have him shoot more 3’s, to be honest with you, than the pull-ups. I want to try to get his length downhill and get all the way to the rim and put the defense on its heels or those catch-and-shoot rhythm 3’s that he made a couple of today.”
Stefan Krajisnik is the Mississippi State beat writer for the Clarion Ledger. Contact him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @skrajisnik3.