Mississippi State Ripped for Lackluster Offense in Loss vs. Pitt in First Four
Mar 15, 2023
DAYTON, OHIO - MARCH 14: Jamarius Burton #11 of the Pittsburgh Panthers shoots the ball against Shakeel Moore #3 and Cameron Matthews #4 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the second half in the First Four game of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at University of Dayton Arena on March 14, 2023 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
The Pittsburgh Panthers' championship dreams are still alive.
No. 11 Pittsburgh defeated the Mississippi State Bulldogs 60-59 in Tuesday's back-and-forth First Four game of the 2023 NCAA men's basketball tournament in Dayton, Ohio, and clinched a first-round matchup against sixth-seeded Iowa State in the Midwest Region.
It seemed as if the Bulldogs might escape with a win with a 7-0 run to take the lead in the final minutes, but Jamarius Burton's shot in the lane in crunch time proved to be the difference. Shakeel Moore's three on the other end rimmed out, and Pittsburgh survived.
It was fitting that Moore's three-pointer was unguarded, as the SEC representative shot an ugly 38.1 percent from the field and 6-of-23 (26.1 percent) from deep.
That offensive display drew plenty of criticism:
Mississippi State is offending the sport of basketball on the offensive end right now
For the love of god Mississippi State, stop shooting threes. Committee did everyone a service by having them play in the first four. Horrible offense. Oklahoma state over this would be better
This figured to be a close matchup of contrasting styles, as Pittsburgh was No. 24 in adjusted offensive efficiency and No. 142 in adjusted defense efficiency compared to Mississippi State's No. 163 offense and No. 6 defense in KenPom.com's rankings.
That defense helped the Bulldogs defeat Marquette, TCU and Texas A&M during the season, while the Panthers' offense was key in wins over Northwestern, North Carolina State, North Carolina, Virginia and Miami.
While the Panthers were without big man Federiko Federiko because of a knee injury, they turned to that perimeter offense and hit eight three-pointers in the first half alone to jump out to an early lead.
Mississippi State, which was last in the country in three-point percentage, struggled to keep pace from the outside but remained in the game with strong defense and a willingness to attack the basket and go down low.
The offensive issues made it seem like the game was over when Blake Hinson drilled a deep three to put the Panthers up six with just over three minutes remaining, but the Bulldogs finally came alive with their late run.
It still wasn't enough, though, and Pittsburgh will have a chance to parlay this win into a victory over the Cyclones on Friday.
Watch March Madness Live to stream every tournament game through the Final Four.
Garrison Brooks Announces Transfer from UNC to Mississippi State
Apr 15, 2021
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 17: Garrison Brooks #15 of the North Carolina Tar Heels dunks against the Northeastern Huskies during the second half of their game at the Dean Smith Center on February 17, 2021 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 82-62. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
North Carolina star Garrison Brooks will continue his career at Mississippi State, he announced Thursday.
The 6'10" center averaged 10.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game for the Tar Heels after being named ACC Preseason Player of the Year going into the 2020-21 season.
His decision to transfer came after legendary head coach Roy Williams announced his retirement following 18 seasons at the helm of the Tar Heels.
Despite just wrapping up his senior year, Brooks will have an extra year of eligibility, which was granted to student-athletes because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Throughout his career with the Tar Heels, he made 108 starts and appeared in 133 games, averaging 9.6 points and 6.0 rebounds. His best campaign came during the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season, when he posted 16.8 points and 8.5 rebounds en route to earning second-team All-ACC honors.
The Alabama native originally signed with Mississippi State as a 4-star recruit out of high school but decommitted and enrolled at UNC instead.
His father, George Brooks, is an assistant with Mississippi State, a role he has held for the past 11 seasons. He is the third-longest-tenured assistant in program history.
Mississippi State's Reggie Perry Declares for 2020 NBA Draft; Was Co-SEC POY
Mar 29, 2020
Mississippi State's Reggie Perry pulls down a rebound during the second half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020. Kentucky won 80-72. (AP Photo/James Crisp)
Reggie Perry's career at Mississippi State is over after two years.
The 2019-20 co-SEC Player of the Year announced his decision to move on to "continue my life on the next level of basketball as a professional" in a lengthy letter thanking those who helped him along the way. He also released a video with the message "once a Bulldog, always a Bulldog."
Perry arrived at Mississippi State as a highly regarded 4-star recruit and the No. 7 power forward in the 2018 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.
He earned SEC All-Freshman honors behind 9.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while shooting 50.2 percent from the field, but he elevated his game this past season and made national waves.
The forward averaged 17.4 points, 10.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocks a night while shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 32.4 from three-point range. He shared the SEC's top individual honor with Arkansas' Mason Jones.
Tyler Horka of the Mississippi Clarion Ledger noted Perry put his name into consideration for the NBA draft last offseason but elected to return to school for what turned out to be a head-turning season.
Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman did not include Perry in his most recent mock draft of first-round picks, and Sports Illustrated's Jeremy Woo ranked him as the 79th-best player available in this year's draft and provided a scouting report:
"Perry has great physical tools and has been highly productive the past two seasons, but lacks the level of feel and on-court awareness that would make him a surefire draftable player. He did earn a combine invite last season and has some fans around the league, but his shot selection and consistency have always left something to be desired, and his struggles also persist on the defensive end in terms of positioning and impact. But he's shown potential to shoot and has the type of frame teams like to gamble on."
Perry may not be a first-round lock, but he thrived against elevated competition in the SEC last season and left his mark on the Mississippi State program.
Nick Weatherspoon Stretchered off After Suffering Nasty Fall in SEC Tournament
Mar 9, 2018
Mississippi State's Nick Weatherspoon (0) goes up for a layup past Tennessee's Jordan Bowden and Kyle Alexander, right, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 9, 2018, in St. Louis. Weatherspoon was injured on the play and taken off on a stretcher. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Mississippi State freshman guard Nick Weatherspoon was taken off the court on a stretcher after a fall during the Bulldogs' SEC tournament game Friday night against Tennessee.
Seth Emerson of DawgNation reported Weatherspoon had a brace around his neck. Hugh Kellenberger of the Clarion-Ledger provided a picture from the scary scene at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis:
Head coach Ben Howland said Weatherspoon was conscious and moving all his extremities after the game, per Brian Hamilton of The Fieldhouse.
The 19-year-old Mississippi native tallied six points and four rebounds before the injury. He entered the contest as the team's second-leading scorer at 11.3 points per game, while also averaging 2.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists across 32 appearances.
His brother, Quinndary, is the Bulldogs' leading scorer (14.7 PPG) and remained in the game following the incident, per Emerson.
Mississippi StateannouncedWeatherspoon was taken to a local hospital with an "apparent neck injury." No further information about the severity of the injury was immediately released.
5-Star PF Reggie Perry Commits to Mississippi State After Arkansas Decommitment
Jul 17, 2017
Thomasville power forward Reggie Perry, a 5-star recruit who recently decommitted from Arkansas, has committed to Mississippi State, according to Jeff Borzello of ESPN.
Perry made the news official in a video shared by FanRag Sports:
"He wanted to follow in his father's footsteps, as he has so much respect for him," Perry's mother told Evan Daniels of Scout.com. "Plus we can get up there and see him play."
His father, Al Perry, played for the Bulldogs in the 1970s.
"Unfortunately, I had to decommit tonight with Coach [Anderson] because of personal health issues with my father," Perry said after pulling his commitment from Arkansas on July 5, perDaniels. "I have to do what is best for me and my family."
Landing the younger Perry is a huge development for the program, as they'll be bringing aboard Scout's No. 14 overall player and No. 4 power forward in the Class of 2018. At6'8" and 230 pounds, Perry already features an imposing frame and is averaging 16.5 points and 7.9 rebounds a game through 13 games at Adidas' Gauntlet Finale.
His addition will also bolster a recruiting class that was already ranked No. 15 byScout, which includes4-starpower forward Ethan Henderson. AndJon Rothsteinof FanRag Sports reported that the Bulldogs "are also heavily the mix for 4-star guardRobert Woodard, a top-50 prospect in the Class of 2018."
For an Arkansas program coming off two NCAA tournament berths in the past three years under Mike Anderson, the future appears to be very bright.
Mississippi State Women's Team Defeats UConn with Buzzer-Beater in Overtime
So much for that Connecticut Huskies winning streak!
The No. 2 Mississippi State Bulldogs, making their program's first-ever Final Four appearance, just pushed the reigning women's champs and No. 1 seed out of 2017 title contention with a single shot.
With the teams locked in a tie at 64 and less than 10 seconds left in overtime at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Bulldogs guard Dominique Dillingham searched for an opening. Unable to find one, she passed off the ball to Morgan William.
After driving past the arc, William brought up the rock for a successful jumper, beating the buzzer and ending the Huskies' amazing 111-game winning streak.
How a Change in Mississippi State's Travel Plans May Have Saved a Woman's Life
Jan 10, 2017
BR Video
Members of the Mississippi State men's basketball team made the biggest assist of their careers this weekend after watching a woman's car swerve off the highway and flip over.
What they did next just may have saved her life. Watch above.
2016 NBA Draft: Breaking Down Pro Future of Mississippi State's Malik Newman
Feb 29, 2016
FAYETTEVILLE, AR - JANUARY 9: Malik Newman #14 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs drives down the court against Jimmy Whitt #24 of the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena on January 9, 2016 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks defeated the Bulldogs 82-68. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
A high school scoring machine and consensus top-10 recruit (ESPN, 247Sports, Rivals), Malik Newman passed on offers from Kentucky and Kansas, opting instead to stay home and attend Mississippi State.
It hasn't worked out the way he probably thought it would, though. Newman has generated little buzz with the Bulldogs, who are near the bottom of the SEC standings. But he's also had trouble adjusting to an offense that doesn't run through him.
Despite an underwhelming freshman season, it wouldn't be shocking to see Newman enter the NBA draft. If he stays, the 19-year-old's stock could bottom out completely.
Relevant Stats
PPG
APG
RPG
SPG
Fg Pct.
3pt Pct.
FT Pct.
OTrg
Usage
11.9
2.2
2.8
0.4
.385
.376
.697
102.5
.226
Newman probably expected a higher usage rate than 22.6 percent (10 field-goal attempts per game). Newman hasn't shown too much as a setup man, but he's also done well taking care of the ball, averaging 2.2 assists to 1.8 turnovers.
Newman has been effective from deep, converting 56 threes in 26 games while shooting 37.6 percent. Inside the arc, he's been a disaster. He averages more threes (2.2) than twos (1.7) per game, shooting just 39.4 percent on two-pointers, which is why he's below 40 percent from the field.
Defensively, it has to be a little alarming to see the guard has totaled just 10 steals and one block all season.
Strengths
Feb 13, 2016; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs guard Malik Newman (14) moves the ball down the court during the first half of the game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Humphrey Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
Newman projects as a combo guard who can create with the ball and spot up off it.
He's a transition weapon, thanks to an impressive blend of speed and shiftiness. In the half court, he's capable of generating offense out of pick-and-rolls, both as a scorer and facilitator. Newman needs to improve his pull-up accuracy, but he's no doubt a threat to stop-and-pop from anywhere. And he can toss the ball in with various floaters and runners around the foul line.
Newman has also shot it well from three, particularly in catch-and-shoot situations.
As a passer, he's shown a willingness to locate teammates off ball screens and penetration. Though not known for his distributing, his ability to get into the lane leads to drive-and-dish assists.
Weaknesses
At 6'3", he lacks size for a 2-guard and the explosiveness to compensate. Newman isn't a natural facilitator, either, which raises questions about his fit in a pro lineup.
He's struggled to create quality looks for himself in the half court. He takes just 2.6 free-throw attempts per game, and when he does get to the rim, he's been awful at finishing (44.4 percent in half court, per Hoop-Math.com).
Newman also hasn't given scouts any reason to believe he'll offer much defensively. He sports an ugly 109.8 defensive rating and a minus-1.4 defensive box plus/minus, per Sports-Reference.com.
Pro Comparisons
Dion Waiters
Like Waiters, Newman is a streaky scorer who can create off the dribble and catch fire around the perimeter. Both struggle against length at the basket and lean on a difficult shot selection, which results in inefficiency.
Waiters has managed to carve out a role that asks him to provide firepower off the bench. He isn't a good enough defender or a consistent enough offensive player to justify a starting role, even though he can go off on any given night.
Isaiah Canaan
Though Canaan has proved he can connect from outside, he hasn't shown he can run an offense. He also struggles at the rim (40.9 percent, per NBA.com) and isn't a defensive asset.
Knowing what buttons to press and when to hit them will be challenging for Newman as well.
Still, Canaan should stick around due to his ball-handling and perimeter game. Newman may be able to do the same as a shot-making specialist.
Best-Case Scenario
A best-case scenario sees Newman making the transition to point guard, given the trouble he may have scoring against and defending bigger 2s.
Otherwise, he should be looking to follow in the footsteps of a player like Monta Ellis, who's thrived in the league as a shoot-first, pass-second playmaker.
He doesn't appear to have the same quickness or finishing instincts in the paint, but if everything works out for Newman, he's likely to make a living as a sixth man.
Worst-Case Scenario
NBA teams may not be interested in a guard who struggles to defend and get teammates involved—especially if he's shooting closer to 40 percent from the floor.
If it doesn't work out for Newman, he'll likely end up playing pro ball overseas. His scoring ability should hold more value in Europe, China or Australia.
Prediction
Based on freshman results, Newman has plenty of reasons to return as a sophomore. But it wouldn't be shocking to see him bolt for the NBA, where the faster pace and open floor would better suit his strengths.
Unfortunately, unless Newman wows during workouts, it's difficult to imagine a team investing a first-round pick on a guard who'd just shot 38.5 percent and lacks 2-guard size and point guard instincts.
He'll eventually find his way to the NBA, even if it means after some time in the NBA D-League or overseas. If he does, chances are that it will be as an offensive-minded spark plug off the bench.
Schnider Herard to Mississippi State: Bulldogs Land 4-Star C Prospect
Nov 4, 2015
Mississippi State added critical size to its 2016 recruiting class with the commitment of center Schnider Herard, who announced his commitment to the Bulldogs at a ceremony at his school Wednesday, per Courtney Cronin of the Clarion-Ledger.
"(Ben Howland) has been to the Final Four three times before and he has so many guys in the league already that used to play for him," Herard said during his announcement, per Cronin. "He's going to develop me to be the best I can be."
The 6’10”, 240-pound big man is a 4-star prospect, per 247Sports’ composite rankings, and is the No. 43 overall player, the No. 5 center and the No. 7 recruit from Texas in the 2016 class.
Herard is a native of Haiti but plays high school basketball in Texas. Despite his presence on the Texas circuit, he drew interest from a number of schools across the country, including Kansas, Connecticut, Mississippi State, Purdue, Texas Tech and California.
His guardian, Derrick Shelby, commented on his thought process and plans during the recruiting cycle, per Paul Jones of 247Sports:
Once that last visit ends we will just sit down, look at everything and make a decision. I think the main factor is being able to play right away and that is No. 1. I would say No. 2 is about development and finding the right coaching staff that will develop him. He always wants to win and play in the NCAA Tournament. So that will play a part in his decision. But playing right away is the single-most important thing to him.
It is not surprising that many marquee programs expressed interest in Herard. He is a physical force at 6’10” and already has a college-ready frame before arriving on campus. It's not difficult to envision him stepping onto the floor as a freshman, controlling the glass and swatting shots at the rim.
He will also muscle his way to a number of easy baskets in the paint.
Herard is an intimidating post player, but he discussed expanding his skills outside the blocks, per Jacob Savage of Inside the Hall.
“I’ve been working on my outside game, working on my jump shot," he said. "Trying to make that better and then learning to really run the floor as a big man.”
Big men who dominate the boards, score from down low and develop their games to the point where they have soft touch outside the paint often make the NBA. He will first have to dominate at the collegiate level, but the skill set is already in place.
An impressive collegiate career on his way to the NBA would be perfectly fine for Herard's new school.
