Mississippi State Basketball

Former Bulldogs' star Jamont Gordon scored a career-high 19 points, but Cibona was still trampled 80-66 on Dec. 10 by a dynamic Regal Barcelona team, which features Ricky Rubio and Juan Carlos Navarro, and ex-Maryland standout Terence Williams.

Gordon added seven rebounds (also a career high), two assists, and just one turnover (while helping hold the enigmatic Rubio to just four points), in a performance that was reminiscent of his days in Starkville.

The 22-year-old guard has played well for Cibona, leading the team with 10.4 points and 3.6 assists per game.

Reminiscent of his all-around dominance during his days in Starkville, Gordon is also averaging four rebounds and 2.1 steals per game, while leading the team in blocks.

Which makes it all the more perplexing that he is even in Croatia (Gordon signed with Cibona following a season in Italy with Fortitudo Bologna).

His 6-foot-4 frame accommodates a striking blend of strength and quickness, allowing him to drive to the basket with relative impunity. Gordon is also a competent defender and an above-average rebounder.

Then why did NBA teams pass on him in the 2008 draft, forcing him to join the exodus of undrafted, rejected players to play in Europe?

Some scouts weren't sold on his erratic outside shot or lack of explosiveness, and labeled him a project , according to DraftExpress.

Still, he has played well against periphery-NBA talent (not to mention former lottery pick Rubio), and a Stateside team will come calling soon.

Here's how several other former Bulldogs fared last week, both here and abroad:

FORMER BULLDOGS

Mario Austin, F/C, Meridiano Alicante (ACB): Finished with 11 points and three rebounds in 102-100 loss to Lagun Aro GBC on Dec. 13.

He is averaging 11.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game in Spain’s top premier league.

Timmy Bowers, G, Pepsi JuveCaserta (Lega Basket Serie A):  Scored six points in 35 minutes, adding 3 rebounds and 3 assists in a 72-70 win over Benetton Treviso on Dec. 13. 

Bowers is averaging 14.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game for JuveCaserta this season.

Erick Dampier, C, Dallas Mavericks (NBA):  Had eight points, eight rebounds, and four turnovers in 94-90 win over New Orleans on Dec. 14; 14 points and 18 rebounds in 98-97 win over Charlotte on Dec. 12; 20 points and 17 rebounds in 106-93 win over Miami on Dec. 11; One rebound in 7 minutes in 102-101 win over Phoenix Dec. 8. 

For the season, Dampier is averaging 8.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, and  2.1 blocks per game.

Lawrence Roberts, F, Partizan (Serbian, Adriatic, Euroleague):  Had six points and three assists, both career highs in win over Efes Pilsen on Dec. 10. 

Roberts is averaging 6.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.5 assists overall.

OTHERS WITH LOCAL TIES

Monta Ellis, G, Golden State Warriors (NBA):  Had eight points and two points in 117-101 loss to Philadelphia on Dec. 14; 29 points, seven rebounds, and three assists in 104-95 loss to Detroit on Dec. 12; 27 points, six rebounds, and five assists in 96-91 loss to Chicago on Dec. 11; 18 points, four rebounds, and eight assists in 105-89 win over New Jersey on Dec. 9. 

He is averaging 24 points, five assists and 4.3 rebounds per game for the Warriors this season.

Travis Outlaw, F, Portland Trailblazers (NBA):  Was out while recovering from a stress fracture of the fifth metatarsal  in his foot. Last played in a Nov. 14 win over Charlotte. 

Before going down, he was averaging 9.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game.

I like Rick Stansbury.

His teams always seem to contend in the SEC, and he is a likeable guy, the quintessential Southern gentleman.

But, at times, his unruffled mien is perplexing.

Following a last-second loss to Ole Miss last week, Southern Miss Coach Larry Eustachy called Stansbury out for refusing to play the Golden Eagles, telling reporters “If we could get Mississippi State to do it in basketball than that would be great. But (Rebels coach) Andy (Kennedy) seems to be a little more comfortable in himself than ol’ what’s-his-name.”

The punctilious Stansbury quickly dismissed Eustachy’s comments, saying “I don’t know Larry but I’m always going to make decisions on scheduling what’s best for us.”

Ironically, the Bulldogs are scheduled to face USM in a home-and-home series in 2014 and 2015. In football.

While I appreciate Stansbury’s candor in dealing with media fallout from the Eustachy episode, right now the Bulldogs are a team without an identity after two losses to unranked opponents. I mean this is a team that supposedly reinvented itself in the offseason, yet they still seem to live and die by the three pointer.

The players need their coach to show some chutzpah like his football counterpart down at the Holliman Athletic Center.

In fact, Stansbury could stand to learn a lot from Dan Mullen, who has begun to turn the MSU football team around.

Heading into the Egg Bowl against rival Ole Miss, both sides were fired up after Mullen insisted on calling Ole Miss “that school up North.”

While he had only been in Starkville for one season, players and fans appreciated how quickly he embraced the rivalry.

The Bulldogs responded by walloping the Rebels 41-27.

Following the Rebels game, Mullen told the fervent crowd at Davis Wade Stadium, “There’s certainly one program in this state that’s definitely on the rise, going in the right direction, and that’s right here in Starkville.”

Conversely, Stansbury’s squeamish response probably did little to inspire his team.

Upon being asked about Eustachy’s comments, Stansbury said “that’s fine, I can’t control that.”

Yes, but you can control how your team plays.

The Bulldogs had been listless in their previous six games, including losses to Rider and Richmond, before finally turning in a dominating performance against St. Bonaventure on Saturday.

Listen, no one can argue with what Stansbury has done in his twelve seasons in Starkville.

He is the winningest coach in school history, leading the Bulldogs to four SEC West titles and nine postseason appearances.

A savvy recruiter, Stansbury also helped lure high profile recruits such as Lawrence Roberts, Jamont Gordon, and Charles Rhodes to Starkville.

Still, his teams have never advanced past the second round in the NCAA Tournament, while his predecessor, and mentor, Richard Williams led the Bulldogs to their only Final Four in school history.

It seems to me that just maybe, Eustachy was onto something: perhaps Stansbury isn’t “comfortable in himself,” which be having an adverse effect on his team’s play.

It’s no surprise Michigan State has joined the nation’s elite under the enigmatic Tom Izzo; his players feed off his sideline swagger.

Junior forward Kodi Augustus alluded to this during his Howard Beale-esque outburst following the Rider loss, where he questioned Stansbury’s motives for benching him and guard Phil Turner.

My advice for Stansbury is this: go ahead schedule the Golden Eagles for next year, or the following year. You can challenge them to a game of H-O-R-S-E, but do something.

Put Eustachy and the rest of his lot in their place.

I’m sure your players will appreciate your boorish behavior.

As you may recall, Mississippi State’s fortuitous run to the semi-finals of the 2007 NIT came on the heels of a disappointing regular season, where they finished 17-12.

While the Bulldogs were anchored by the brilliant play of Jamont Gordon, Charles Rhodes, and Dietric “Sleepy” Slater, a major component of their postseason success was the improved play of a trio of underclassmen: freshman guard Ben Hansbrough and the Delk twins, Reginald and Richard, both sophomores.

Since the Bulldogs’ agonizing last-second loss to West Virginia on a Darris Nichols buzzer-beating three-pointer, all three players decided to transfer for personal reasons: Richard and Reginald to Troy and Louisville, respectively, while Hansbrough landed at Notre Dame.

For anyone who watched the Delks during their time at MSU, it came as no surprise that Reginald transferred to the higher profile school. After all, he played a pivotal role for that NIT team, averaging 9.5 points per game and saw a lot of playing time down the stretch.

So, it’s somewhat of a surprise to see him struggle in his first season with Louisville in 2008-'09, where he played a career-low 5.5 minutes per game.

Still, to his defense, he sat behind uber-guard Terrence Williams , now with the New Jersey Nets. Coach Pitino’s team was deep and finished the season 31-6, bowing out to Michigan State in the national semifinal.

With Williams and forward Earl Clark matriculating to the NBA, Reginald joins the enigmatic senior Edgar Sosa to form one of the most explosive backcourts in the country. Reginald is averaging 8.0 points per game.

In the opening game, Reginald faced a familiar foe, Arkansas, from his brief stint with the Bulldogs. He erupted for a game-high 20 points against the Razorbacks, shooting 89 percent from the field including 4-of-5 from three point range. Reginald also helped contain Razorbacks’ dynamic Rotnei Clarke, the second leading scorer in the nation.

Reginald never lost his long range shooting touch.

In two seasons at Mississippi State, he hit 122 three-pointers and was ranked seventh in the SEC in three-point percentage (.382) during the 2006-'07 season. This season, he is shooting over 60 percent from behind the three point arc.

Pitino may eventually insert Reginald into the starting lineup, forming a solid nucleus along with Sosa and forward Samardo Samuels as the 18th-ranked Cardinals gear up for another Final Four run.

While it was his brother who received the most fanfare during their two year tour with the Bulldogs, Richard Delk may end up with the last laugh.

The older Delk (by 30 minutes) is enjoying a breakout senior season, averaging 15.0 points and 4.3 rebounds per game for coach Don Maestri. Richard lit up UAB for a season-high 23 points on Nov. 24, and five days later, hung 20 on Georgia Southern.

After languishing on the bench for two years in Starkville, and sitting out a year following his transfer, in 2008-'09 Delk emerged as one of the Trojans’ top scorers, averaging 13.9 points per game. He was named Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year and second team All Conference.

Richard doesn’t always settle for the jumper like his brother, but is a slasher who can finish around the rim. He is also a better defender than Reginald, averaging 1.3 steals per game this season.

Hansbrough also knows a thing or two about sibling rivalry.

Most people will always remember him as Tyler’s little brother. The elder Hansbrough left North Carolina as one of the most decorated Tar Heels of all time, forcing basketball historians to italicize his name in the UNC Diaspora alongside greats such as Michael Jordan, James Worthy, and Phil Ford.

But, Tyler has moved on to the NBA and Ben is ready to emerge from his brother’s shadow.

Ben came off the bench his freshman year to spell Gordon, averaging 7.3 points and 3.2 assists per game, while giving coach Rick Stansbury another steady option at point guard. Despite averaging 10.5 points per game his sophomore year, Hansbrough never quite lived up to the hype that followed the gangling freshman before he ever stepped onto the court at the Hump.

At Notre Dame, Hansbrough once again finds himself on a team with a strong inside-out duo in Luke Harangody and Tory Jackson. Only this time around, he is getting significant minutes for a Fighting Irish team that was ranked before their loss to Northwestern on Nov. 27 in the Chicago Invitational. Hansbrough is averaging 11.0 points and 4.9 assists, both career highs.

While the season is still young, Hansbrough appears to be coming into his own as a playmaker on an Irish team that was ranked before losing to surprising Northwestern.

On Apr. 24, 2009, Renardo Sidney signed a national letter of intent to play at Mississippi State and was on top of the prep hoops world.

Literally.

He towered over Lilliputian opponents, averaging 26.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game in his senior year at Fairfax High in Los Angeles. Sidney was named a McDonald’s All-American and was tabbed as the fifth-best player in the 2009 class by scout.com.

Sidney, whose nickname is Suge, appeared to be a one-and-done player, but in light of an ongoing NCAA investigation into his eligibility, his short-term NBA future now appears murky, at best.

The freshman forward has been forced to watch the Bulldogs to a 3-1 record, including a loss to unseeded Rider.

In the best-case scenario, Sidney is cleared to rejoin the Bulldogs following their trip to the South Padre Island Invitational this weekend, but the 260-pounder would still probably need a few weeks to get back into game shape.

Worst-case, he is ruled ineligible.

NBA scouts are by nature as skeptical as Robert DeNiro in Meet the Parents. Even now, Sidney is listed as only a late second-round pick by draftexpress.com. If he were forced to sit out the entire season, he could see his ranking slip even further, as questions about his conditioning and maturity arise.

This scenario presents Bulldogs’ head coach Rick Stansbury with an opportunity to try to lure Sidney back to Starkville next season.

If Stansbury can convince him that a year of playing in the SEC will help him move up draft boards, then maybe Sidney will return. Of course, there is possible that Sidney has decided to forgo the draft altogether until he earns his degree, in which case the point is moot.

If Stansbury does manage to retain his coveted recruit for another season, it will be an even bigger coup than when he originally signed him.

After being spurned by the likes of Monta Ellis, Travis Outlaw and Al Jefferson (who had all signed prenuptial agreements with the Bulldogs, before eloping to the NBA), and with all due respect to Jamont Gordon and Charles Rhodes, it appeared Mississippi State had finally landed their Neon Boudreaux.

Sidney only signed with the Bulldogs after he was released from a commitment to play at USC.

He was set to sign with the Trojans last spring, when both sides suddenly, and inexplicably, backed out of their dalliance.

However, there was speculation that the Trojans’ reluctance to sign him was a result of the fallout from the recruiting scandals (involving OJ Mayo and DeMar DeRozan) that rocked the school’s athletic department, which led to the firing of then-men’s basketball coach Tim Floyd.

ESPN.com’s Andy Katz reports that the NCAA has declared Sidney’s case  “under review.” He goes on to report that the Sidney family is complying with the NCAA investigation into their financial records, according to the family’s lawyer.

If he is cleared, Sidney will elevate the Bulldogs' play on the court. Mississippi State should also have suspended freshman John Riek back for the Dec. 16 game against Wright State. The Bulldogs, with  imposing frontcourt of Sidney, Riek and All-America candidate Jarvis Varnado, can still make a run in March.

But, senior Varnado, who recently broke Shaquille O’Neal’s all-time SEC blocks record, will be gone after this season and Stansbury hopes Sidney will be around to fill his shoes.

Despite back-to-back wins over Southeastern Louisiana and Bethune-Cookman this week, Mississippi State did little to assuage the myopic voters who had dropped them from the Top 25 following their season opening loss to Rider.

Can you blame the voters?

Here was the 18th-ranked team in the nation losing to a Rider team that just six days later was blown out by 33 at Virginia, and later dismantled by an overrated Kentucky squad, 92-63.

To make matters worse the Bulldogs have faced a multitude of injuries, and only one player from Coach Rick Stansbury’s heralded freshman class has scene playing time (center Wendell Lewis , who scored his first career points against Southeastern Louisiana).

Following the Rider loss, junior forward Kodi Augustus called out Stansbury for benching him for most of the game, saying “I want to be out there helping, who don’t?”

“Crazy, I didn’t even play; I couldn’t get into a groove,” Augustus fumed. “I get subbed, every time I look over my shoulder I’m coming out the game.”

Augustus received a two-game suspension for his postgame outburst, further depleting the Bulldogs’ frontcourt that was already without junior Elgin Bailey, and highly touted freshmen John Riek and Renardo Sidney.

Still, Mississippi State will have plenty of opportunities to break into the rankings, starting with a date with UCLA on Dec. 12 in Anaheim, Calif., before their conference opener at Ole Miss on Jan 9.

Here are three reasons the Bulldogs will rebound:

1. The lack of depth (for now).
Riek is in the midst of serving a nine-game suspension for his ambiguous offseason amateurism, while fellow freshman Shaughnessy Smith is out with a hip injury. 

Several key returnees including Dee Bost, Riley Benock, and Bailey are also nursing injuries.

Still, the Bulldogs’ biggest concern has been Sidney’s eligibility.

The enigmatic freshmen is being forced to sit out while the NCAA launches an investigation into his family’s financial records.

In the game against Rider, Stansbury was forced to play a three-, sometimes four-guard lineup with Jarvis Varnado in the middle. With Augustus and Romero Osby only playing a combined 26 minutes, Stansbury implemented junior Phil Turner into the frontcourt rotation.

While Turner is an above-average rebounder for his position, he struggles in the paint against bigger threes and fours. Inserting Sidney and Riek into the lineup allows Stansbury to switch Turner back to his natural two-guard position.

The Bulldogs won’t have to rely so much on the rebounding of the All-American Varnado who, at 11 rebounds per game, has been cleaning the boards with Monk -like obstinacy.

The partisan rims will switch parties.

Rider was just hot.

The Broncs shot over 50 percent from the floor, while hitting 10 threes in the game. More importantly they only committed six turnovers.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs struggled on the offensive end, shooting just 35 percent in the second half. At halftime Rider clung to a two point lead, but outscored the Bulldogs 44-32 in the final period.

Mississippi State flirted with a comeback midway through the second half, as Varnado’s jumper with 12:38 remaining cut the lead to four, 59-55, before an 11-4 Broncs run out the game out of reach.

Sharpshooter Ravern Johnson was 4-of-11 from the field, including just 2-of-8 from beyond the arc, and finished with 10 points. Last season, he shot nearly 40 percent from the three.

Senior guard Barry Stewart also struggled to find his stroke, going just 2-of-10.

Johnson managed to salvage his shooting touch the following game, dropping a cool 17 on Southeastern Louisiana.

Augustus’ words will serve as a rallying cry.

Maybe Augustus’ comments after the Rider loss were exactly what the Bulldogs needed to hear. Well, at some of them. 

The kid was mostly upset with his lack of playing time. After all, he only played 15 minutes, finishing with nine points and four rebounds.

Augustus later publicly apologized and sure the kid could have handled the situation better, but what player doesn’t feel they can contribute when their team is down. Frustration from the disappointing loss boiled over into postgame sound bites where Augustus apparently pointed the finger at his coach.

In fact, he was calling out his teammates, challenging them to play to their potential.

“We’re preseason ranked No. 18 in the country,” Augustus said. “We’re not supposed to lose our first game.”

Judging by their play the last two games, his words got through to the rest of the Bulldogs.

Wendell Lewis is the Ali Shadeed Muhammed of the Mississippi State men's basketball team.

Like Lewis, Muhammed, of the '90s rap crew, A Tribe Called Quest, was an underrated talent often overshadowed by MCs, Q-Tip and Phife Dawg.

Lewis is often an overlooked member of MSU coach Rick Stansbury’s sterling 2009 recruiting class, which includes blue chippers Renardo Sidney, John Riek, and Shaunessy Smith.

But, as a versatile big man with a soft touch from 15 feet in, the 6' 8" Lewis gives Rick Stansbury another stout body in the frontcourt alongside Sidney, All-American forward Jarvis Varnado, and sophomore Romero Osby.

Stansbury has singled out the freshman center’s play on several occasions in the preseason.

"Wendell has been the biggest surprise of anybody to this point,” Stansbury said, following an intrasquad scrimmage last month.

“The other day he had 10 rebounds in the first 20 minutes of our scrimmage, six of them offensively against Jarvis.”

While he wasn’t a top-100 recruit like his fellow signees, according to the MSU athletic department website, Lewis wasn’t exactly unnoticed coming out of high school.

He was named to the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star game (a game in which he scored seven points).

Lewis was rated as the 27th-best prep center by ESPN.com after averaging 16.5 points, 11.2 rebounds and three blocks per game in leading his team to a berth in the state tournament.

The Selma, Ala.-native drew interest from other SEC West schools including Alabama, Georgia, and Auburn, but originally committed to Middle Tennessee State. However, he later reopened his recruitment and became the second player to sign with the Bulldogs, following a campus visit in April.

“He's one of those guys we've been living on in our program,” Stansbury said.

“Nobody really knew a lot about him—didn't recruit him very hard—and he's a great kid, too. He's one of those guys that's going to help us win some games.”

Lewis will probably see his extended action in the Bulldogs’ next two games, against Southeastern Louisiana and Bethune-Cookman because of the two-game suspension of Kodi Augustus after the junior forward made some incendiary comments following the Bulldogs’ season opening loss to Rider.

He was the only member of the heralded freshmen class to get some tick in that game, finishing with one offensive rebound in four minutes.

To be fair, Smith was out with a hip injury, Riek is serving a nine-game suspension, and Sidney is sitting while the NCAA sorts out his eligibility issues, stemming from his year in Los Angeles.

Still, it’s apparent Stansbury trusts Lewis when he’s on the floor and recognizes that the kid can provide quality depth for a team primed to make a run all the way to Indianapolis.

In No. 18 Mississippi State's season-opening 88-74 loss to Rider on Friday night, forward Kodi Augustus scored nine points and have five rebounds in 15 minutes. He started but played just five minutes in the first half.

Of course, he had four fouls, two in the first half. After the game, he had strong words about his own playing time, as well as how coach Rick Stansbury chose to defend Rider’s Mike Ringgold , who scored 21 points.

Here it is.

“I thought we was up defensively. Ringgold, he’s just an unorthodox player, and he made some reverses on us. Let Jarvis keep f——— guarding him, I mean, he’s subbing him and taking him out. Let him keep guarding him.”

I then asked the 6'8" Augustus if he had issues with Stansbury’s substitution patterns. "What? I’m in for five minutes and then I’m out. I can’t even get no energy, talking about I got one rebound and played five minutes the first half. I’m not that type of player to beg the coach to play me or talk back or be this way. I’m not doing it. I didn’t do it my first two years, I don’t do it now. He’s the coach, but, I talked to my dad, he said, We got out-coached. So I don’t know.

“I only played 15 minutes the whole game. Yeah, I’m pissed. Like I said, I can’t do nothing about it. I played all those minutes in the exhibition games, and then you come and play me 15 minutes, wow, I mean.”

He then said he thought he and Phil Turner should’ve had more floor time together.

“I’ve been practicing hard. Like you said, I’ve made the change. I go hard every day, I do everything. I don’t see why I didn’t play that much. Play me and Phil at the same time. We’re both good. We both contribute on the team. Don’t make one of us suffer for the other one playing, because that’s what’s happened to me.”

Augustus said he didn’t talk with Stansbury about that, and he said he probably won’t.

“I asked coach (Robert) Kirby why he don’t put both of us in at the same time, he said we can’t do that. And I just walked away. I was like, ‘Put us in at the same time.’ Come on, man. This is Rider. We’re preseason ranked No. 18 in the country. We’re not supposed to lose our first game, home opener, wow.”

So, was he angrier about the lack of playing time or the loss?

“Both. I want to be out there helping. Who don’t? Crazy. I didn’t even play, I couldn’t get into a groove. I get subbed every time I look over my shoulder, I’m coming out the game. It’s crazy.”

It was not immediately known what kind of discipline Augustus might face. He started the first nine games of last season before being benched due to a "coach's decision." He eventually got out of Stansbury's doghouse and was a big factor as MSU won the SEC Tournament.

By now most people have heard about Mississippi State forward Jarvis Varnado’s selfless decision to give up his scholarship and walk-on this season so the Bulldogs could sign a couple of high profile recruits.

Like most players who choose to walk-on, a fraternity of outliers in D-I basketball, Varnado's actions are based on a desire to help the team. Whether it's by running on the scout team or coming in to spell the starters for a minute or two, a walk-on must buy into the program and the ethos of team play.

Of course, what separates Varnado from other walk-ons is that he is the face of MSU, and arguably SEC, basketball.

Varnado led the nation in blocked shots the past two seasons, and was named the nation’s best defender as a sophomore. Last year, as a junior, all he did was lead MSU to an SEC tournament title and a birth in the NCAA tournament.

Over the summer, Varnado was named to the Team USA World University Games team, where he ran with Purdue’s Robbie Hummel, Ohio State’s Evan Turner and West Virginia’s Da’Sean Butler. In six games, he averaged 5.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, as Team USA captured the bronze medal.

The senior physical education major surrendered his scholarship when he found out that MSU had gone over the NCAA scholarship limit of 13, after signing blue chippers John Riek and Renardo Sidney. Varnado spoke with his father, Winston, and MSU head coach Rick Stansbury and decided to walk-on so that the Bulldgos would be able to award Riek or Sidney a scholarship.

The Varnados took out a loan to pay for his final year of school; tuition at MSU is $5,151. The move was also likely predicated on the fact that Varnado, an intriguing NBA prospect, will hear his name called by some NBA team at the draft next year.

A sentinel in the paint, the sinewy 6-foot-9-inch 230-pound Varnado fits the mold of former SEC leapers Stromile Swift and Tyrus Thomas. He comes into the 2009-2010 season as a Wooden Award candidate, on pace to expunge the SEC and NCAA career block marks from the record books.

With all due respect to George Herman Ruth, Varnado is the new Sultan of Swat.

For evidence, Youtube his emphatic block of a dunk attempt by Tennessee’s Scotty Hobson in a game last season.

On that play, the slashing Hobson drove to the basket, determined to relegate Varnado to the mise en scène on next month’s Slam Magazine “Slam of the Month” pullout poster. The reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year met him at his apex and summarily turned him away.

The block was particularly satisfying considering that just months before Hobson, then an MSU commit, had spurned Varnado and his teammates, to sign with the Vols.

In a way, the Brownsville, Tenn. native fits the mold of a walk-on.

At Haywood High School, he put up decent numbers, collecting 13.2 points and 10.1 boards per game. During his freshman season, he averaged a proletarian 5 points and 4.2 rebounds.

It wasn’t until his sophomore year that he began receiving significant minutes, and his rebounds average jumped to 7.8 per game. That year, Varnado passed Shaquille O’Neal’s SEC single season blocks mark. He finished with 157.

Last season, he averaged 12.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, and blocked 170 shots, more than 21 of 330 D-I teams.

These numbers and the national attention that they garner, present an intriguing question: Is Varnado the best walk-on of all-time?

Names that come to mind in recent memory are Washington’s Will Conroy, Kansas’ Christian Moody (Billy Packer knighted him as the best walk-on ever), and Kentucky’s Cameron Mills. All played vital roles on their respective squads (Mills even won a title with Kentucky), yet none were as instrumental to their teams’ success as Varnado is to the Bulldogs.

The impact he has on the defensive end is undeniable. Most forays into the paint by opposing teams, if not outright rejected like unknown friend requests on Facebook, are heavily contested.

Varnado is still refining his offensive game, and yet his jaw-dropping athleticism allows him to take over games on that end as well, like when he dropped 31 points on LSU last year.

Still, before Varnado can lay his claim to the title of greatest walk-on ever, he must catch up to a couple guys by the name of Walt Frazier and Jeff Hornacek who played some ball in their day.

Even without the distinction of being the best of all time, Varnado still has several goals for this season, such as sweeping through SEC and All-America honors, and of course leading his team to a championship.

Senior Jarvis Varnado entered his freshman year as a scrawny, long psuedo-athlete with little conditioning, little offense and a keen eye for blocking shots. He wasn't ranked in the nation's top 100 recruits, and he served as a backup as a freshman.

As a sophomore, Varnado grabbed some of the league's limelight. In just his second year as a collegiate player, and first as a starter, he tied Shaquille O'Neal's SEC single-season block record with 157 swats to lead the nation and garner National Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Last year was much the same, with improved offense. Varnado stands 12th in the league's returning scorers and 4th in field-goal percentage. He also is one of the league's most efficient rebounders and increased his blocking total to 170 - more than over 300 Division 1 schools and again leading the nation and earning National Defensive Player of the Year honors.

And he's the nation's best walk-on, and one of the best of all time.

That's right. He's a walk-on.

After his experimentation with the NBA draft last spring/summer, Varnado learned that MSU had the chance to sign Renardo Sidney and John Riek, both of which are former top five players. Knowing that would put State over the scholarship limit, Varnado offered to give up his scholarship.

Hard to find positive stories involving athletes in the presses nowadays.

As a team, the Bulldogs didn't expect much going into last year. The team had lost one of the most dynamic duos to play in the league this decade in Jamont Gordon and Charles Rhodes, and were starting a freshman point guard.

After an average non-conference season, the Bulldogs pulled some upsets and finished third in the West, far worse than they were used to. However, a spirited march through the SEC Tournament landed them in the Big Dance and gave Rick Stansbury more than 20 wins yet again.

This year is different. Expectations are very high for Stansbury, as the team returns every significant player and loses only one benchwarmer. With the addition of former top five player John Riek and the possible inclusion of infinitely-talented Renardo Sidney, the Bulldogs have the school's second Final Four appearance in sight.

Despite losing just one player, the Bulldogs' signing class was actually pretty sizeable.

Renardo Sidney
(#9 overall - #2 PF - 5 stars - 6'11" - 255lbs)

Sidney is repeatedly mentioned as the nation's most talented recruit. Questions exist about his effort level, but his talent level simply can't be matched.

Although he's been cleared by the NCAA academically, his amateur status has been a long, ugly fight throughout the summer and continues to be in doubt.

Whether or not he plays for State, every scout in the nation knows Sidney would dominate in college. His shooting touch is extremely rare for a big-man, he would be the best-passing big-man in the collegiate game and he is a massive scoring threat.

If he receives clearance, he could elevate MSU from a deep-March team to one that could challenge for a title. Look for him to start immediately if he were to be declared elligible.

John Riek
(C - 4 stars - 7'2" - 240lbs)

Riek also faced challenges to his amateur status, and will sit nine games as punishment.

Those nine game will serve him well, however, as he is still recovering from an ACL tear that took his stock from Top Five to nearly-forgotten prep-school player.

Riek is much like Varnado when he entered college: raw offensively but with great size, rebounding and defending skills. His wingspan alone is a force to be reckoned with, and should provide a tremendous impact for the team when he is elligible.

Riek likely won't start, but will be a force off the bench.

Shaunessy Smith
(#26 SG - 3 stars - 6'5" - 180lbs)

Smith comes out of high school as one of the most heralded shooters to ever graduate from the state of Mississippi.

His size and body are beneficial to him, and his shooting touch is outstanding. If that touch can translate effectively to the college game, Smith should contribute immediately for the Bulldogs.

Wendell Lewis
(C - 2 stars - 6'8" - 220lbs)

Lewis is an underrated inside player with a strong offensive set of skills. Coaches say that Lewis has been a surprise and could challenge for minutes off the bench, despite a deep Bulldog rotation.

The Bulldogs are one of the deepest teams in the league, if not the nation, and one of the most experienced as well.

Jarvis Varnado  - 6'9", 230lb Senior C
(12.9ppg - 8.8rpg - 170blk - 54.9% FG)

Varnado's acclaims say it all. First-team All-SEC, two-time National Defensive Player of the Year, Fourth-Team All-American.

Varnado is quite literally the best shot-blocker the nation has ever seen, while his rebounding and scoring skills tend to be overlooked.

While he has a tendency to foul and is attempting to add bulk on his wiry frame, Varnado will easily challenge for SEC Player of the Year honors this season.

Barry Stewart  - 6'3", 170lb Senior SG
(12.4ppg - 3.8rpg - 36.5% 3PT - 46 stl)

Stewart is a rare case, in that he began his collegiate career with a bang and has faded since. He shot nearly 40 percent from behind the arc as a freshman and was down about three percentage points by last year.

Stewart is still a very capable shooter with the capability of 20-point nights. He's a smart player with a good handle on the basketball, and is a great defender.

Look for him to back up Dee Bost at the point with the offseason loss of Twany Beckham to surgery.

Ravern Johnson  - 6'7", 175lb Junior SG
(12.1ppg - 3.1rpg - 39.5% 3PT - 84.8% FT)

Johnson was one of the more underrated shooters in the nation a year ago, as he led the nation from behind the arc at several points last season.

His shooting touch is helped by his height, which creates mismtaches for his defenders. He's also a speedy and dynamic player who can streak to the rim.

His defense needs work, as does his ball-handling, but Johnson could be one of the best shooters in the league this season.

Dee Bost  - 6'2", 170lb Sophomore PG
(10.9ppg - 3.6rpg - 1.53 A/TO - 156 ast)

Bost was one of the better true point guards in the league last season, but saw his shooting plummet once SEC play started. His size causes his shooting mark to struggle occasionally under pressure, and he tended to be a bit impatient with the ball.

Selfish, however, he is not. He ranked third in the league in assists as a freshman.

His ball-handling and defense are very solid, but his shooting touch needs to improve if he plans on attempting over 300 shots again this season.

Phil Turner  - 6'3", 170lb Junior SF
(8.5ppg - 5.5rpg - 46stl - 37.7% 3PT)

Turner is a surprising jumper and a dynamic, energetic player. He's yet another Bulldog that is capable of 20-point scoring nights and has a tall tear-drop shot that is effective most of the time.

He's also very potent defensively because of his energy and length. He will challenge for a starting spot, depending on if Stansbury goes big or small.

Kodi Augustus  - 6'8", 220lb Junior PF
(6.2ppg - 3.4rpg - 48.1% FG - 79.2% FT)

Augustus sparked MSU's run through the SEC Tournament last season, and has offensive firepower to boot. He's one of the team's most versatile players, and can extend his reach out to behind the arc.

He is a poor decision-maker and ball-handler however, and needs to work on his defensive effort before he can challenge for a starting spot.

Romero Osby  - 6'8", 230lb Sophomore PF
(4.1ppg - 2.6rpg - 43.2% FG - 67.2% FT)

Osby is a physically gifted player who hasn't learned the game of basketball well enough to be truly effective in college. His shot-selection must improve, but if it comes around he will be a very effective player.

Riley Benock  - 6'4", 180lb Junior SG
(2.3ppg - 0.9rpg - 37.5% - 1.47 A/TO)

Benock is a rather unidimensional player, but is pretty good at what he does, which is shoot. However, his confidence level is very low and he has very little assertion on the court.

Bailey is likely out this season, as he is still recovering from an injured ankle. Beckham is recovering from surgery and is also out.

Schedule Breakdown

Cupcakes : Rider (H), Southeastern Louisiana (H), Bethune-Cookman (H), Texas Pan-American (H), St. Bonaventure (H), DePaul (N), Centenary (N), Mississippi Valley St. (H), San Diego St. (A)

Real Games : Richmond (N), Wright St. (H), Houston (A)

Marquee Matchups : UCLA (N), Western Kentucky (A)

Opposite Division : Georgia (H), Vanderbilt (A), Florida (A), Kentucky (H), South Carolina (A), Tennessee (H)

Predicted Result : (24-6, 12-4), NCAA Tournament

Analysis : The Bulldogs aren't playing a particularly difficult schedule, with a reasonable chance of running through the non-conference slate undefeated. The team plays more games on neutral and away courts than most any team in the conference, and that should help out when the SEC schedule hits in January.

What's Returning

Points : 90.85 percent (3rd—SEC Avg: 73.81 percent)

Rebounds : 86.53 percent (4th—SEC Avg: 75.80 percent)

The Bulldogs seem to be set for a big season in 2009-10. If things go well and Sidney is allowed to play, MSU could make a run for April.

One thing is for sure, with or without Sidney, Stansbury's lack of Sweet Sixteen appearances has no excuse not to end this season.

To begin the 2008-09 season, Mississippi State had to adjust to life without Ben Hansbrough, Charles Rhodes, and do-everything guard Jamont Gordon.

It was not an easy transition as the Bulldogs lost to Washington State, Texas Tech, Charlotte, Cincinnati, and San Diego before entering 2009.

Conference play was mainly an exercise in mediocrity as the team finished 9-7 and in third place in the SEC West.

However, to avoid NIT purgatory, Mississippi State defeated Georgia, South Carolina, LSU, and Tennessee to win the SEC Tournament and earn an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.

Mississippi State's momentum stayed in Tampa, Florida as the Bulldogs lost to Washington 71-58 in the first round in the West bracket and ended their season with a record of 23-13.

This year's version of the Bulldogs features all five starters returning and new recruits to help inside. The Bulldogs have the nation's top shot blocker and strong three-point shooting. Based on last year's results, the team needs to reduce its turnovers and rebound better.

Dee Bost will again be the starting point guard for the Bulldogs. As a freshman, Bost took control of the team and showed leadership way beyond his experience level. 

Last season, Bost started all 36 games and averaged 10.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists. Bost has gained weight in hopes of improving his ability to finish his drives to the basket. Bost also needs to commit fewer turnovers than the 102 he had last year.

This year marks the third year that senior Barry Stewart will be starting for the Bulldogs. The 6'3" guard averaged 12.4 points last year and made 72 three-pointers. Stewart will be looked upon to make the big shot for the Bulldogs at the end of games.

Junior swingman Ravern Johnson looks to improve upon the 83 three-pointers he made last year. The designated gunner also needs to become tougher on defense.

Depending on the alignment, Phil Turner will be the fourth starting guard or one of the first players off the bench. At only 6'3", he averaged 5.5 rebounds and gave the team a physical presence in the backcourt.

Freshman Shaunessy Smith will be a valuable backup at both guard positions. Reserves Twany Beckham and Riley Benock will make their biggest impacts during garbage time in games against such teams as SE Louisiana, UT-Pan American, Centenary, and Mississippi Valley State.

For most of last season, 6'9" Jarvis Varnado was the only big man the Bulldogs had on the floor. Although the team was outrebounded by their opponents, Varnado controlled the post defensively by blocking an amazing 170 shots.

The returning SEC Defensive Player of the Year needs only 19 blocks for the all-time conference lead and 142 for the NCAA record. Along with his defensive prowess, Varnado averaged 12.9 points last season.

Sophomore forward Kodi Augustus hopes to stay on coach Rick Stansbury's good side and improve upon his 6.2 points and 3.4 rebounds from last year. Athletic sophomore Romero Osby and freshman Wendell Lewis look to provide depth inside. Burly forward Elgin Bailey will also be in the mix as long as he is recovered from a severe ankle dislocation suffered last March versus Florida.

The amount of improvement the Bulldogs achieve inside will depend on the eligibility of and production by freshmen John Riek and Renardo Sidney.

Riek is a 7'2" center originally from the Sudan. He will be able to play for the Bulldogs after sitting out the first nine games. Riek will immediately give Mississippi State another shot blocker and an inside scorer.

Sidney was a surprise signee by the Bulldogs as he was thought to be going to either USC or UCLA. Sidney is a five-star power forward from Fairfax High School in Los Angeles who has been ruled academically eligible.

However, questions about his amateur status remain as the NCAA investigates how his family paid for two homes during the two years it lived in California. The Bulldogs remain optimistic that Sidney will play for the Bulldogs this season.

Even if Sidney is not able to play for Mississippi State this year, Mississippi State is the favorite to win the SEC West and a near lock to make the NCAA Tournament. However, if Sidney plays this year, the Bulldogs could be the best team in the SEC and advance to the Sweet 16 or beyond.