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Bulldogs riding high to LSU |
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Wednesday, 21 January 2009 |
By AARON SEIDLITZ
Starkville Daily News
Entering tonight’s game, Mississippi State and LSU are right next to each other in the SEC West standings.
The Bulldogs look out upon everyone with an unblemished 3-0 mark in Southeastern Conference play, but right behind them are the Tigers at 2-1. The 7 p.m. game at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge is just one of many, though, to State coach Rick Stansbury.
“The one thing I can relate our start to is that through three games we’ve won one on the road and, we’ve been able to maintain great focus and great energy,” Stansbury said. “Our challenge is to do that consistently, and the team that can do that the best through 16 SEC games is going to be the champion.”
Entering this season with just two juniors – Barry Stewart and Jarvis Varnado – and one senior contributing – Brian Johnson – the Dogs (13-5) don’t have as much experience as LSU (14-3).
But after starting off strong with three straight SEC wins during a five-game winning streak, State has won at home twice and on the road to open conference play at Arkansas.
This game with LSU is just one, of many, chances to prove that this team from Starkville is up to the challenge that the Southeastern Conference presents.
To players, the memo from the coaching staff has been received. While thought has been given to the way the conference stands, Stewart, for one, is still focused on the bigger picture.
“I’d say it’s not too early to talk about what you want to do, but right now we’re just trying to win one game at a time,” the shooting guard said. “That’s the ultimate goal is to win the SEC West, and ultimately to win it all.
“With this team, we got a lot of work to do, and we know every game we play, including this game right now, is a big game.”
This “big game” will put a much more experienced team up against State. The Tigers have been led by a starting five that includes three seniors and a junior.
The junior, Tasmin Mitchell, is in his fourth year and was granted a medical redshirt after breaking his shin after only three games a year ago. This year, Mitchell is second on the team to senior guard Marcus Thornton in scoring.
Thornton averages 17.6 points per game to Mitchell’s 15.2, but the former McDonald’s All-American in Thornton has made an impact on first-year head coach Trent Johnson.
Johnson came to LSU after taking Stanford to the Sweet Sixteen last season, and the job was opened up after the firing of John Brady.
Johnson has a hunch on how the opening came about after seeing how good Mitchell is when healthy.
“It’s meant everything. For me it means this, and this only: if Tasmin had been on this basketball team last year along with (center) Chris Johnson and (guard) Garrett Temple – who were injured at times – I wouldn’t be here. Coach Brady would still be here,” Johnson said during Monday’s SEC teleconference.
But with LSU back to being healthy, Stansbury expects this match up away from Humphrey Coliseum to put his Bulldogs to the test – even with State playing well on the back of this five-game winning streak.
“This year’s LSU team brings four seniors and a fourth-year junior,” Stansbury said. “Not many teams bring that experience.”
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 22 January 2009 )
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