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Basketball Bulldogs rain 3s in OCU exhibition blowout |
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Wednesday, 04 November 2009 |
By MATTHEW STEVENS
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What a difference a year makes.
In last season’s exhibition opener Mississippi State’s bunch of freshmen and newcomers had to sweat through a 65-63 comeback victory over Oklahoma City University.
This season the opponent was the only thing that was the same as the Bulldogs cruised to a 82-54 blowout win over the NAIA school Saturday.
“It’s not even close where we’re at this year compared to the same time last year,” Mississippi State head coach Rick Stansbury said.
Junior guard Ravern Johnson led MSU in scoring with 23 points as the 6-foot-7 wing player was 6-of-10 from beyond the 3-point arc. Stansbury and the rest of the coaching staff would point out his five rebounds and defensive intensity as major changes to his game coming into the 2009-10 season.
“(Coach) told me he wanted my focus this season to be on defense and rebounding because he knows my shot will fall,” Johnson said.
The Bulldogs put together two scoring runs at the start of both the first and second halves to pull away and make this version of the exhibition opener a lot more comfortable.
“Once our three-ball is going in it seems like we’re up 15 but we look up at the board and it’s actually 20,” MSU guard Dee Bost said.
MSU opened the game on a 8-0 run and stretched the lead out to 21-10 before the Stars’ 2-3 zone defense held the Bulldogs in check while Stansbury had his team work on specific zone sets unfamiliar to his team.
“We did some things for a reason,” Stansbury said. “We could’ve attacked the zone a little better but we stayed in some things for us to work on something.”
After a halftime adjustment, the Bulldogs rolled off 14 straight points and held Oklahoma City without scoring for a seven-minute stretch. Suddenly, the 2,938 in attendance at Humphrey Coliseum looked up to see MSU ahead 63-39 with 9:35 left in the game.
“I think it all started with our defensive effort in the second half,” Stansbury said. “The second half we basically give up 11 points throughout the first 13 minutes.”
Jarvis Varnado was three points away from another double-double as the senior Wooden Award candidate ended the afternoon with eight points, 11 rebounds and four blocks in only 27 minutes on the floor.
The other three members of MSU’s starting lineup ended up with double-figure scoring efforts as Kodi Augustus had 16 and Bost, along with Barry Stewart finished with 11 each.
Stansbury talks about Sidney and Riek situations
Mississippi State held three players out of Saturday’s game against Oklahoma City for different reasons.
Phil Turner was inactive due to what Stansbury said was an academic situation that occurred two months ago. The junior guard will be available for the Nov. 7 exhibition contest against Georgetown (KY).
Much acclaimed freshman forward Renardo Sidney did not play because his amateur status case with the NCAA is still in limbo. Members of the NCAA compliance staff met with Montgomery attorney Don Jackson to view financial records and receipts Friday that the NCAA said Jackson and the Sidney family hadn’t revealed until then.
Stansbury said he expects a decision to be made on Sidney’s status fairly soon.
“I think a decision is coming down pretty soon and I have no reason to feel any different than I did from day one,” Stansbury said.
The MSU head coach was more open about the freshman than he had been throughout all preseason when asked about the McDonald’s All-American.
Stansbury said it would not be realistic to expect the 6-foot-10 forward to dominate if and when he hits the floor for Mississippi State.
“Whenever he says he can play, he’ll play,” Stansbury said. “Will he be physical ready yet? No. It’ll be a work in progress trust me but that’s a good problem to have.”
Freshman center John Riek was eligible to play but was held out because MSU is looking into having the exhibition games count toward his nine-game suspension.
“We saved John in this situation just to make sure about this game,” Stansbury said.
“We’re going to do a little more research into this game about counting or not counting if you know what I mean.”
Stansbury sounded off on the reports that said Kentucky freshman guard John Wall’s two-game suspension could include a preseason game on Monday.
“Somehow someone else’s games counted if you all know who I’m talking about,” Stansbury said, “Why does his exhibition games count and our exhibition games don’t?”
Next exhibition opponent tougher
The next opponent that arrives in Starkville next week certainly has MSU’s full attention.
Georgetown (KY) College, ranked seventh in the preseason NAIA poll, has already given a powerhouse program a scare this season.
Louisville opened up their preseason slate with the Tigers and had to use a 14-5 run late in the game to secure a 80-68 victory Wednesday.
“They really should have won that game against Louisville and that’s a really good basketball team coming in here,” Stansbury said.
“They’re going to be a real good test for us and that’s a good thing,” Stansbury added.
MSU will host Georgetown (KY) next Monday for the final tuneup before the regular season starts Nov. 13 against Rider.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 11 November 2009 )
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