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Augustus to sit 2 games for Rider rant |
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Wednesday, 18 November 2009 |
By MATTHEW STEVENS
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Mississippi State forward Kodi Augustus will be suspended for the next two games for his comments following Friday night’s season-opening loss to Rider.
Bulldogs head coach Rick Stansbury made the announcement at a media conference Tuesday that the junior will miss Thursday’s game against Southeastern Louisiana and Saturday’s contest with Bethune Cookman, both at Humphrey Coliseum.
“We’ll see how he handles all that,” Stansbury said. “If he handles everything fine, then he’ll be fine, he’ll be back where he was.”
Augustus was quoted after the 88-74 loss criticizing head coach Rick Stansbury for his lack of playing time and how he thought Rider out coached the Bulldogs.
“I’m in for five minutes, and then I’m out. I mean, I can’t even get into a rhythm,” Augustus said Friday night. “I got one rebound and played for five minutes in the first half. I’m not that type of player to beg the coach to play me, talk back. I’m not doing it. I didn’t do it my first two years, and I don’t do it now.
“He’s the coach, but I talked to my dad, he said we got out coached. I don’t know.”
Stansbury also said there would be some “in-house” punishment for his forward as well but wouldn’t comment publicly as to the specifics of what that meant.
“Kodi’s done well this fall – we’ve had no problems with him at all,” Stansbury said. “I think out of frustration he said some things and when you do things in life there’s accountability for it.”
The main reason for the press conference Tuesday was for Stansbury and the coaching staff to use it as a test exercise for Augustus to see “if he understands right from wrong and how to handle things.”
Augustus was next to enter the media room and he publicly apologized for his actions after the Rider game immediately after Stansbury.
“Some comments I shouldn’t have made, they were immature comments and like I said I was frustrated and wish I could’ve been out there more,” Augustus said Tuesday. “I just wanted to apologize to my coaches, my teammates and all the fans. That’ll never happen again.”
Augustus said he met with Stansbury immediately after the team’s film session Saturday afternoon and said he’s addressed the issue and apologized to the team afterwards.
“I told them I was sorry and I was very remorseful and it was immature and I wanted to be out there,” Augustus said. “I wanted to help and I felt I wasn’t out there as much as I should’ve been but like I said it’s over now.”
Augustus complained about playing only 15 minutes, but his coach took issue with the official stat sheet handed out to media and players after the game. Due to a malfunction in the official scoring, Stansbury said Augustus should have been credited with 21 minutes on the floor Friday night. MSU spokesmen were unable to verify what number was more accurate.
“Your stat sheet was wrong number one,” Stansbury said. “When you chart his stats, he played 21 minutes. I don’t care if you play one minute or five minutes there’s never an opportunity for that.”
Mississippi State senior center Jarvis Varnado said there wouldn’t be any lingering chemistry issues from the rest of the players in the locker room toward Augustus.
“Nobody has bad blood right now,” Varnado said. “We’ve just got some frustration. That’s all it was, frustration.”
Stansbury dismissed a chemistry problem almost immediately.
“I ain’t worried about that at all. What was said was what was said,” Stansbury said. “Kodi will be the one to have to repair those damages done. He understands that.”
Bulldogs ink first recruit in early signing period
Mississippi State has signed junior college player Brian Bryant, a 6-foot-3, 165-pound guard originally from Georgia but currently at Northwest Florida State College.
Bryant is averaging 20 points, 7.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists, while shooting 41 percent from beyond the 3-point arc as a part of a team that has already started 5-0.
Bryant chose MSU over Auburn and Southern Miss.
“I feel this is a great fit for me because they are losing a senior guard in Barry Stewart,” Bryant said. “I loved the athletic and academic facilities and my goal was to play in the SEC.”
Prior to enrolling at Northwest Florida, Bryant attended Dougherty High School in Albany, Ga., where as a senior he averaged 29.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.6 steals and 3.6 assists per game while also being selected to play in the Georgia North-South All-Star Game.
“He is the complete package of talent, athleticism, character and worth ethic,” Northwest Florida head coach Bruce Stewart said.
Stansbury said he expects Bryant to come in and contribute immediately next year.
“He comes from a great junior college and has been coached by one of the best coaches in the country,” Stansbury said. “His adjustment will be minimal because of the system he has played in.”
Another injury for Dee Bost; other injury news
Stansbury also confirmed more bad news for the Bulldogs squad Tuesday that he might be without starting point guard Dee Bost for at least the Southeastern Louisiana game Thursday night.
If Bost cannot go against the Lions (2-0), that will leave the Bulldogs with only seven scholarship players available.
Stansbury said Barry Stewart playing the point guard role in Dee’s absence is the only viable option right now.
“You got to find a way,” Stansbury said. “There’s no excuses, no one is going to cancel any games and hey, that’s the way it is.”
Bost suffered the injury in practice Monday after going through a sprained ankle that occurred in Friday’s game. Stansbury said it was unlikely the sophomore would practice before the Bulldogs take the floor Thursday night.
“I just don’t know and we’ll have to wait and see about him and just how severe it was,” Stansbury said. “We need Dee to be able to play.”
Backup guard Riley Benock (foot) played four minutes in the Rider game, but Stansbury said he isn’t sure what he can get out of the junior perimeter threat from here on.
“We need some time to play Riley back into shape,” Stansbury said. “The young man hasn’t done anything for 10-12 weeks.”
Freshman guard Shaunessy Smith (hip) had an MRI on Nov. 9 that revealed a torn labrum in his hip and now has the same pain in both hips.
He’ll see a specialist in Nashville, Tenn. on Thursday that will help determine his near-term future but Stansbury stated Tuesday he expects Smith to be out for the rest of the season.
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 21 November 2009 )
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