MSU travels to meet Detroit

December 17, 2011

MSU men's basketball coach Rick Stansbury, middle, and his staff observe action from the bench during a game earlier this season. (Photo by Kim Murrell, SDN)

By MICHAEL WARDLAW
sdnsports@bellsouth.net

The 17th-ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs will finally be tested in a true road environment.
MSU plays in Detroit, Mich., today when it faces the Titans of Detroit University. Tipoff is set for 11 a.m. and will be televised by FOX Sports Detroit.
Don’t let Detroit's 5-7 record fool you.
The Titans are much better than their record may indicate, thanks in large part to the return of Eli Holman.
"They are coming off an eight-point loss at Alabama, and we all know that's not an easy place to play," MSU coach Rick Stansbury said. "And for the first time this year, they have everybody back and healthy. It's going to be a tough test for us."
The senior big man for the Titans returned from suspension two games prior and is averaging 15 points per game as well as leading the team with eight rebounds per game.  He is a 6-foot-10 center who is the focal point of the Titans team.  
Chase Simon also returns to face the Bulldogs for the second consecutive year averaging 16.3 per game and 5.3 rebounds. Last season Simon took the Bulldogs for 17 points in the Humphrey Coliseum despite falling to MSU 82-76.
The Bulldogs (10-1) will counter with the duo of Dee Bost and Arnett Moultrie who have been virtually unstoppable in recent weeks.  
Bost enters the game averaging 18.5 points per games, third in the Southeastern Conference.  
"This will be a good test for us," said Bost, who is 16 assists shy of setting a school record. "It will be a tough environment. We have to be ready and focused."
Moultrie, who didn’t play against Florida Atlantic University due to knee tendonitis, leads the league in rebounding with 11.3 rebounds per game and stands fourth in scoring with 17.1 points per game.  
In State’s last outing, Bost turned in a game high 22 points to spark the team to a 75-68 win over FAU.
Freshman guard Rodney Hood also had an impressive outing, as he recorded his first-career double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds.