Dogs Aim For Third-Straight Win Sunday Against GSU

Sunday, December 4

Starkville

4:00 PM

Mississippi State

Georgia State

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Tyson Carter and the Bulldogs face Panthers on Sunday

Tyson Carter and The Bulldogs look to add third straight win on Sunday against GSU

Dogs Aim For Third-Straight Win Sunday Against GSU

December 03, 2016 | Men's Basketball

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STARKVILLE, Miss. – Following its most dominating performance of the year with a 74-57 win against Oregon State, Mississippi State is back at Humphrey Coliseum Sunday looking for its third-straight win when it faces Georgia State.

Tip is set for 4 p.m., with Bart Gregory and Jay Perry handling the SEC Network+ broadcast. The game can also be heard on the MSU radio network with veterans Jim Ellis and Richard Williams on the call.

MSU stands at 5-2 on the year following Thursday's win against the Beavers, sparked by the return of All-SEC guard Quinndary Weatherspoon. After missing two games with a left wrist injury, he poured in a game-high 21 points and collected four steals. It was the fifth time in his career he totaled 20-plus points.

Also, fans should plan to arrive early as entrances are now fitted with metal detectors.

THE SERIES
MSU is 2-0 against the Panthers, with both games at neutral sites. The two last met on December of 2002, with MSU claiming an 85-54 win in Jackson, Miss.

COACHES
Ben Howland is in his second year at MSU and 21^st overall. As a head coach in four different stops, he is 420-225 with a 19-19 mark with the Bulldogs.

Ron Hunter is in his sixth year with the Panthers and owns a 107-63 ledger. In 23 years as a head coach, he is 381-273.

QUOTABLE
"The first week, when I found out I had to have surgery and miss the rest of the season it kind of hurt. I looked at the big picture. Ryan (Dotson) told me when I first hurt it was going to get better within the next day. I just tried to wait it out and see how it felt. It felt good." — Quinndary Weatherspoon on his return.

NEXT 2
Dec. 14 against East Tennessee State at Humphrey Coliseum at Dec. 19 in Jackson against Southern Miss.

BULLDOG BITES

Quinndary Weatherspoon returned from a two-game absence due to a left wrist injury and responded with a game-high 21 points against Oregon State on Thursday to go along with his career-high 4 steals. In his career, MSU is 4-1 when the All-SEC standout totals 20-plus points.
Against the Beavers, the Bulldogs led by as many as 26 points, its largest advantage of the year. The 17-point margin of victory was also the largest this season.
After making just two 3-pointers against Northwestern State, MSU tied its season-high will 11 against Oregon State, with six different players making at least one.
MSU is 60-12 against the 12 teams that currently comprise the Sun Belt Conference. Louisiana-Monroe (13-2) and Louisiana-Lafayette (11-4) are the teams the Bulldogs have played the most, while Arkansas State is last foe MSU played (a 69-55 loss on Dec. 17, 2015).
Mississippi State's defense stole the show against Oregon State, literally. It collected a season-high 17 steals, the most since also having 17 against Florida Atlantic on 11-13-12.
MSU also forced 21 turnovers, the most since forcing 21 against South Carolina last February.
I.J. Ready is now 245 points shy of becoming the 37th player in MSU history to score 1,000 for a career. He also needs just 16 assists to move into the MSU all-time Top 10. In addition, he is 15 steals shy of moving in the MSU Top 10 record book.
I.J. Ready tied his career high with 5 steals against the Beavers.
According to KenPom.com, Mississippi State is the least experienced team (.72) out of all 351 Division I programs.
The Bulldogs are 5-2 for the third time in four years. They haven't started as season at least 6-2 since opening at 13-0 in 2003-04.
Key for Mississippi State is shooting 45 percent or better from the field — 4-0 when that happens.
MSU leads the SEC and is 22nd nationally with its .772 free throw percentage.
Of current SEC players, I.J. Ready is 10th with 755 points, third with 124 steals and tied for third with 310 assists. He reached the 300 mark with assists against Northwestern State.