Five Things To Know State-No. 8 Kentucky

Wednesday, January 17

Lexington, Ky.

6:00 PM

Mississippi State

#8 Kentucky

Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics

Five Things To Know State-No. 8 Kentucky

January 16, 2024 | Men's Basketball

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by Matt Dunaway, Director/Communications

LEXINGTON, Kentucky – Mississippi State men's basketball will conclude a stretch of four consecutive NCAA NET Quad 1 games to begin SEC action as the Bulldogs travel to No. 8 Kentucky on Wednesday evening at Rupp Arena.

The Bulldogs (12-4, 1-2 SEC) are one of three SEC squads (Auburn and Tennessee) and one of 26 schools nationally with at least five combined NCAA NET Quad 1/Quad 2 victories.

State and Vanderbilt are the only two SEC teams slated to face 10 combined NCAA NET Quad 1/Quad 2 opponents during league action. The Bulldogs are in the midst of playing eight of their first nine SEC contests as NCAA NET Quad 1/Quad 2 opportunities.

State's non-conference resume is headlined by a quartet of Power 5 neutral court victories over Arizona State (Pac-12), Northwestern (Big Ten), Rutgers (Big Ten) and Washington State (Pac-12). Only the Bulldogs and Memphis possess at least four non-conference wins over Power 5 opponents on road/neutral floors this season.

State is joined by Florida Atlantic as the only teams in the country to amass six neutral court victories in 2023-24. The Bulldogs also defeated North Texas (American) and Tulane (American) en route to their six neutral court triumphs by an average of 15.7 points per contest.

Last time out, State dropped a hard-fought 82-74 decision to Alabama in-front of the fourth sellout of the Coach Jans era. Keys to victory for the Crimson Tide included scoring all 18 of the game's points on the fastbreak and scoring 18 of the game's 24 points on second-chance opportunities.

State features a suffocating defense under second-year coach Chris Jans after being one of two teams to rank inside the nation's top 25 in scoring defense (61.0 – 2nd SEC – 9th nationally), field goal percentage defense (39.4 – 3rd SEC – 10th nationally) and steals (8.6 – 2nd SEC – 23rd nationally) in 2022-23.

Once again, the Bulldogs are back at it as one of three Power 6 squads (BYU, Houston) among the NCAA's top 40 in three categories: three-point field goal percentage defense (27.7 – 1st SEC – 12th nationally), field goal percentage defense (39.5 – 3rd SEC – 29th nationally) and scoring defense (64.8 – 2nd SEC – 37th nationally).

State also possesses national top 30 rankings from KenPom.com in three additional categories: adjusted defensive efficiency (93.3 – 9th), effective field goal percentage defense (45.0 – 16th) and steal percentage (12.6 – 25th).

The Maroon and White has drained 119 three-pointers which is tied for sixth-most in program history over the team's first 16 games. Josh Hubbard, Trey Fort, Dashawn Davis and D.J. Jeffries have combined for 90 of the team's 116 treys (75.6 percent).

SERIES HISTORY
The Bulldogs will look to end a 17-game losing streak to Kentucky during the regular season which dates back to 2008-09. Overall, the Wildcats lead series by a 101-21 margin.

State's last win over the Wildcats was a 74-73 victory at the 2021 SEC Tournament in Nashville. Iverson Molinar led the way with 21 points followed by a Tolu Smith III double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. D.J. Stewart Jr. dished out 10 assists.

Two of State's most memorable wins in program history came at Rupp Arena under Richard Williams in 1995-96. The Bulldogs defeated No. 3 Connecticut (60-55) and No. 7 Cincinnati (73-63) to punch their ticket to the 1996 NCAA Final Four.

The Matchup: Mississippi State (12-4, 1-1 SEC) vs. No. 8 Kentucky (12-3, 2-1 SEC)
Where: Rupp Arena – Lexington, Kentucky
When: Wednesday, January 17, 6:00 p.m. CT
Live Stats: StatBroadcast (https://hailst.at/45Z6bJP)

TV: ESPN2
Channels: Ch. 209 (DirecTV); Ch. 143 (Dish); Ch. 1024 (MaxxSouth); Ch. 202 C-Spire
App: ESPN App (Subscription Required – https://hailst.at/3THcIq0)
Talent: Tom Hart, Jimmy Dykes

Radio: Mississippi State Sports Network – Powered by Learfield
Talent: Neil Price, Richard Williams
Affiliates: WZLA-FM 96.1 Starkville/West Point
Free Online Audio: Hail State App (https://hailst.at/3tE2v35); The Varsity Network App

5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE
1. Chris Jans, one of the nation's premier bench bosses, leads State's program. He is assisted by James Miller, David Anwar and George Brooks. The Iowa native was one of 10 SEC coaches in league history to amass at least 21 victories and secure a NCAA Tournament berth during their first season in 2022-23.

Jans, a three-time WAC Coach of the Year during his tenure at New Mexico State, owns an impressive .743 winning percentage (176-61) in his eighth season as a NCAA Division I head coach. He is fifth among NCAA active coaches with a .743 winning percentage behind only Mark Few (Gonzaga), Bill Self (Kansas), Brian Dutcher (San Diego State) and John Calipari (Kentucky).

As a junior college head coach, Jans won the 1997-98 NJCAA Division II National Championship at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He also played a vital role as an assistant coach at Wichita State which was headed by a 2013 NCAA Final Four run, five NCAA Tournament trips and four Missouri Valley Conference regular season crowns.

2. The Maroon and White are among the nation's leaders returning 80.9 percent of its points, 72.4 percent of its rebounds, 83.8 percent of its assists, 83.6 percent of its steals and 75.2 percent of its blocks from last season.

During three games of SEC action, State's returning players have tallied 65.3 percent of the team's points (145-of-222). The Bulldogs have continued to showcase their depth and piled up 32.44 bench points per contest which is 3rd on the SEC leaderboard and check in 13th nationally.

3. Tolu Smith III, Shakeel Moore, D.J. Jeffries, Dashawn Davis and Cameron Matthews combined for 85.3 percent of the team's starts (145-of-170) as State's top five scorers in 2022-23.

Smith III (16.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.0 APG) has been showered with numerous preseason accolades headed by the Karl Malone and Naismith Trophy Watch Lists. He also was a consensus 2022-23 All-SEC First-Team pick and a consensus 2023-24 All-SEC Preseason First-Team selection joined by Texas A&M's Wade Taylor IV.

Smith III has racked up 1,277 points and 706 rebounds and has started 86 of 89 games at State. He is joined by Purdue's Zach Edey as the only returning college players in 2023-24 to average at least 15.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and shoot 55-plus percent from the floor last season. He has ripped off 22 consecutive games in double figures (01/14/23 to 01/13/24) sparked by 11 double-doubles. Smith III produced his SEC-leading 26th double-double among active players with 15 points and 10 rebounds against Alabama (01/13).

Moore (8.0 PPG, 1.7 APG) has registered 33 of his 38 career games with 10-plus points over the last three seasons while at Mississippi State. He came away with a season's best 16 points against Murray State (12/13) and has posted 10.0 points per game over his eight starts. Defensively, Moore has accounted for at least one steal in 74 of 105 career games sparked by 47 times with multiple steals. His 155 career steals are tied for seventh among SEC active players and his 120 steals at State are tied for 18th on the program's all-time list.

Jeffries (6.9 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.3 SPG) has found his way into State's starting five in 81 of 84 career games. He eclipsed 600 career rebounds against UT Martin (11/11) and followed that up by surpassing 1,100 career points versus Washington State (11/18). Jeffries secured a season-high 13 points versus North Texas (12/17). He also added a season's best 12 rebounds to go along with 11 points versus Murray State (12/13) to tuck away his first double-double of the season. Jeffries secured a career-high five steals against No. 5 Tennessee (01/10).

Davis (7.6 PPG, 3.4 APG, 1.8 SPG) is ranked 8th in steals and tied for 14th in assists among SEC players this season. Five of his six games of 10+ points in 2023-24 have come on the road/neutral floors fueled by season's bests of 13 points and 7 assists against Rutgers (12/23). In those six games in double figures, Davis is shooting 47.1 percent from three-point territory. He also posted consecutive games in double figures en route to Hall of Fame All-Tournament Team. Davis came away with a State-best of 18 points against Utah in the Fort Myers Championship Game, while his SEC career-high is 17 point at Arkansas, both coming last season.

Matthews (9.4 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 2.9 APG, 2.4 SPG) has showcased his as the one of two Power 6 players and one of seven players nationally to dial up at least 9.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game this season. He has posted eight outings of 10+ points sparked by a season-high 18 points coupled with 11 rebounds versus Rutgers (12/23). The Bulldogs are 15-4 lifetime when Matthews collects 10 or more points. He also has secured multiple steals on nine occasions and handed out multiple assists in nine outings this season. Matthews has garnered at least one steal in 57 of his 83 outings over the last three seasons.

4. The Bulldogs have brought in an impressive group of newcomers which include Jimmy Bell Jr. (West Virginia), Trey Fort (Howard College), Scott (Salt Lake Community College) and Andrew Taylor (Marshall) from the transfer portal and the junior college ranks.

Bell Jr. (8.2 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 1.0 BPG), the SEC's Player of the Week for 12/26, has started 48 games over the last two seasons and was a key member of West Virginia's 2022-23 NCAA Tournament squad. He has already notched six of his 13 career outings of 10-plus points for State this season. Bell Jr. ripped off a season's best 17 points and hauled down a career-high 18 rebounds against Rutgers (12/23). His 7.9 rebounds per contest are 6th on the SEC's , and he's pulled down 10+ rebounds on six occasions.

Fort (5.6 PPG), one of the nation's top junior college recruits, was a All-America Second-Team honoree at Howard College in Texas last season. His 24.9 points per game was fourth among JUCO players. Fort has notched double figures two times highlighted by a 21-point explosion versus Arizona State (11/08) on opening night. The 21 points were the most scored by a MSU player during a season opener since Tyson Carter secured 23 points in 2019-20.

Scott (1.5 PPG, 1.8 RPG) posted 16.8 points and 10.0 rebounds per game at Salt Lake CC last season, and his team was the 2021-22 Runner-Up. He secured nine points and nine rebounds versus Southern Miss in the charity exhibition game. Scott's best regular season outing was six points and six rebounds against Tulane (12/09).

Taylor (3.9 PPG, 1.3 APG) was dubbed a SEC Impact transfer by CBS' Jon Rothstein. His 1,636 career points are 6th among SEC active players. Last season, Taylor joined by St. John's Shamorie Ponds (2017-18) as the only college players over the last decade to average at least 20.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game. He tallied a season's best nine points versus North Alabama (11/14). Taylor has missed the last five games due to a personal matter.

5. Mississippi State's talented freshmen class features Gai Chol, Josh Hubbard and Adrian Myers. The Bulldogs also brought back Shawn Jones Jr. and KeShawn Murphy who will look to build on their freshmen campaigns.

Hubbard (15.1 PPG, 1.7 APG), a two-time SEC Freshmen of the Week on 11/20 and 01/15 and an ESPN top 100 recruit for the Class of 2023, capped his high school career as the state of Mississippi's all-time leading scorer with 4,367 career points which broke a record that stood for 37 years previously held by Mississippi State's Robert Woodard.

Hubbard has piled up 241 points through his first 16 games which is 5th-most for a MSU freshman and the most since Rickey Brown (1976-77). His 15.1 points per game are tops among SEC freshmen, and he delivered 10 consecutive games in double figures from 11/11 to 12/17. Hubbard tallied 25 points versus No. 5 Tennessee during his SEC home debut, and his four outings of 20-plus points off the bench is tied with Darryl Wilson in 1993-94 for the most by a State player going back to the 1988-89 season.

Murphy (5.4 PPG) made his season debut returning from injury against Nicholls (11/24). His top performance in 2023-24 was a career-best 18 points on 8-of-14 shooting versus North Texas (12/17). Murphy also posted a career-high 10 rebounds versus Tulane (12/09). His SEC best is 11 points versus No. 8 Alabama (12/28/22). He has missed State's last two games due to a personal matter.

Chol (2.9 PPG), a native of South Sudan, took advantage of extended minutes with 11 points and six rebounds against UT Martin (11/11). He also tallied five points versus Nicholls (11/24) coupled with four points and four rebounds during the Tulane game (12/09).

SCOUTING KENTUCKY
Kentucky (12-3, 2-1 SEC) ranks among the nation's top 10 in three offensive categories: scoring (90.8 – 3rd), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.9 – 3rd) and three-point field goal percentage (39.8 – 10th). The Wildcats have scored at least 81 points in 14 of the team's first 15 games, the last time UK accomplished that feat came in 1994-95.

Kentucky has five players averaging in double figures led by Antonio Reeves (18.9 PPG, 4.4 RPG) who has poured in seven games of 20-plus points on the season. Reeves, one of 25 players named to the 2024 Wooden Award Midseason Watch List, poured in a season's best 30 points at Louisville (12/21) and is coming off a SEC-best 22 points at Texas A&M (01/13).

Rob Dillingham (14.4 PPG, 4.1 APG, 1.5 SPG) and Reed Sheppard (12.0 PPG, 4.1 APG, 2.5 SPG) have done a majority of their damage off the bench during their freshmen campaigns. The duo has combined for five efforts of 20 or more points. Dillingham posted a season-high 23 points versus Missouri (01/09) during his SEC home debut, while Sheppard garnered 11 points and 11 assists at Louisville (12/21).

Tre Mitchell (12.9 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.3 BPG), D.J. Wagner (12.8 PPG, 3.5 APG) and Justin Edwards (9.1 PPG, 4.2 RPG) have been mainstays in the UK starting five throughout the season. Mitchell has posted a double-double in three of his last five outings fueled by a 20-point, 14-rebound effort versus Missouri (01/09), whereas Wagner has pieced together his most consistent stretch of the season with four straight games with double-digit points.

Kentucky is coached by John Calipari who has racked up 399 wins over his 15 seasons in Lexington. He is the standard bearer among NCAA active coaches in NCAA Tournament wins (57), NCAA Sweet 16 trips (15) and 30-win seasons (10).

Mississippi State is selling single-game tickets and $96 mini plans for the 2023-24 campaign. Visit www.HailState.com/Tickets for more information.

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