Mississippi State Bulldogs men's basketball

The Mississippi State Bulldogs men's basketball program represents Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi, in men's NCAA Division I basketball. The Bulldogs play in the Southeastern Conference. Mississippi State has qualified for the NCAA tournament 12 times and most recently in 2023. The Bulldogs best finish in the NCAA tournament came in 1996 when they advanced to the Final Four. On March 20, 2022, Mississippi State named former New Mexico State head coach Chris Jans as its 21st head basketball coach.

Mississippi State Bulldogs
2022–23 Mississippi State Bulldogs men's basketball team
UniversityMississippi State University
First season1908
All-time record1347–1142 (.541)
Head coachChris Jans (1st season)
ConferenceSEC
LocationStarkville, Mississippi
ArenaHumphrey Coliseum
(Capacity: 10,575)
NicknameBulldogs
ColorsMaroon and white[1]
   
Uniforms
Home jersey
Team colours
Home
Away jersey
Team colours
Away


NCAA tournament Final Four
1996
NCAA tournament Elite Eight
1996
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
1963, 1995, 1996
NCAA tournament round of 32
1995, 1996, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008
NCAA tournament appearances
1963, 1991, 1995, 1996, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2019, 2023
Conference tournament champions
1923, 1996, 2002, 2009
Conference regular season champions
1912, 1913, 1914, 1916, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1991, 2004

History

The Bulldogs have been to the NCAA Tournament eleven times, the first time in 1963 and the most recent being 2019. Mississippi State chose not to accept previous bids because state officials viewed African-Americans as inferior and would not allow Ole Miss or Mississippi State to play against teams with African-American players. The 1963 team, however, famously snuck out of the state in the dead of night to play in what has since been dubbed the "Game of Change".

Six of the ten NCAA appearances have been earned in the past 10 seasons under former MSU Head Basketball Coach, Rick Stansbury. They have won 10 conference championships, four as a member of the now-dissolved Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 1912, 1913, 1914, and 1916 in addition to six SEC titles in 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1991, and 2004. The Bulldogs have won four conference tournament championships, one as a member of the Southern Conference in 1923 and three SEC tournament titles in 1996, 2002, and 2009. Mississippi State has several notable alumni including Erick Dampier, Bailey Howell, and Jarvis Varnado.

Rivals

As in all sports, Mississippi State's rival is Ole Miss. Mississippi State leads the series over Ole Miss 142–112. Former MSU Head Coach Rick Stansbury is 21–8 vs the Rebels.[2] Former head coach Ben Howland, was 6–9 against the Rebels.

Mississippi State and Alabama are considered rivals on the court, with only 90 miles separating the two programs. The Crimson Tide lead the all-time series 120–74.[3]

Former players

All-Americans

Player Position Year(s) Selectors
Jim Ashmore Guard 1956–57 Converse, Associated Press, UPI, Helms Athletic Foundation
Bailey Howell (2) Forward 1957–58, 1958–59 Helms Athletic Foundation, Associated Press, USBWA/Look Magazine, NABC, UPI, NEA
Red Stroud (2) Guard 1961–62, 1962–63 Helms Athletic Foundation, Converse, NABC, Associated Press
Leland Mitchell Guard 1962–63 Converse
Rickey Brown Forward 1979–80 Citizen Saving Athletic Foundation, Associated Press
Jeff Malone Guard 1982–83 The Sporting News, Basketball Times, NABC
Greg Carter Forward 1990–91 Associated Press
Chuck Evans Guard 1991–92 UPI
Eric Dampier (2) Center 1994–95, 1995–96 Associated Press
Mario Austin Forward 2002–03 Associated Press, Foxsports.com
Lawrence Roberts (2) Forward 2003–04, 2004–05 Associated Press, USBWA, NABC, The Sporting News
Jamont Gordon (2) Guard 2006–07, 2007–08 Foxsports.com, Rivals, ESPN, Associated Press
Jarvis Varnado (2) Forward 2008–09, 2009–10 Associated Press, College Basketball Insider
Dee Bost Guard 2008–09 CollegeHoops.net
Source:MSU Media Guide [4]

Notable basketball players who attended and played at Mississippi State University.

SEC West Division titles

The years the Bulldogs won were as follows: 1995, 1996, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010

Postseason

NCAA tournament results

The Bulldogs have appeared in the NCAA tournament 12 times. Their combined record is 11–12.

The Bulldogs qualified for the 1959 tournament but university president Benjamin F. Hilbun would not permit the team to participate in the tournament where they would face African-American players.[5]

Year Seed Round Opponent Result
1963Sweet Sixteen
Regional 3rd Place Game
Loyola–Chicago
Bowling Green
L 51–61
W 65–60
1991#5Round of 64#12 Eastern MichiganL 56–76
1995#5Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen
#12 Santa Clara
#4 Utah
#1 UCLA
W 75–67
W 78–64
L 67–86
1996#5Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
Final Four
#12 VCU
#13 Princeton
#1 Connecticut
#2 Cincinnati
#4 Syracuse
W 58–51
W 63–41
W 60–55
W 73–63
L 69–77
2002#3Round of 64
Round of 32
#14 McNeese State
#6 Texas
W 70–58
L 64–68
2003#5Round of 64#12 ButlerL 46–47
2004#2Round of 64
Round of 32
#15 Monmouth
#7 Xavier
W 85–52
L 74–89
2005#9Round of 64
Round of 32
#8 Stanford
#1 Duke
W 93–70
L 55–63
2008#8Round of 64
Round of 32
#9 Oregon
#1 Memphis
W 76–69
L 74–77
2009#13Round of 64#4 WashingtonL 58–71
2019#5Round of 64#12 LibertyL 76–80
2023#11First Four#11 PittsburghL 59–60

NIT results

The Bulldogs have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 11 times. Their combined record is 13–11.

Year Round Opponent Result
1979First RoundAlcorn StateL 78–80
1990First Round
Second Round
Baylor
New Orleans
W 84–75
L 60–65
1994First RoundKansas StateL 69–78
1999First RoundColorado StateL 56–69
2001First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Southern Miss
Pittsburgh
Tulsa
W 75–68
W 66–61
L 75–77
2007First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Mississippi Valley State
Bradley
Florida State
West Virginia
W 82–63
W 101–72
W 86–71
L 62–63
2010First Round
Second Round
Jackson State
North Carolina
W 81–67
L 74–76
2012First RoundMassachusettsL 96–101 2OT
2018First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Nebraska
Baylor
Louisville
Penn State
W 66–59
W 78–77
W 79–56
L 60–75
2021First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals
Saint Louis
Richmond
Louisiana Tech
Memphis
W 74–68
W 68–67
W 84–61
L 64–77
2022First RoundVirginiaL 57–60

Awards

NCAA Defensive Player of the Year

Player Year
Jarvis Varnado 2010

SEC Coach of the Year

Coach Year
Babe McCarthy 1961, 1962, 1963
Kermit Davis Sr 1971
Ron Greene 1978
Bob Boyd 1985
Richard Williams 1991, 1995
Rick Stansbury 2004

SEC Player of the Year

Player Year
Jim Ashmore 1957
Bailey Howell 1958, 1959
W.D. "Red" Stroud 1962
Jeff Malone 1983
Lawrence Roberts 2004

SEC Defensive Player of the Year

Player Year
Jarvis Varnado 2008, 2009, 2010

Howell Trophy Award winners

Player Year
Lawrence Roberts 2005
Jamont Gordon 2008
Jarvis Varnado 2009, 2010
Arnett Moultrie 2012
Quinndary Weatherspoon 2018, 2019
Reggie Perry 2020
Iverson Molinar 2022
Tolu Smith 2023

Retired numbers

Mississippi State has retired one jersey number for Bailey Howell, doing so on February 7, 2009 at the Coliseum.[6] Mississippi State has also honored two others with honorary banners.

Mississippi State Bulldogs retired numbers
No. Player Pos. Career No. ret. Ref.
52
Bailey HowellSF / PF1957–19592009[6][7]

Honored jerseys

Player Pos. Tenure
Babe McCarthyHead coach1955–1965
Jack CristilVoice of the Bulldogs1953–2011
Tolu SmithCenter2020-2023

See also

References

  1. Mississippi State Athletic Identity Standards (PDF). September 14, 2020. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  2. "Ole Miss at Mississippi State Postgame Notes February 9 2012" (PDF). hailstate.com.
  3. "Team media guide" (PDF). static.hailstate.com. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
  4. "Mississippi State All-Americas" (PDF). Mississippi State. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-01-11. Retrieved 2015-01-11.
  5. "Mississippi State Can't Go To Tourney". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Sarasota, Florida. March 1, 1959. p. 13.
  6. "Bailey Howell". Seattle Times. February 8, 2009. Archived from the original on April 10, 2022. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
  7. Bailey Howell will be celebrated Saturday - Jan 23, 2015
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