Mississippi State Bulldogs 2015-16 Season Preview

Mississippi State Bulldogs

2014-2015 Record: 13-19 (6-12, SEC)
Postseason: None

The Mississippi State Bulldogs begin a new era with former UCLA coach Ben Howland stalking the sidelines this season.

Former coach Rick Ray struggled over his tenure amassing a 37-60 overall record. The 2014-15 campaign was no different as Mississippi State struggled in losses to teams such as Arkansas State, McNeese State and South Carolina Upstate.

Howland brings a new-level of excitement to the Bulldogs this season for what he accomplished with the Bruins, but also for the top-20 recruiting class he snagged for the 2015 class.

The crown jewel of this class is 6’3″ guard Malik Newman who projects to be one of the best players in the conference and country.

How much improvement can we expect from the Bulldogs? Will Newman be enough of an “instant-impact” player for the Bulldogs to put them into the NIT or even NCAA Tournament? Check out the key supporting cast and non-conference games that will make or break Mississippi State’s season.

Newcomers

G – Malik Newman (#8, Rivals)
F – Aric Holman (#73, Rivals)
F – Joseph Struggs
G – Quinndary Weatherspoon (#116, Rivals)

Key Non-Conference Games

Nov. 19-22 Puerto Rico Tip-Off – The Bulldogs start off the double elimination tournament against Miami (FL). The Hurricanes possess one of the most experienced and best scoring tandems in guards Angel Rodriguez and Sheldon McClellen. It will be an opportunity for the Bulldogs to make some noise against a bubble-team in the Hurricanes. Other notable teams in the tip-off include Texas Tech, Utah, Butler and Minnesota.

Dec. 16 at Florida State – Mississippi State has another opportunity to knock-off another bubble team and build a resume worthy of March discussion. Expect a low-scoring affair as both teams averaged less than 67 points per game last season. This will be an important barometer for Ben Howland and his progress in Starkville. A victory over a similar Power 5 opponent on the road would be a clear sign of progress for the Bulldogs.

Key Players

Craig Sword – The straw that stirs the drink would be a way to describe Sword’s role and importance to the Bulldogs. The senior guard is the leading returner scorer for Mississippi State and will share the load this year with Malik Newman.

A thing to watch for with Sword are his three-point percentages. As a freshman he only shot 19% from deep, but improved those numbers to 36% on 2.7 attempts per game this past year. Jon Rothstein recently offered his assessment on the importance of Sword to the Bulldogs.

Malik Newman – Is the hype justified? Newman alone has made Mississippi State important to the SEC landscape. The Mississippi guard committed to the Bulldogs over offers from Duke, Kentucky, Kansas and Ohio State. He will have to shoulder most of the load for the Bulldogs and make up for their scoring and front-court depth deficiencies.

Live Feed

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As this highlight video shows, Newman possesses elite abilities shooting the basketball, handling and finishing close to the rim. His 6’3″ frame is big enough to absorb contact and still finish the play. He will continue to improve defensive abilities, but all signs point to him having a huge year.

Season Outlook

Can the Bulldogs compete for an NCAA tournament spot? That seems a little premature. Mississippi State will be vastly better this season under Howland.

Craig Sword and Gavin Ware’s senior leadership will be important and the #16 recruiting class will put Mississippi State in the NIT/bubble conversation.

The Bulldogs still lack depth, especially in the frontcourt to make the next leap. This program finally has momentum that its lacked in nearly a decade. Look for them to break out in 2016-17, especially if they can get two years out of Newman.

Next: Missouri Tigers 2015-16 Season Preview

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Mississippi State Basketball: Mississippi State Bulldogs 2015-16 Season Preview

By Bryce Bennett | Oct 22, 2015