Projected starters
The Bulldogs starting rotation was led last season by rising senior guard Quinndary Weatherspoon and forward Aric Holman. Weatherspoon led the team in scoring (14.4 points per game) and assists per game (3.3) last season. Holman led the Bulldogs in rebounds (6.7 rebounds per game) and 3-point field goal percentage (44 percent) in 2017-18.
The other frontcourt position will be held down mainly by 6-foot-11 sophomore Abdul Ado, but don’t be surprised if 6-foot-10 freshman Reggie Perry gets some time as the starter as well. The 2018 McDonald’s All-American is a versatile forward that can play the 3 or 4 spot on the floor.
Nick Weatherspoon, Quinndary’s brother, was a 2018 All-SEC Freshmen team selection as a full-time starter for the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The 6-foot-2 guard finished third on the team in scoring (10.8 points per contest) and assists per game (2.1) last year.
The other guard, 5-foot-10 junior Lamar Peters, is the playmaker in the backcourt, though. He led the team with 4.5 assists per contest in 2017-18 while also averaging 9.6 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. Peters started the final 18 games for the Mississippi State Bulldogs, look for him to emerge as a break out player for them in 2018-19.
The downside, as discussed earlier, is the efficiency behind the arc. Nick Weatherspoon shot just 29.2 percent from 3-point land while Quinndary shot just 31.3 percent. Peters went only 27.7 percent from 3-point range although he was second on the Bulldogs last season with 1.4 3-pointers made per contest. They’ll need to show they’ve developed as a 3-point shooting squad in the offseason while maintaining their same swagger on defense.