Mississippi State Basketball: Keys to taking down Liberty in the first round

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 21: Lamar Peters #2 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs calls a play as he carries the ball against the Saint Mary's Gaels during the second half of a game in the MGM Resorts Main Event basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on November 21, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mississippi State won 61-57. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) /

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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MARCH 15: Ben Howland the head coach of the Mississippi State basketball team gives instructions to Quinndary Weatherspoon #11 against the Tennessee Volunteers during the Quarterfinals of the SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 15, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

Mississippi State basketball plays the Liberty Flames in the first round of the Big Dance on Friday night. Here are some keys to a win for the Bulldogs.

In the East Region, Mississippi State Basketball ended up with the No. 5 seed and they will face the Atlantic Sun champion Liberty Flames, who won the league tournament in their first year in the league after moving from the Big South. Ben Howland’s Bulldogs will be looking to avoid the dreaded No. 5/No. 12 upset that seems to happen at least once annually when they take the floor Friday night in San Jose.

People may not know a lot about Liberty, given the conference they play in and the lack of media exposure the Atlantic Sun gets. The Flames finished tied for the regular-season title, finishing 14-2 tied with Lipscomb who represented the conference in the NCAA Tournament last season. They have won 28 games overall entering the tournament and for a time through January and February, they were considered for an at-large berth spot if they did not win the conference tournament.

Mississippi State finished sixth in the SEC at 10-8, but that record could’ve been a lot better when you look at their schedule. Six of their league losses came by five points or less, so don’t let that 10-8 record fool you. After losing at Kentucky on Feb. 9 they were 4-6 in the SEC and finished winning six of their final regular-season games.

In order for the Bulldogs to dispatch of Liberty and avoid becoming the latest victim of the dreaded 5/12 seed lines, here are three keys to Mississippi State moving on to the second round.

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