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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LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY – JANUARY 22: Nick Weatherspoon #0 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs shoots the ball against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena on January 22, 2019 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

1. Beat Liberty on the glass

The first key for Mississippi State against Liberty comes on the glass. Howland’s team is a solid shooting team, making 47% of the shots they take, but the Flames allow just 60.8 points per game and their opponents shoot just 41% from the field so when the Bulldogs do miss shots, they must crash the offensive glass to create second-chance opportunities and also take advantage of the defensive glass. The Flames are one of the worst offensive rebounding teams in the country.

While Mississippi State isn’t the greatest defensive rebounding team in the world, grabbing just 24 per game. In fact, Liberty’s top two defensive rebounders Scottie James and Caleb Homesley would lead the Bulldogs in that category by at least 22 boards, but Liberty pulls down less than a rebound more the Bulldogs, but on the offensive glass the higher-seeded Bulldogs grab over 11 per game, but Liberty is only better than 23 teams in that category.

Outside of James and Homesley, no other Flame grabs more than 3.6 rebounds per game. Mississippi State, on the other hand, has five players that average at least that many. Dominating the glass at both ends will be key to avoiding a first-round upset.

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