Busting Brackets
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SEC Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2020-21 season

By Caleb Hightower

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 12: The arena sits unused after the announcement of the cancellation of the SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 12, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. The tournament has been cancelled due to the growing concern about the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 12: The arena sits unused after the announcement of the cancellation of the SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 12, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. The tournament has been cancelled due to the growing concern about the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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Souleymane Doumbia
FAYETTEVILLE, AR – FEBRUARY 15: Nick Weatherspoon #0 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

. . Bulldogs . 11. team. 530.

2019-20 SEC Record: 11-7 

Mississippi State’s 2020 off-season was nothing short of disastrous, as they lost three pivotal players to the NBA Draft. I think that the departure of Reggie Perry will affect the Bulldogs greatly this season because he was the main reason why they loved to play inside out.

He drew a lot of attention when he caught the ball in the post and had no problem fighting through contact at the rim, or kicking it out to someone on the perimeter if he needed to. The Bulldogs are certainly going to miss his 17.4 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, but fans should have expected his departure and the departure of Tyson Carter (a multi-dimensional guard who graduated in the spring and averaged 13.9 points per game last season).

However, when Robert Woodard II and Nick Weatherspoon announced their plans to leave school and go pro, I had an awfully difficult time processing it. They are two experienced players that could have helped the Bulldogs stay toward the top of the league. Without them, Carter, and Perry, I have a hard time seeing that come to fruition.

To make matters worse, the Bulldogs had to watch four players exit their program (who could have served as solid assets this season), and look for fresh starts at other Universities. (KeyShawn Feazell-McNeese State, Prince Oduro-South Florida, Elias King-Middle Tennessee State, and Devin Butts-Louisiana Lafayette)

On a positive note, this will give guys like DJ Stewart Jr, Iverson Molinar, and Abdul Ado more of an opportunity to take their development to the next level, and be integral parts of the Bulldogs offense this season.

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