After taking Mississippi State to the NCAA Tournament in each of his first three seasons with the Bulldogs, Chris Jans couldn’t quite make it to a fourth. The Bulldogs struggled last season, finishing 13-19 and down in 13th place in the SEC, a definite step back after three straight 21-win campaigns. Fortunately, he and his staff have been busy trying to put Mississippi State back in good shape in one of the nation’s toughest leagues.
The immediate good news is the return of leading scorer Josh Hubbard, who put up 22.1 points per game in a starring role for the Bulldogs last season. Unfortunately, a lot of the other talent won’t return. Jayen Epps is just one of a number of players out of eligibility, a list that includes Achor Achor and Quincy Ballard in the frontcourt as well as guard Ja’Borri McGhee. A plethora of new faces need to help Hubbard carry the load.
Mississippi State’s freshman class has three 4-star recruits who all look like they can play and contribute right away, but we’re excited about the transfer class all the same. The backcourt gets a few veteran additions in RJ Johnson from Kennesaw State and TJ Simpskins fresh from Seton Hall. Former Utah forward Kendyl Sanders did solid work as a freshman, one of three rising sophomores entering the fold here.
We’re most intriguing to see just what ND Okafor can do for the Bulldogs in his final collegiate season. A 6-9 forward originally from Lagos and then Ireland, Okafor’s collegiate journey started as a bench piece at California, though he played very few minutes in his second year with the Golden Bears. He’d spent the next two seasons at Washington State in the WCC and is fresh off his best effort, putting up 11.0 points and 5.7 rebounds for the Cougars last season.
Even though he’s been at the college level for four years, Okafor is still coming into his own, even after starting every game for Washington State last year. He rates as a productive frontcourt weapon around the rim on both sides of the ball and brings valuable experience to this team. There are no other frontcourt players on this new-look roster that have been around the college game for more than a year and they really need him to be consistent and a leader.
Hubbard should continue to play a starring role for the Bulldogs, but Okafor will be desperately needed if this team is making another run. You shouldn’t expect monster scoring numbers from him this season but if he can become a high-level defender and reliable in the paint then Mississippi State might have a shot this season. After all, Hubbard alone isn’t going to get the Bulldogs above water in an SEC filled with talent.
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