JACKSON — The Mississippi State men’s basketball team proved Thursday night in the state capital that size matters.
Against a scrappy opponent in its annual trip to the Mississippi Coliseum, No. 18 MSU used its significant height and physical advantage to cruise to a 82-67 victory against Northwestern State.
MSU (12-1) improved to 9-0 in Jackson under coach Rick Stansbury, and continued its best start since the 2003-04 campaign.
“Our team got off to a big lead and then just kind of coasted,” Stansbury said. “We had our bags packed for the holidays, and that’s where their mind was at that point.”
MSU’s front-court duo of Arnett Moultrie and Renardo Sidney combined for 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting with nine rebounds in a first half that saw MSU dominate points in the paint (26-16).
“The one shot you can’t defend in basketball is the offensive rebound, and Arnett Moultrie just killed us with those,” Northwestern State coach Mike McConathy said. “He really took the steam out of that rally we had because he just kept extending their possessions. We had no answer.”
MSU forwards outscored Northwestern State’s front-court players 49-20. The Bulldogs’ 45 rebounds is the second-highest total of the season.
“It’s a great ability to go up and get that basketball,” Stansbury said. “Arnett just has a great nose for the basketball.”
Moultrie, who leads the Southeastern Conference in double-doubles and rebounds, had 24 points and 14 rebounds. The game was out of reach after an alley-oop from freshman DeVille Smith to Moultrie for a power slam that made it 73-54 with less than six minutes remaining.
“I think (his performance) had a lot to do with me being 6-foot-11 and being athletic, so it’s hard for people to box me out,” Moultrie said. “Even when they do, I’ve got quickness to get around them.”
Sidney wasn’t a factor after scoring nine points in 11 first-half minutes. The junior, playing in his first regular-season game in his hometown, suffered a strained patella tendon in his left leg. After being checked by the MSU training staff, the 280-pound junior sat on the bench for the rest of the game with ice packs down his left leg.
“He just said he couldn’t go in the second half and said it was his knee,” Stansbury said.
After shooting 31 percent from the field, Northwestern State (7-6) used a 12-4 run to start the second half to get the deficit as close as six points. Shamir Davis led the Demons with 15 points, while Louis Ellis had 13.
“I didn’t think we were competing early, but late in the first half and early in the second half we really made some nice adjustments and played well,” McConathy said. “But we missed a few opportunities and they’re really good. We couldn’t quite get it close enough.”
Smith, a former standout at Jackson Callaway High School, had six points and three assists, including some highlight worthy material that has become the norm, in 17 minutes. While still looking uncertain in MSU’s half-court action, Smith relished the opportunity to turn the game into an up-and-down flurry of action and helped the Bulldogs stretch the lead to 20 points in the first half.
“Like you guys sitting there, all you’re doing is sitting back there with his seat belt never knowing what’s going to happen,” Stansbury said. “When you try and scramble that kid, he’ll come back fighting.”
Wendell Lewis, the Bulldogs’ first front-court player off the bench, had a career-high 14 points in 25 minutes.
“I didn’t know I had that many (points),” Lewis said. “I thought I had only about six or eight.”
The statistics line wasn’t stellar for MSU senior point guard Dee Bost, a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award (nation’s best point guard). Bost shot 3 of 14 from the field, but he ran the offense and forced Davis, the Demons’ leading scorer, to a team-high five turnovers.
MSU will take time off for the holiday before it returns to action Dec. 28 to take on No. 6 Baylor (11-0) in Dallas at The Showcase at American Airlines Center.
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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