STARKVILLE — Mississippi State freshman point guard DeVille Smith has checked into a Jackson area hospital for the second time this season after suffering from symptoms of headaches and dizziness.
Mississippi State basketball team spokesperson Gregg Ellis confirmed Monday that the 5-foot-10 guard entered the hospital Friday and Bulldogs head coach Rick Stansbury said Smith will “absolutely” not participate in either of MSU’s contests this week (vs. LSU Wednesday and at Florida Saturday).
“Basically, he’s down there — now, I don’t know all the details about the hospital,” Stansbury said. “I know his mother had a hard time getting him to go in there, but that’s what their process (is). Been in, been out, going in or whatever down there.”
Stansbury was clearly uncomfortable commenting about the exact status of Smith but saying he was unsure about any potential medical conditions before Smith arrived on the Starkville campus after being a four-star prospect out of Jackson Callaway High School.
“I don’t know if it’s ever been perfect, but it seems to come and go, whatever reason,” Stansbury said. “Comes and goes worse at times. At one time back in the fall they gave us some kind of something it was called that comes out in the late teens sometimes. It could lay there forever, and it comes out. They say it’s not uncommon, from what they say. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
In Smith’s absence Saturday evening during MSU’s 78-77 overtime victory at Vanderbilt, Brian Bryant was given the primary backup ball-handling duties behind starter Dee Bost.
“I can’t be aggressive as I want, especially on defense because you know fatigue and we really don’t have a backup point guard,” Bost said Monday. “I have to play smart.”
In his last action in an MSU jersey, Smith played seven scoreless minutes in the Bulldogs 75-68 loss at Ole Miss Wednesday.
“Brian Bryant will be the guy who slides back out there at the one, and Brian’s done it some,” Stansbury said. “We play (Bryant and Bost) together, we may start Dee at the one, Brian at the two. There may be times out there we’ll tell Brian to take the one, Dee go over to the two, just to give him a little bit of rest off that basketball.”
In other basketball news, MSU remained ranked in each national poll Monday afternoon.
MSU is 16th in the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll (down one spot) and 18th by the AP (same as a week ago).
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.