STARKVILLE — A hush came over the Humphrey Coliseum crowd as members of the Mississippi State University training staff attended to junior guard Jalen Steele.
The Bulldogs’ returning leader in nearly every statistical category from last season became the latest player to be injured Tuesday in coach Rick Ray’s first season in Starkville.
Steele, who averaged 8.7 points per game and started 16 games last season, suffered severe injuries to his head and right wrist in a 78-58 victory against Florida Atlantic University. Steele received eight stitches in his head after tumbling hard to the floor on a contested layup. The MSU training staff examined the 6-foot-3 guard for several minutes before bringing a stretcher onto the playing floor. Steele walked off the floor, but he was taken to a local hospital for further evaluations on his head and his right wrist he used to brace his fall.
The Dispatch learned Steele had X-rays taken of his shooting hand to determine if he suffered a fractured wrist. Ray didn’t have an update about Steele after the game.
MSU (1-1) used Steele’s injury as a rallying point. The Bulldogs already have had two players go down with season-ending injuries. Sophomore Roquez Johnson missed the season opener with a concussion.
“I think they care first and foremost about Jalen (and) they care about their teammate,” Ray said.
After Steele left the game, MSU went on a 15-4 run to stretch its first-half lead to double digits for the first time.
Steele’s injury cut MSU’s rotation to nine players. Seven are on scholarship.
Columbus native Cunningham key to defensive intensity
Tyson Cunningham’s stat line may not reflect the sophomore’s importance to MSU’s first victory.
The walk-on, who averaged 11.2 points and six rebounds a game in his final season at Columbus High School two years ago, scored his first career points on a layup in the second half. Before the field goal that gave MSU a 45-30 lead with 17 minutes, 30 seconds left in the game, Cunningham was 0-for-12 from the field in his MSU career.
“I thought Tyson Cunningham did a terrific job,” Ray said. “He’s a kid who comes in and is really selfless. He helps our motion offense. He is our biggest and best communicator on defense.”
The 6-foot-3 wing player established himself on the defensive end and logged a career-high 21 minutes. He had played only 14 minutes last season. Cunningham’s two steals and weakside defensive awareness helped MSU cause 27 turnovers. That number is the highest by an MSU team in at least six years.
“We’re a good defensive team overall, and I have to say Tyson Cunningham was the one who sparked the energy tonight,” MSU sophomore point guard Trivante Bloodman said.
Cunningham also had a career-high four rebounds against a much larger front line. Cunningham had never had more than one rebound in a game last season, but with an injury to freshman guard Andre Applewhite, the Columbus native has been thrust into MSU’s rotation.
“Our preparation throughout the summer and the fall has been with the intentions that Tyson Cunningham would play,” Ray said. “Maybe from Tyson’s perspective, with Dre going down with the knee injury, it’s right there in front of him. I think from Tyson’s perspective he’s probably our best communicator and he’s our best talker. Communication is key for us especially defensively.”
Findlay Prep center Fallou Ndoye commits to MSU
MSU picked up a prospect who fills an enormous need to its front line.
The website 247sports.com first reported Findlay Prep center Fallou Ndoye has verbally committed to attend MSU.
Ndoye (pronounced Pha-lou, In-do-ya) is the fourth commitment in MSU’s Class of 2013. The early signing period begins today.
The three-star prospect, according to Rivals.com, could become an impact player at center because the Bulldogs lack depth in the frontcourt. The only MSU player taller than 6-foot-7 set to return for next season is freshman center Gavin Ware.
The 6-foot-11, 215-pound shot-blocking and low-post scoring presence, plays at one of the nation’s most recognized prep schools. He also reportedly held scholarship offers from the University of Southern California, Virginia Tech University, the University of Nevada, and Florida Atlantic University.
“Mississippi State has nice coaches, and I have talked to their coaches a lot,” Ndoye told 247sports.com before his visit to Starkville on Oct. 4. “They watched me play every game this summer, and they’ve told me about their program. I have a friend that went to school there, too.”
Ndoye, who is originally from the African nation of Senegal, spent last year at Faith Baptist School in Fort Pierce, Fla., before transferring to Findlay Prep.
“Fallou is a real solid player and a guy that goes about his work the right way,” Findlay Prep coach Todd Simon told 247Sports.com. “A lot of teams go zone against us to limit his touches, but we are still able to throw it to him offensively. He is able to get his spot on the floor because he is so strong.”
Ndoye joins Little Rock, Ark., point guard I.J. Ready, and junior college forwards Travis Daniels and Quantel Denson in the MSU’s 2013 recruiting class. It is Ray’s first recruiting class since he became MSU’s coach on April 1.
All three of the previous recruits are expected to sign today, but MSU officials said Tuesday night Ndoye’s paperwork may be delayed since they have to send the National Letter of Intent and scholarship papers to his mother in Senegal.
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