STARKVILLE — Mississippi State men’s basketball coach Rick Ray knew about his team’s improvement long before anyone else.
For weeks, even through consecutive losses to Southeastern Conference foes Georgia and Ole Miss, Ray said the Bulldogs were close to reversing their fortunes. After losing nine of 11 games at one point, Ray believed his Bulldogs started to find themselves early in SEC play, particularly in a 74-70 loss at Texas A&M.
“We are getting better with each game,” Ray said after the loss. “Anyone watching can tell we are an improved basketball team.”
MSU has backed up Ray’s words. The Bulldogs are 3-3 in their past six games. The latest victory — a 73-67 win against NCAA tournament hopeful LSU on Saturday — epitomized how far MSU (10-11, 3-5 SEC) has come in a short period.
At 6 tonight (SEC Network), MSU will get another test to see how much it has improved when it takes on Tennessee (13-7, 5-3) at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee. Last month, Tennessee first-year head coach Donnie Tyndall’s team came into Humphrey Coliseum and beat MSU 61-47. The Bulldogs were in the middle of a 2-9 slump at the time and couldn’t capitalize at the free-throw line (24 of 44, 54.5 percent). But Ray believes a different MSU team will be in Tennessee tonight.
“The thing that best prepares you for Tennessee is you’ve already played them,” Ray said. “We feel like we are a much better basketball team than the first time. For one, we should do better at the free-throw line, I think we missed almost 20 free throws last time. Add that to the poor start we got off to and the turnovers, and we never had a chance. We hope it’s a different story this time.”
The last six outings have been a different story in nearly every phase for the Bulldogs. MSU has pushed its scoring average to 62.4 points per game, up from 52 ppg. in the Bulldogs’ month-long slump.
In the first meeting against Tennessee, MSU tied a season-low in points, shot 30.6 percent (11 of 36) from the field, and committed 16 turnovers. MSU also started the game in a 12-0 hole.
But the Bulldogs have led at halftime of four of their past six games and have averaged five fewer turnovers per game than the 16 they committed against Tennessee in Starkville.
For players like point guard I.J. Ready, MSU’s leading scorer in conference play at 11.4 ppg., the win against LSU could be the start of something special.
“It felt great to get over the hump. That had been the main problem,” said Ready, who has scored in double digits in seven consecutive games, and nine of his past 10. “We kept getting close, kept getting close. Then we got one. Now we have to get another one.”
To accomplish that goal, MSU will have to beat a team that will play zone and will use a 2-2-1 press after made baskets. In the first meeting, Tennessee was 10 of 20 from 3-point range. Four players hit two treys, including Kevin Punter (team-high 15 points).
“What you have in Tennessee is one of the most unique teams to prepare for in the conference,” Ray said. “You know what they’re going to do, but they do it effectively. Tennessee has been one of the better teams in this league.”
For MSU, the visit to Tennessee might not be about the Vols at all. Instead, it might be about trying to build momentum created at Texas A&M and fortified by victories against Vanderbilt, Auburn and, LSU.
“We have had good practices, been coming together as a team,” said MSU guard Fred Thomas, who had 18 points off the bench against LSU. “Finally getting that win, it was important.”
A victory would help MSU reach .500 for the first time since its win at Auburn. A win also would be Ray’s first in February (0-16) at MSU, but he isn’t worried about that.
“Defending and rebounding,” Ray said. “That’s what I’m thinking about. You do those two things, you have a chance to win anywhere.”
NOTES: Ray said Monday junior Craig Sword, who missed the first four games recovering from offseason back surgery, tweaked the injury against LSU and is a game-time decision tonight. “It will probably be like that for the rest of the year for (Sword),” Ray said. “You just never know with those back injuries.” Sword is averaging a career-low 7.4 points, but he has scored at least 10 points in each of MSU’s past four games, including a 27-point outburst at Ole Miss. … Freshman Maurice Dunlap, a shooting guard from Greenwood, is questionable. to return this season. Having missed 12 games, Ray said a “redshirt is still an option for him.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brandon Walker on Twitter @BWonStateBeat
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