STARKVILLE — Ben Howland is well aware of the expectations that await his Mississippi State men’s basketball team in November.
Howland doesn’t deny the basis of those expectations. Last year, he coached the least experienced roster in Division I to a 16-16 record. Five of the losses came by six or fewer points in the final two months of the season.
This season, the Bulldogs hope to have grown from those experiences, even if they still have more growing to go. After all, 10 of the 15 players listed on MSU’s roster are underclassmen. Still, Howland knows MSU is expected to be in the mix for an NCAA tournament bid.
“We don’t have a senior in the program,” Howland said Monday on the Southeastern Conference teleconference. “We’re still very young, but more experienced than we were a year ago.”
Walk-on Drew Davis is the team’s only senior. MSU has four juniors to go with its 10 sophomores and freshmen. Three of MSU’s top five from last season in minutes per game are rising sophomores.
Howland thinks the Bulldogs’ cohesion will help them make up for experience.
“There’s a very good chemistry that I’m really excited about,” Howland said. “The work ethic has been tremendous. I just like our overall collective, team chemistry, and attitude, and I think it’s been really positive this summer and we’re very excited about the coming year.”
SEC coaches expressed confidence that the league is ready to build on its momentum. South Carolina won a program-record 26 games to advance to its first Final Four. It was the Gamecocks’ first trip to the NCAA tournament since 2004. Kentucky, Florida, Arkansas, and Vanderbilt also played in the NCAA tournament.
“I think our league has a lot of momentum,” Florida coach Mike White said. “I think most people would agree that the preseason prognostications have been as high as they’ve been in our league in quite some time. I think we have a bunch that’ll have a chance to be in the discussion for the NCAA tournament.”
Howland addresses Kegler transfer
Former MSU forward Mario Kegler has found a new home at Baylor after one season at MSU. Kegler averaged 9.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in 28.2 minutes per game for the Bulldogs.
“Mario did not really let us know he was going to do that until the very end of May. At the end of the day, I think it’s best for the long term and our guys have been great,” Howland said. “Mario played the second-most minutes on our team and took the third-most shots, so for him to want to leave that situation is kind of surprising, but we wish him well.”
Howland said Kegler’s transfer opens a scholarship for MSU to use for next season on a transfer or in the upcoming recruiting class.
Weatherspoon updates
Howland said recruit Nick Weatherspoon is still fulfilling his NCAA qualification requirements and is expected to be enrolled for the second summer session.
Weatherspoon, the younger brother of current MSU guard Quinndary Weatherspoon, was ranked as the best player in the state of Mississippi and the 27th best player in the nation in the Class of 2017 by 247 Sports. He ended his high school career by leading Velma Jackson High School to the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 3A State championship.
Howland added Quinndary Weatherspoon, who had wrist surgery after the season, recently got the pins removed and can work on strength and mobility in his left hand, his non-shooting hand.
Sophomore center E.J. Datcher also had shoulder surgery to repair his labrum.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
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