Articles by Adam Minichino
MSU women make another piece of history
STARKVILLE — Stat stuffers don’t care how their lines in the final boxscore look.
After all, if players who fill numerous columns with crooked numbers are doing their jobs, their team’s total in bold at the bottom of the page is going to be bigger than the opponent’s.
Dominique Dillingham’s numbers Thursday were far from the biggest on the final statistics for the No. 14 Mississippi State women’s basketball team’s 72-57 victory against Arkansas. But none of the 3,556 in attendance at Humphrey Coliseum would deny Dillingham had perhaps the biggest impact in helping MSU push its season-opening winning streak to 18. In the process, MSU made another piece of history in opening Southeastern Conference play 3-0 for the first time.
MSU womens basketball team on record-pace in both wins, fan attendance
Commitment means something to Bob and Carol Schwanebeck.
Schaefer wants Bulldogs to remain selfless, relentless
STARKVILLE — Selfless and relentless.
Those are words Vic Schaefer holds near and dear to his heart. Those words also might be the best ones the Mississippi State women’s basketball coach can use when asked how he wants his players to play.
Dykes creating new culture at Arkansas
Jimmy Dykes knew there was going to be an adjustment moving out from behind a television monitor to become the new women’s basketball coach at Arkansas.
Even though Dykes last worked as a college basketball coach in 1990-91 with the Oklahoma State men’s team, he said his first job as a women’s basketball head coach has met all of his expectations 14 games into his first season back in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Ole Miss women eager to bounce back vs. Florida
Matt Insell acknowledges the Ole Miss women’s basketball team still has some “hiccups” with its new offense.
But for a team with five freshmen and a sophomore who is in her first year with the program, Insell doesn’t mind those mistakes because he knows the Rebels are still a work in progress in his second year as head coach.
Sanders loved experience at Junior Women’s National Team Selection Camp
DJ Sanders hasn’t had many “nerve-racking” experiences on the softball field.
Whether it is in the circle or at shortstop, the softball field is one place Sanders usually feels at home. It’s a place — much like the basketball court — that her power, speed, and athleticism can shine.
No. 14 MSU women continue to make history
The Mississippi State women’s basketball team’s history-making season took another step forward Monday when it moved up three spots to No. 14 in The Associated Press’ Top 25 poll.
Former NHHS standout Sanders selected to Junior Women’s National Team
Former New Hope High School standout and Louisiana Lafayette freshman DJ Sanders was one of 17 players and three alternates selected Monday to be a part of the 2015 USA Softball Junior Women’s National Team.
Cunningham plays variety of roles for Rams
KC Cunningham has a plethora of plays to choose from when it comes to assembling a highlight tape.
Whether it’s rushing, receiving, or playing defense, Cunningham had his pick of accomplishments to catch the attention of college coaches.
There’s one play Cunningham didn’t have access to that he would like to put on that tape. It didn’t have him scoring a touchdown or making a sack. Instead, the play involved Cunningham delivering a block for Kimarri Whitfield so he could gain a first down against DeSoto (Ark.) School in the Columbus Christian Academy football team’s first home playoff game in 11-man football.
No. 17 MSU gears up for second SEC test
STARKVILLE — Vic Schaefer had to adjust his eyes.
For years, the veteran coach has watched his teams come to embrace terms like “blood baths” and “train wrecks” as part of an aggressive in-your-face style of play that revolves around suffocating defense. It’s no wonder then that Schaefer has earned the nickname “Secretary of Defense” for his players’ penchant for diving on loose balls, helping teammates by taking charges, and playing defense with a mind-set that takes it as an insult when a team scores.
VCA’s Sharp plays big role in march to title
Anthony Sharp likes the championship taste.
It has been nearly two months since the Victory Christian Academy football team defeated Tuscaloosa Christian 44-8 to win the Christian Football Association championship.
For a senior like Sharp, who hadn’t won a title in football, the experience was sweet. That it came against an archrival and that he had a chance to savor it with classmates Cody Bolton, Shane Bradford, Burkley Jernigan, and Bo McCrary made it doubly special.
No. 17 MSU holds off No. 19 Georgia
STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State women’s basketball team showed Friday it is ready to face the “monster” that is the Southeastern Conference.
Buoyed by key contributions from its healthy seniors and a balanced scoring effort, No. 17 MSU showed the tenacity and the toughness it will take to survive the SEC marathon with a 64-56 victory against No. 19 Georgia before a season-high crowd of 4,114 at Humphrey Coliseum.
Peers, friends remember Hughey
Glenn Schmidt knows a little about what motivated Stan Hughey.
Over the years, Schmidt’s Starkville Academy girls basketball teams tangled many times with Hughey’s Oak Hill Academy squads. Every time, Schmidt found Hughey’s Lady Raiders well prepared, tenacious, and hungry for a win — just like their coach. After the games, Schmidt and Hughey didn’t need to talk for hours to catch up or to exchange stories because they took comfort in the fact that they shared a special bond only coaches can appreciate.
That’s why Schmidt was just one of the people saddened Sunday to learn of Hughey’s death.
MSU women improve to 15-0
STARKVILLE — The name-your-score portion of the Mississippi State women’s basketball team’s 2014-15 schedule is over.
But that wasn’t why coach Vic Schaefer looked forlorn following his No. 17 MSU’s 83-26 victory against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Monday night before a crowd of 2,955 at Humphrey Coliseum.
Longtime Golden Triangle basketball coach dies at 55
Longtime girls’ basketball coach Stan Hughey, who spent 20 years as coach at Oak Hill Academy, has died.
MSU women will try to climb higher
And then there were five.
Only the most optimistic fan would have had the Mississippi State women’s basketball team 14-0 and ranked No. 19 in The Associated Press and the USA Today Top 25 polls.
Simmons delivers dominating performance for Tigers
MACON — Jeffery Simmons was looking for only one.
Minutes after the Noxubee County High School football team defeated St. Stanislaus 48-27 to win the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 4A state title, the junior defensive lineman was surrounded by a three reporters.
Shorter stresses team mentality with coaches, players
MACON — Tyrone Shorter fits the description of a Type A personality.
From cutting the grass on the Noxubee County High School football field, to marking the numbers on the field for a home game, to preparing the right mixture of Gatorade and water, Shorter has grown accustomed to doing things his way. His thinking fits that of many Type A people who believe if they do it, the task will be done the way they want it.
Mayberry provides exclamation point in New Hope sweep
If you didn’t know any better, you would think silent assassin would be an ideal nickname for Demyis Mayberry.
After all, the New Hope High School senior eschews trash talking. He prefers to let his silky-smooth game do the talking for him.
New Hope High coach Drew McBrayer knows that all too well.
