Articles by Brandon Walker
MSU women’s golf cruises to victory at Old Waverly
WEST POINT – On Tuesday, Mississippi State’s nationally ranked women’s golf team turned its Old Waverly Invitational into a runaway, firing a team score of 277 to stretch its lead to 22 strokes over a field of 13 teams.
Lafayette gets breaks at end to beat Caledonia
CALEDONIA — Something had to give.
As the Lafayette and Caledonia high school volleyball teams headed to the fifth set of their Mississippi High School Activities Association Class I playoff match on Tuesday night, the teams were deadlocked at two sets apiece and had taken turns assuming control of the match. The Lady Confederates started strong, but the Lady Commodores fought back. Lafayette then appeared on the brink of victory, but Caledonia fought back.
Houston could provide punch for MSU men
STARKVILLE — Entering his third season as Mississippi State’s men’s basketball coach, Rick Ray hopes this year’s newcomers help MSU end its postseason drought.
The group includes sharp-shooting guard Maurice Dunlap, a freshman from Greenwood; 6-foot-9 post player Oliver Black, of Jackson Wingfield High School; and junior college transfer Travis Daniels and redshirt freshman Fallou Ndoye, who were on campus a year ago but will take the court for the first time as Bulldogs this season.
Myles fills needed role without Lewis
STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State football team didn’t miss a beat.
Three weeks ago, minutes before No. 12 MSU was to face No. 6 Texas A&M, Dan Mullen learned senior wide receiver Jameon Lewis, one of MSU’s most explosive and versatile offensive weapons, would miss the game with a lower leg injury.
Seven days later, Lewis, who entered the season as the SEC’s leading returning receiver, would miss his second-straight game, this one a showdown against No. 2 Auburn.
Enter Gabe Myles.
No. 1 MSU gets back to work for Kentucky
STARKVILLE — Six days before his team takes the field as the nation’s No. 1 team for the first time, Mississippi State football coach Dan Mullen took time Monday to set the stage for MSU’s visit to Kentucky.
No. 1 MSU begins preparations for Kentucky
STARKVILLE — It has been a season of firsts for the Mississippi State football team.
In Week 6, MSU used a 48-31 victory against Texas A&M to jump into The Associated Press top five for the first time in school history. A week later, it defeated No. 2 Auburn to complete a stretch of three-consecutive wins against top-10 opponents, another first in the program’s 120-year existence. Less than 24 hours after that win, MSU climbed atop The AP Top 25 and the Amway Coaches Poll (USA Today) for the first time.
Bulldogs put together impressive start to season
STARKVILLE – As the 2014 college football season turned the corner and began to head for the home stretch Saturday, it did so with the Mississippi State Bulldogs watching from home due to the team’s second open date in three weeks.
Hebron Christian wins showdown with Central Academy
PHEBA – Leshon Hill ran right, there was no room. He ran left, there was no room. And forget about running up the middle.
MSU will have plenty to do Saturday without game
STARKVILLE — In college football, there’s no rest for the weary.
But this week, there is rest for the No. 1 team in the country.
One week after defeating No. 2 Auburn to complete the fastest rise from unranked to No. 1 in the history of The Associated Press poll, Mississippi State’s football team will enjoy its second and final open date of the season Saturday in advance of six-straight games to close the year.
New Hope’s bats come alive in sweep of Madison Central
Lanoria Abrams banged a run-scoring double off the center-field wall in the first inning of Game 1 of the New Hope High School slow-pitch softball team’s Class 5A/6A best-of-three playoff series against Madison Central on Thursday night.
She didn’t miss a home run her second time.
Versatile Drake making impact for West Point
WEST POINT — After each practice and game, no matter the result, the message is the same for the West Point High football team.
In the huddle following each team activity, usually on the heels of motivational words from coach Chris Chambless, the Green Wave players put their hands in the middle of the huddle, and shout, “State champs” in unison.
Redmond blazes own trail for Bulldogs
STARKVILLE – All Auburn needed was a yard. Will Redmond wasn’t going to let that happen.
Ray, Bulldogs working to be in position for postseason basketball
STARKVILLE – Entering his third season as Mississippi States men’s basketball coach, Rick Ray was blunt when asked about his team’s prognosis for the 2014-15 season.
Magical Month: Charting MSU’s rise to No. 1
STARKVILLE — Standing in the middle of the visitors’ locker room at LSU’s Tiger Stadium, Mississippi State football coach Dan Mullen was a picture of confidence surrounded by his players seconds before taking the field.
It was a pregame speech like most pregame speeches, aimed at rallying his players before a game against a team that hadn’t lost to MSU in more than a decade.
Slive will retire as commissioner; MSU loses Harris
STARKVILLE — On Tuesday, the Southeastern Conference announced that the Mike Slive era, which began when Slive became the league commissioner in 2002, will end next summer.
Slive, 74, will retire effective July 31, 2015, as he prepares to begin treatment for a recurrence of prostate cancer. His prognosis is good.
Mullen: Work for MSU to do in bye week
STARKVILLE — For the second time in three weeks, Mississippi State football coach Dan Mullen will get to do something rare with his Saturday afternoon.
“I get to sit on my couch and play with my kids,” Mullen said, “and that’s awesome.”
MSU baseball eager to start fall season
STARKVILLE — On the eve of his team starting fall practice, Mississippi State baseball coach John Cohen stood before the assembled media Monday afternoon and was asked for an opening statement.
Naturally, as Cohen crafts his seventh edition of the Diamond Dawgs, he started the fall practice period by talking about MSU’s No. 1-ranked football team.
Sword, Zuppardo latest MSU players injured
STARKVILLE — After two injury-plagued seasons that depleted his roster, Mississippi State men’s basketball coach Rick Ray was dealt a pair of heavy blows as he prepares for his third season in Starkville.
On Monday, MSU announced guard Craig Sword, MSU’s leading scorer a year ago, will miss four to six weeks due to a back injury that will require surgery, while Johnny Zuppardo, a 6-foot-9 forward who transferred from Jones County Junior College, will miss the 2014-15 season after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Voters explain why they went with MSU at No. 1
STARKVILLE — Through sly grins and rehearsed answers Saturday night, Mississippi State’s football players downplayed talk of No. 3 MSU being named the No. 1 team in the country after a 38-23 victory against No. 2 Auburn at Davis Wade Stadium.
By Sunday afternoon, those grins likely had turned into huge smiles.
