Bulldogs face quick turnaroud before calling Hogs

STARKVILLE – There’s no rest for the weary.

Moody’s strong second half carries Ole Miss past MSU

STARKVILLE – Ole Miss hadn’t swept Mississippi State in men’s basketball in 17 years.

Pitching plans unsettled as MSU baseball plans for busy weekend

STARKVILLE – Jesse McCord can’t wait to get back out there.

Bulldogs, Rebels ready for return engagement

STARKVILLE – It was the most frustration Craig Sword has shown all season.

Ousley, New Hope edge Saltillo

WEST POINT — His team needed a play, so Willie Ousley made one.

And when the New Hope High School boys basketball team needed free throws down the stretch to close a Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A, Region 1 tournament win against Saltillo, Ousley did that, too.

With New Hope protecting a one-point lead late in its first-round game Tuesday night, Saltillo had the ball and a chance to take the lead with less than 30 seconds remaining. But the Tigers were a bit out of control with the basketball and Ousley seized the opportunity.

MSU’s bullpen starts strong in first four games

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State baseball coach John Cohen spent much of the preseason telling media, fans, and his players about the importance of a dominant bullpen.

In an effort to continue his team’s recent trend of strong bullpens, Cohen made several changes. Among them was moving senior Trevor Fitts, a starting pitcher, to closer and moving Vance Tatum, another starter, to reliever.

Cohen also wanted to have senior left-hander Ross Mitchell (24-5 record entering the season) as an option out of the bullpen.

So far, so good.

West Point girls set up title showdown against Oxford

WEST POINT — For the better part of two seasons, junior guard Quiyon Bailey has meant everything to West Point High School girls basketball team.

West Point coach Dashmond Daniel admits the Lady Green Wave have relied on Bailey a little too much.

“Last year, it seemed like the rest of our team would be a little timid about it. They’d get her the ball and just try to get out of the way,” Daniel said. “She’s still a great player, but the rest of our girls have realized this is a team effort, and it has made us a better basketball team.”

MSU’s Robson earns first honor

STARKVILLE — Through four games, sophomore center fielder Jacob Robson owns the hottest start of any Mississippi State baseball player.

He also owns the first national award for a Bulldog this season.

MSU baseball beats Cincinnati to complete weekend sweep

STARKVILLE — It’s not surprising that the Mississippi State baseball team won its first four games this weekend to start the season.

The only surprising part is how easily MSU did it.

Starting with a 6-2 victory against Cincinnati on Friday night, MSU wasn’t challenged in its four-game stretch against Cincinnati or Miami University. MSU’s dominance started to take hold Saturday in 7-1 win against Miami. It built on that effort later in the day in a 19-5 win against Cincinnati.

On Sunday, MSU put that exclamation point on the sweep with a 16-7 victory against Cincinnati at Dudy Noble Field.

MSU men finally return home from Missouri

STARKVILLE — Nearly a full day after it put the finishing touches on a 77-74 win at Missouri on Saturday, the Mississippi State’s men’s basketball team staggered back into Humphrey Coliseum a little after 3 p.m. Sunday.

The Bulldogs had a story to tell.

MSU baseball dominating early competition on offense

STARKVILLE – Jacob Robson wasn’t surprised at all.

Smith, other Bulldogs preparing for Combine

STARKVILLE – For a man just days away from the biggest job interview of his life, Preston Smith seems relatively relaxed.

MSU, Missouri meet looking for answers

STARKVILLE — I.J. Ready was understandably frustrated, and it showed.

MSU kicks off baseball season today against Cincinnati

STARKVILLE — Time and again, Mississippi State baseball coach John Cohen has asserted his belief in MSU’s stable of starting pitchers heading into the 2015 season.

MSU baseball ready to forge new identity

STARKVILLE — Some things never change.

That’s why members of the Mississippi State baseball team aren’t shying away from the expectations many have for this season’s squad.

Mistakes, cold shooting doom MSU in loss to Alabama

STARKVILLE — The bad times are back for the Mississippi State men’s basketball team.

Following a three-week stretch that saw MSU win four of six Southeastern Conference games, coach Rick Ray’s team suffered a 55-51 loss to Alabama on Tuesday night before an announced crowd of 6,386 at Humphrey Coliseum.

MSU baseball newcomers will fight for playing time

STARKVILLE — The hard part might be over for Michael Smith.

Smith, a 5-foot-10, 170-pound speedster who transferred from Walters State (Tenn.) Community College, admits his first few months as a member of the Mississippi State baseball team was a struggle.

But Smith has figured it out.

Three players help Hebron Christian basketball teams win district titles

PHEBA — Sophomore Rebekah Falkner does a little bit of everything for the Hebron Christian School girls basketball team.

A scorer, a distributor, a top-notch defender, and a team leader, Falkner rarely runs out of ways to affect a game for the Lady Eagles (15-4).

But she gets stumped when asked to describe what makes her game so unstoppable.

“I don’t know,” Falkner said. “I just love playing basketball.”

No one sure how big an impact new baseballs will have this season

STARKVILLE — It was a no-doubter.

For Reid Humphreys, Mississippi State’s sophomore left-fielder to be, the team’s Jan. 31 scrimmage was a showcase. Stepping to the plate on a mild, windy day, Humphreys opened the scoring with a mammoth solo home run to left field. The blast landed steps away from a building the houses restrooms far behind the Left Field Lounge at Dudy Noble Field.

MSU men will try to find consistency tonight vs. Alabama

STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State’s men’s basketball team has followed each step forward with a step in the opposite direction.

That was the case Saturday in a 61-41 loss at Arkansas in which MSU scored nine first-half points.

For a team that had won four if its past six games, the stumble was disheartening.