MSU men will try to zone in on ‘D’

STARKVILLE — Talking about the University of Georgia’s lineup, Mississippi State men’s basketball coach Rick Stansbury couldn’t get past UGA’s inside-out offensive threats.

Georgia has the Southeastern Conference’s premier post player in Preseason Player of the Year Trey Thompkins. The addition of transfer Gerald Robinson has provided a go-to scorer alongside Thompkins and guard Travis Leslie.

Stansbury: Bulldogs remain ‘work in progress’

STARKVILLE — For all the confidence derived from Mississippi State men’s basketball team’s two-game winning streak, coach Rick Stansbury insists players and coaches are realistic about the state of the team.

Starkville boys shut out Tupelo

STARKVILLE — There’s a new trend developing between the Starkville and Tupelo high school boys soccer teams: Shutouts.

The Yellow Jackets, usually on the losing end to their district rival, earned their second straight 1-0 decision against the Golden Wave on Tuesday and carved a favorable path to a long-awaited district crown.

Tupelo girls blank Starkville

STARKVILLE — Freshman forward Charde Hannah recorded a hat trick Tuesday night to lead the Tupelo High School girls soccer team to a 6-0 victory against beat Starkville.

Hannah scored twice in the first half and once in the second. She also set up a another in a dominant first half.

MSU/Starkville Sports blog: Sidney’s passing to give MSU offense extra dimension

STARKVILLE — Kodi Augustus is averaging nine points a game since Renardo Sidney’s full-time return to the Mississippi State lineup.

Once a part of head coach Rick Stansbury’s necessitative plan to get 45 points from he and fellow senior Ravern Johnson, Augustus hasn’t had the pressure to score in the post since the start of Southeastern Conference play.

MSU men have plenty to address before next stretch

STARKVILLE — As valuable as games are to the growth and development of his players, Mississippi State men’s basketball coach Rick Stansbury is focused on practice.

Stansbury has stressed the importance of using practice to improve in his team’s “second season” since the return of Dee Bost and Renardo Sidney.

Ole Miss will try to climb out of SEC West cellar

Three games into league play, University of Mississippi men’s basketball coach Andy Kennedy admits he didn’t foresee the Rebels propping up the Southeastern Conference’s West division.

Such is the case, however, following the Rebels’ 98-76 home loss to the University of Georgia on Saturday. The blowout defeat was the team’s third straight loss following a 10-game stretch in which it won nine times.

MSU/Starkville sports blog: Stansbury wants improvement in multiple areas; Bost earns SEC Player of the Week

STARKVILLE — We’re talking about practice.

Not the game, practice.

At least that’s what Rick Stansbury is thinking about as his team has five days off before facing No. 24 Georgia on the road Saturday.

Johnson ends slump in win vs. Auburn

STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State men’s basketball team finally had a chance to exhale.

The Bulldogs hadn’t found too many positives written about them in the past month in the wake of off-the-court issues, player transfers, and a slew of blowout losses.

On Sunday, the Bulldogs were laughing, smiling, and throwing alley-oops to one another in an 85-66 wipeout of Auburn.

MSU/Starkville sports blog: Bulldogs pound Auburn for second straight win

STARKVILLE — Finally, a chance for Mississippi State’s men’s basketball team to exhale.

The Bulldogs hadn’t found too many positive headlines written about them over the past month in the wake of off-the-court issues, player transfers and a slew of blowout losses.

Sunday, the Bulldogs (10-7, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) were laughing, smiling and throwing alley-oops to one another in an 85-66 wipeout of Auburn.

Dawgs want energy again

Mississippi State’s men’s basketball team got the emotional lift it needed Thursday when it beat Ole Miss.

MSU’s Berkery gives back to game

As a lifelong baseball player, Thomas Berkery knows the importance of the tutelage he received growing up.

Sidney, Bost hold off Rebs

So much for Dee Bost and Renardo Sidney being out of shape.

Bost, Sidney power MSU to win at Ole Miss

OXFORD — So much for Dee Bost and Renardo Sidney being out of shape.

The Mississippi State duo combined to score 49 points Thursday in the Bulldogs’ 69-64 win over Ole Miss.

Bost hopes to provide spark vs. Rebels

STARKVILLE — It’s Dee Bost’s time to shine.

The scene for an epic performance needed to lead the Mississippi State men’s basketball team out of a streak that has seen it lose five of its past six games is set for 8 tonight (ESPN2) against the University of Mississippi in Oxford.

Mirando excited about first full-time position

STARKVILLE — Dan Mullen believes in giving young coaches a shot.

The Mississippi State football coach remembers how mentor Urban Meyer helped make him a better coach while working together at the University of Utah and the University of Florida.

He credits former Syracuse football coach Paul Pasqualoni for giving him his first chance to coach as a graduate assistant at the Division I level and helping mold his coaching methodology.

That’s why he had no qualms or reservations about promoting Angelo Mirando to be MSU’s new wide receivers coach.

Mullen hires Collins to complete staff

STARKVILLE — Geoff Collins just fit the mold of a Mississippi State coach.

That’s what MSU football coach Dan Mullen thought when he made his final coaching hire Wednesday, naming Collins as linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator, the school announced Wednesday.

MSU/Starkville sports blog: Bulldogs basketball not panicking ahead of Ole Miss clash

STARKVILLE — Heading into Oxford for a pivotal in-state matchup against Ole Miss, Mississippi State players know their mid-season rebuilding plan will get much tougher if they lose tomorrow night.

MSU (8-7, 0-1) can ill-afford falling into a 0-2 hole to start league play, especially with games against No. 24 Georgia, Vanderbilt and Florida to close the January slate.

MSU/Starkville sports blog: MSU fills staff with Geoff Collins

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State has filled its final coaching vacancy with the hire of Geoff Collins as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.

Collins takes over a role served by former defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Manny Diaz, who left last week to coach become defensive coordinator at Texas.

Ole Miss, MSU will try for better results

The Mississippi State and University of Mississippi men’s basketball teams lost their Southeastern Conference openers Saturday, but only one team left its game feeling better about how it played.

Ole Miss (12-4, 0-1 SEC) lost at the University of Florida 77-71, but outrebounded the league’s top team in that category and received 13 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocked shots from foul-plagued Reginald Buckner.