STARKVILLE — Wednesday’s season opener against Clemson is right around the corner for Mississippi State men’s basketball.
Yet, there seems to be a more pressing issue on MSU coach Ben Howland’s mind.
“We talk about it with our team on a daily basis, how COVID is out of control throughout our country,” Howland said. “How it’s at an all-time high in terms of people coming down with it … There’s definitely a lot of concern. I’m concerned about our players and their health and safety number one, as well as the staff. It’s just a part of right now. I’ll be very thankful for a vaccine.”
Various collegiate programs throughout the nation have paused all basketball related activities because of positive COVID-19 tests and contact tracing, including Ole Miss, Florida and Tennessee.
MSU hasn’t had the difficulties some of its Southeastern Conference counterparts are having, though, as Howland said the team hasn’t had any COVID-related stoppages whatsoever and have all tested negative “for the most part.” Both Wednesday’s contest against Clemson and Thursday’s matchup with Purdue or Liberty remain on as scheduled.
“We have to just follow the protocols,” redshirt sophomore guard D.J. Stewart said of being diligent. “We have to social distance and treat most people like they have COVID, so we’re kind of staying away from everybody to help keep our families safe.”
Testing for MSU players and staff has picked up from once a week to three times a week per SEC protocols, but Howland has yet to be given a definitive answer on how many scholarship players are needed for a game to be played. For context, SEC football suggests a minimum of 53 scholarship players, along with different positional requirements.
“We were discussing it was going to be seven or eight players (needed), but I haven’t heard if that’s been finalized to be honest with you,” Howland said.
MSU’s first two games are in Melbourne, Fla., then will have its home opener against Texas State at 7 p.m. Monday at Humphrey Coliseum.
“I think with our students all going home from campus here after today, it makes it easier to stay COVID free,” Howland said. “Our guys have done a good job with it. I’m hopeful we’ll be able to move forward and not have to take any breaks, but that remains to be seen.”
Howland mum on starting lineup
The sixth-year coach wouldn’t announce his starting lineup ahead of Game 1, but it can be safely assumed Stewart, Iverson Molinar, Abdul Ado and Tolu Smith will occupy four of those spots. Figuring out the fifth becomes a little tricky, because Howland could opt to play small and start four-star freshman Deivon Smith at point guard, or start Molinar at the point and utilize Smith as a Tyson Carter-esqe sixth-man role.
True freshman forward Cameron Matthews is an option if the Bulldogs want to go with a defensive-oriented lineup, the same goes for Alabama transfer Javian Davis, who started a portion of last season with the Crimson Tide.
“Once we get started and assuming everybody is healthy, we’ll have a set starting lineup,” Howland said. “It’s always subject to change based on productivity and how things are going for us as a team.
“Ideally we’d try to get a rotation set. A guy like Tyson Carter didn’t start for us the last half of the season last year but probably was as important as anybody on our team. He was always in at the end of games. We’re a very young team so we have a lot to identify moving forward.”
Hodge is the former sports editor for The Dispatch.
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