STARKVILLE — Craig Sword’s role may have changed, but he’s having fun.
The Mississippi State senior led the Bulldogs in scoring the past three seasons and was the offensive focal point the Bulldogs relied on. This season, center Gavin Ware and freshman Quinndary Weatherspoon have stepped up and been the offensive leaders for the entire season and in Southeastern Conference play, respectively. Sword is finding other ways to help the team, but after two-straight wins and five wins in the last nine games, Sword is relishing the moment he’s in.
“I think he’s having fun playing right now and I think it’s fun for him,” MSU coach Ben Howland said. “He was really excited about those two wins. You watch the film, he was the first guy out there to hug Q (Weatherspoon) on that shot. He was so happy.”
Weatherspoon made the game-winning shot against Vanderbilt last Tuesday and he was mobbed by his teammates. Sword was right in the middle of it. Sword and the Bulldogs (12-14, 5-9 SEC) have played well as of late and look to continue the good play 6 p.m. today (ESPN2) against Texas A&M (20-7, 9-5) in Reed Arena.
Sword became a starter right away when he arrived as a freshman in the fall of 2012. He has been a starter ever since, but the Bulldogs struggled in his first three seasons winning 37 total games and 13 in conference play.
Although the Bulldogs have struggled at times this season, there seems to be a different feeling within the team about the struggles and they feel like they can correct those.
“It feels great especially when you aren’t used to winning any games,” Sword said. “Once you start getting a little rhythm going, everything feels great. You feel good about every game.”
Along with beating the Commodores, the Bulldogs won at Alabama Saturday to pick up consecutive wins for the first time since winning three in a row in late December.
Sword, who has scored 1,414 points in his career (15th all time), has seen his all around game improve this season. In just 26 games this season, he has pulled down 104 rebounds, just 16 shy of his single-season career high, and recorded 76 assists, just 12 shy of his single-season career high.
“I just feel like I have to help everyone else because we’ve got a young team and you have to lead the freshmen,” Sword said. “Q or the others would forget plays sometimes so you have to find a way to get them the ball.”
Sword is averaging 12.5 points per game and 12.9 points in league play this season.
Howland, who took over last March, said Sword’s offensive game is more under control this year versus previous seasons. Sword has been known as a slasher, scoring many of his points in the paint or at the free throw line, but he has been more patient this season. His jump shot has improved as he is shooting just under 45 percent from the field.
Sword has been one of the better defenders for the Bulldogs and has usually guarded the other team’s best player. Howland called Sword the team’s best on-ball defender.
Sword said Howland’s main focus with him during the summer was defense, something he really started to take to heart and understand. His defensive game has picked up confidence this season.
“The biggest thing that has helped is coach Howland believing in me,” Sword said. “I just play harder than I have ever played before. Last year we had subs in practice and this year we don’t so you end up playing defense the whole practice.”
Sword will have another hard test as Howland said he will be guarding Texas A&M’s Daniel House. He is 14th in the SEC with 15.4 points per game.
Sword will more than likely have a career after MSU, probably overseas, but he said he is not focused on that right now. With the way the Bulldogs have played the last two weeks, he feels like something positive could happen for his team down the stretch.
Howland is excited about the final four regular season games too and knows Sword will be driving the team.
“The thing I love about Chicken (Sword), he’s the heart and soul of our team competitively,” Howland said. “He’s the most excited about our wins, more than anybody. He gets it, winning is everything for him. He’ll do whatever it takes to help our team win.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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