STARKVILLE — Seven games has been enough of a sample size to know that Aric Holman’s offseason did not go to waste. There are several reasons for his improved offensive efficiency are varied, but Holman points to one in particular.
“It’s just confidence,” said Holman, Mississippi State’s junior starting forward. “You put all that time in and then when you get on the court, you feel like there’s no way this guy can stop me. I was built for this.”
So far, that has meant slight increases in baseline production statistics — 10.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game compared to season averages of 8.4 and 6.0 last season — and doing so in fewer minutes, averaging 22.9 minutes so far compared to 25.2 in the first seven games of last season. The combination of it all has made Holman MSU’s most offensive efficient player to date as MSU (7-0) hosts Division II North Georgia (2-5) 4 p.m. Saturday (SEC Network+) at Humphrey Coliseum.
The offensive surge started in the offseason. Skill plays a big part of it, but a bigger aspect of it is energy.
Holman said one the biggest priorities of his offseason was, “getting in the best shape to be able to play as hard as I can longer,” even if it’s not necessarily used that way. MSU coach Ben Howland said he tries to keep Holman around 23 minutes per game, which he’s done well with the exception of 28 minutes in the Dayton win.
Freshman guard Nick Weatherspoon can see the difference in Holman. He said being in better shape enables one to play the way they want to play. Howland sees that in Holman in one way more than most.
“I think he’s done a better job of getting to the offensive glass,” Howland said. “I think he works hard on getting to the offensive glass, he works hard on his jump shot.”
Holman leads MSU with 16 offensive rebounds and has been among the most efficient in the Southeastern Conference at getting them. Holman has an offensive rebounding percentage of 12.3, among the top five percent in the nation, which has helped create easy baskets that’s led to his 70.8 percent shooting on 2-point attempts, 55th best in the nation.
Even with those opportunities, Holman is far from a one-dimensional threat inside the 3-point line. Holman has flashed a midrange jumper at times, including in scoring 18 points in the season opener against Alabama State and 13 points 10 days later against Green Bay.
Holman’s newfound shooting prowess does not stop at the 3-point line: he’s made nine of his 16 attempts for a 56.3 3-point shooting percentage that is best on the team among those that have attempted more than one.
“I used to have doubts about things I would do, but now I’ve worked so hard I feel like I can freelance, do what I want to do and learn from it if it is a mistake,” Holman said.
He identified one source of that mind-set over the offseason: “I would say most of it I learned from when I wasn’t in the game, seeing things from off the court. I recognize how the defensive end kind of helped me get in a groove on the offensive end. That was big.”
Holman remains just as pivotal on the defensive end as he was last year when he was one of the SEC’s best shot blockers: he has nine blocks in seven games and has yet to take on more than three personal fouls in a game this season. His block percentage (6.7) is also among the top five percent nationally.
The result of it all has turned Holman into a dangerous mismatch at the power forward spot, which he now mans almost exclusively with Abdul Ado and Schnider Herard at center. It’s easier to keep Holman where he is — an efficient player with a minutes cap — with freshman KeyShawn Feazell coming off the bench.
“He’s a junior now, so he’s got more experience and he’s playing more confidently,” Howland said. “He’s done good things for us.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
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