STARKVILLE — When the Mississippi State men’s basketball team filed out of Humphrey Coliseum around 5 p.m. Sunday, the Bulldogs’ whirlwind week was finally over.
MSU opened its season Nov. 7 in Starkville against Texas A&M–Corpus Christi. The team flew to Philadelphia on Thursday night for a neutral-site game against Akron. Less than 48 hours later, the Bulldogs were in action again, hosting Arkansas–Pine Bluff.
“Once the game was complete on Sunday, I think everybody was excited to take a deep breath,” coach Chris Jans said Tuesday.
The Bulldogs get a bit of a break this week, playing just one game — an 8 p.m. Thursday tip against South Dakota (2-1) in Starkville — before next week’s tournament in Fort Myers, Florida.
Coach Eric Peterson’s Coyotes have won twice since an 85-59 loss at Wisconsin to open the season, including an eight-point home win over Lipscomb.
Jans said USD is hardly comparable to any of MSU’s first three opponents, and that’s a good thing.
“It’ll be a different team than we’ve played thus far — completely different style, different kind of players, which I love,” he said. “The more things we can get thrown at us in the early season, the better prepared we’ll be once SEC play opens up.”
Jans delivered a scouting report on the Coyotes’ top three players, whom he called “tongue-twisters” for their lengthy last names.
Guard A.J. Plitzuweit is averaging a team-high 19 points per game thanks to a 33-point performance against Lipscomb.
Recently returned from a serious knee injury, Plitzuweit is off to a scorching start from 3, making 10 of his first 13 attempts from deep.
“I know it’s a small sample, but it gives you an idea what he’s capable of,” Jans said.
Guard Kruz Perrott-Hunt is averaging 13.7 points per game, while 6-foot-8 forward Tasos Kamateros averages 7 rebounds per contest and can score in a variety of ways.
“He can score around the basket, he can back you down — right hand, left hand — and he can shoot the 3,” Jans said.
South Dakota overall has been a strong shooting team so far this season.
The Yotes average 75 points per game, make 36.4 percent of their 3-pointers and shoot 78.9 percent from the free throw line — 45th in Division I, per kenpom.com.
USD is also in the top 30 nationally on the defensive glass.
“If you look at their percentages from the field, from 3, from the free throw line, they’re all really, really good, and they’re holding their own on the backboards as well,” Jans said.
That last component is something Jans wishes to see in his own team.
The Bulldogs aren’t bad at defensive rebounding — No. 93 nationally in terms of limiting opponents on the offensive boards — but they’re not where Jans wants to be, either.
MSU has also committed 41 turnovers through three games, concerning Jans when it comes to valuing possessions.
“We’re turning the ball over way too much and not getting a shot on goal every time down the court,” he said. “That’s got to change as well.”
Davis day to day with ankle injury
Oregon State transfer point guard Dashawn Davis is “day to day at best” with an ankle injury suffered in the season opener, Jans said Tuesday.
Davis played just five minutes in Sunday’s win over Pine Bluff, making his only 3-point attempt and finishing with five points and an assist.
“Looking back I wish I wouldn’t have even suited him, to be honest with you,” Jans said. “But you just never know how the game’s going to unfold.”
Davis injured his ankle on an awkward play under the basket during the second half Nov. 7 but did not tell anyone. He played 21 minutes against Akron on Friday.
Jans said Davis would be “shut down” for now as the guard works with trainers to treat his ankle rather than letting the injury linger.
Davis was instructed to take it easy in practice Tuesday and “may or may not” play Thursday against South Dakota, according to Jans.
“For me, just having him healthy for the rest of the season is more important,” Jans said.
Smith named SEC player of the week
Forward/center Tolu Smith was named the Southeastern Conference player of the week Monday.
Smith, a preseason coaches first-team all-SEC selection, averaged 18.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game over the Bulldogs’ three contests.
“You love it when people who really pour their heart and soul into the craft get rewarded for it, and certainly he’s got much bigger individual goals and team goals than winning a player of the week honor, but it’s still a nice little feather in the cap for him,” Jans said.
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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