STARKVILLE — Gavin Ware is having fun this season.

The Mississippi State senior center and former Starkville High School standout is off to the best start he has ever had in his career and the Bulldogs have gained some momentum. MSU has won two games in a row and after beating the University of Tennessee-Martin 76-51 Saturday afternoon, Ware, senior forward Travis Daniels, and freshman guard Quinndary Weatherspoon were all smiles talking to the media.

“I’m actually having fun being out there with my teammates,” Ware said. “We crack jokes, but we still stay focused.”

Along with beating the Skyhawks, the Bulldogs took down Missouri State 84-70 Nov. 22 in Puerto Rico. The Bulldogs (3-3) are looking to extend the winning streak to three games when they play host to Texas Southern (1-5) 7 p.m. (SEC Network) today inside Humphrey Coliseum.

Ware’s first three seasons on campus were not always that fun. The Bulldogs finished under .500 every year and struggled in non-conference games and Southeastern Conference games.

Although the Bulldogs have lost three games, they were within striking distance in two of them. MSU lost 76-72 to Southern University Nov. 16 at home. MSU missed a couple of free throws down the stretch. After holding a four point lead late in the game, the Bulldogs lost 74-72 to Texas Tech Nov. 20 in Puerto Rico.

Even so, the Bulldogs have found a rhythm and seem like they are moving in the right direction.

“We’re having fun, but we’re also staying focused,” Daniels said. “We’re trying to mature and just get better every day.”

Ware is averaging 20.2 points per game this season and has scored 121 points in six games. He is pulling down 7.3 rebounds per game and has been a big reason the Bulldogs have three early wins.

Junior point guard I.J. Ready is averaging 12.8 points per game, senior guard Craig Sword is averaging 11.8 points per game, and freshman guard Malik Newman is averaging 11.4 points per game.

Daniels owns an 8.8 scoring clip, while reigning SEC Freshman of the Week Quinndary Weatherspoon is averaging 8.7 points an outing this season.

First-year coach Ben Howland has seen his upperclassmen and newcomers gel, but says they have so much room to grow and improve.

The Bulldogs haven’t lacked for offense in the early going, but the defense hasn’t lived up to Howland’s standards. He said he has not really focused on defense in practice and has been implementing a new offensive system that has taken time.

But in the last two games, the Bulldog defense has improved. Against Missouri State, Mississippi State allowed the Bears to shoot just 42.9 percent from the field and 29.4 percent from 3-point range.

In the win over UT Martin, the Bulldogs held the Skyhawks scoreless for over 8 minutes in the second half. UT Martin shot just 40 percent from the field and 29.4 percent from behind the 3-point line.

“Our big thing is to play really good defense without fouling,” Howland said. “I think we’re already adjusting.”

Games are being called tighter this season and that has led to more fouls. It has hurt defenses, but the Bulldogs had just 14 fouls against the Skyhawks and Howland said he never said anything to the officials, something he says is a good thing.

Howland said the freshmen’s biggest adjustment is on the defensive end, but in the last two games, Weatherspoon has taken two charges. He said practice is where the freshmen are getting better.

“(Weatherspoon) and Chicken (Sword), I had him matched up with Chicken in practice and they were going at it,” Howland said. “That’s how guys get better. That’s making each of them better is the competition in practice.”

MSU and Texas Southern are meeting for just the second time. MSU won a 95-64 meeting in December of 1996.

Texas Southern opened the season with four-straight losses before beating the University of Texas San Antonio 91-80 Nov. 25. The Tigers are coming off a 77-65 loss to Washington Sate Nov. 28 on the road.

The Tigers are led by senior forward Malcolm Riley’s 16.3 points per game. Senior forward Chris Thomas is averaging 14.8 points per game, while senior guard David Blanks owns a 10.7 scoring clip.

The Tigers are scoring just 70 points per game and averaging 42.7 percent from the field this season.

“I feel like we’re getting in a rhythm,” Daniels said. “We just have to get used to winning.”

Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait

Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.