STARKVILLE — Kodi Augustus is averaging nine points a game since Renardo Sidney”s full-time return to the Mississippi State lineup.
Once a part of head coach Rick Stansbury”s necessitative plan to get 45 points from he and fellow senior Ravern Johnson, Augustus hasn”t had the pressure to score in the post since the start of Southeastern Conference play.
Sidney manning the middle has given MSU a go-to scoring threat inside that it hasn”t had since Augustus has been a starter.
Sidney scored just two points in his SEC debut against Alabama but has since scored 24 and 15 in wins over Ole Miss and Auburn, respectively.
The sophomore”s ability to step out and make jump shots has forced post defenders to extend away from the paint. Sidney”s strength and agility on the block will certainly command double-teams moving forward.
As Sidney”s presence will open up looks for Johnson on the outside — Johnson broke out of a scoring rut with 20 points against Auburn — his impact goes beyond creating more space for jump-shooters.
Sidney”s crisp passing through three SEC games has provided an element most teams don”t get from their big men.
Sidney had three assists against the Tigers and one against the Crimson Tide, and could have had more if teammates had finished off his unusually deft touch-passes.
In all three games, Sidney has shown off one-touch passes where he doesn”t catch the entry pass, but rather tips it to Augustus or Wendell Lewis on the back end.
Sunday, Sidney assisted a Johnson dunk with a bounce pass from the top of the key to middle of the paint.
“Before we got Dee and Sidney back, we needed (Kodi) to score more, and he scored more for us — him and Ray both,” Stansbury said. “But now, he”s going to be a beneficiary of Sidney in there. Sidney”s gonna draw so much attention, and with Sidney”s ability to pass the basketball Kodi is one of those guys when he dives into that post is going to benefit from easy little touch plays.”
Through three league games, Augustus has found other ways to make an impact outside of scoring. He is averaging a team-high 10.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists in the span and has gone to the free throw line a team-high 19 times.
Sidney”s passing has given Augustus, who is more adept at taking jumpers, higher percentage looks at the basket.
However, Stansbury wants his most skilled post player to have a “finish first” mentality when he”s got the ball around the basket.
“Sometimes, he”s too unselfish,” Stansbury said. “Like I said, in that post, we don”t need you to lead us in assists, we need you to lead us in scoring when that ball goes inside. But against that zone (of Auburn), there was opportunities to pass the basketball. It will be a continued process with him, getting him to understand how hard you have to play consistently.”
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