by Matt Dunaway, Director/Communications
ATHENS, Georgia – Mississippi State men’s basketball embarks on back-to-back SEC road tilts as the Bulldogs travel to Georgia on Wednesday evening at Stegeman Coliseum.
Last time out, State (12-3, 1-2 SEC) captured a 64-54 win over Ole Miss for its first SEC victory under Chris Jans. Georgia (11-4, 1-1 SEC) has protected its home floor during its SEC opener under Mike White with a 76-64 victory over No. 22 Auburn before falling 82-75 at Florida last Saturday.
One of the staples of a Coach Jans team is all-out effort and a suffocating defense. Through 15 games, the Bulldogs are among the nation’s best surrendering 56.7 points per game (2nd SEC • 5th nationally) on a 38.7 opponent field goal percentage (3rd SEC • 21st nationally).
Historically at State, the 56.7 points per game allowed is the program’s second-lowest 14-game total in the modern era since the 1955-56 season, which was Babe McCarthy’s first season with the Bulldogs.
The Maroon and White has dialed up 151 steals on a 10.1 per game clip (3rd SEC • 12th nationally). Both are tied for the program’s highest mark through 15 games, and it marks the third time that State is averaging at least 10 steals per game going back to 1979-80.
According to KenPom, the Bulldogs are among the nation’s top 35 in six additional categories which include steal percentage (15.4 – 5th), offensive rebounding percentage (36.7 – 11th), adjusted defensive efficiency (89.5 – 13th), defensive turnover percentage (24.3 – 14th), effective defensive field goal percentage (45.3 – 27th) and two-point field goal percentage defense (44.6 – 29th).
State also possesses top 5 SEC marks with a 1.23 assist-to-turnover ratio (4th), a +3.53 turnover margin (4th), have dished out 15.20 assists per game (T-4th) and grabbed 38.87 rebounds per game (5th).
With its victories over Marquette and Utah, the Maroon and White are one of five programs nationally who are unblemished with multiple non-conference victories over NCAA NET Quad 1 opponents this season (Arizona, Connecticut, Purdue, TCU).
Georgia’s top scoring duo is Terry Roberts (15.7 PPG, 4.2 APG, 3.8 RPG, 1.9 SPG) and Kario Oquendo (14.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG). Roberts has ripped off double figures in eight consecutive games headed by a 26-point outing…
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