by Matt Dunaway, Director/Communications
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State men’s basketball completes its January gauntlet which will see the Bulldogs square off with their fifth ranked opponent as No. 11 TCU visits Humphrey Coliseum for Saturday’s final SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
At halftime, State will honor four members of its 1962-63 SEC Championship squad as part of the 60th year celebration of the Game of Change.
The Bulldogs (12-8, 1-7 SEC) will look to put a five-game losing streak in the rear view, while TCU (16-4, 5-3 Big 12) will attempt to win its fourth game in its last five outings. The Horned Frogs picked up the program’s first victory at No. 2 Kansas last Saturday.
State and TCU are two of five programs nationally (Arizona, Connecticut, Purdue) to earn an undefeated mark with multiple victories against NCAA NET Quad 1 non-conference opponents.
The Bulldogs will look to pick up the program’s first win over a non-conference ranked opponent since a 67-57 victory over No. 15 Arizona on 11/18/2011.
One of the staples of a Coach Jans team is all-out effort and a suffocating defense. Through 20 games, the Bulldogs are among the nation’s best surrendering 58.7 points per game (2nd SEC • 8th nationally) on a 38.9 opponent field goal percentage (4th SEC • 13th nationally).
Historically at State, the 58.7 points per game allowed is tied for the program’s lowest 20-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 194 steals on a 9.7 per game clip (2nd SEC • 9th nationally) through 20 games. Both marks are second in program history only behind the 2003-04 SEC championship squad.
According to KenPom, the Bulldogs are among the nation’s top 25 in six additional categories which include steal percentage (14.8 – 3rd), adjusted defensive efficiency (90.5 – 10th), defensive turnover percentage (23.9 – 13th), offensive rebounding percentage (35.4 – 16th), two-point field goal percentage defense (44.8 – 22nd) and effective defensive field goal percentage (45.8 – 23rd).
State also possesses top 5 SEC marks with a +3.40 turnover margin (3rd), a 1.13 assist-to-turnover ratio (4th) and15.70 turnovers forced per game (4th). The Bulldogs also have grabbed 38.15 rebounds per…
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