by Matt Dunaway, Director/Communications
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State men’s basketball faces off against the SEC’s hottest squad as No. 25 Texas A&M brings a six-game winning streak into Humphrey Coliseum for a Saturday matinee.
The Bulldogs (18-10, 6-9 SEC) will look to return to the win column after falling 66-64 at Missouri in overtime on Tuesday. Texas A&M (21-7, 13-2 SEC) has won all six of its February decision, most recently a 68-63 victory over No. 11 Tennessee.
One of the staples of a Coach Jans team is all-out effort and a suffocating defense. State is the nation’s only program to rank inside the top 20 in scoring defense (59.5 – 2nd SEC • 6th nationally), opponent field goal percentage (38.8 – 3rd SEC • 6th nationally) and steals (9.04 – 2nd SEC • 20th nationally).
Historically at State, the 59.5 points per game allowed is the program’s third-lowest average through 28 games in the modern era since 1955-56, which was Babe McCarthy’s first season with the Bulldogs. This year’s team trails the 1981-82 squad led by Bob Boyd at 57.5 points per game and the 1958-59 team under McCarthy which allowed 59.1 points per contest.
The Maroon and White has dialed up 252 steals on a 9.0 per game clip through 28 games. Both marks also are fourth in program history behind the 1991-92 squad coached by Richard Williams along with the SEC championship 2003-04 and the 2001-02 teams led by Rick Stansbury.
According to KenPom, the Bulldogs are among the nation’s top 25 in six additional categories which include adjusted defensive efficiency (89.7– 4th), steal percentage (13.7 – 6th), effective defensive field goal percentage (45.3 – 10th), two-point field goal percentage defense (45.3 – 19th), defensive turnover percentage (22.6 – 21st) and offensive rebounding percentage (34.4 – 22nd).
State also possesses top 5 SEC marks and has forced its opponents into 14.89 turnovers per game (3rd), collected 12.43 offensive rebounds per game (3rd), limited opponents to a 30.1 three-point percentage (4th), secured a +2.21 turnover margin (5th), compiled a 1.16 assist-to-turnover ratio (5th), grabbed 37.39 rebounds per game (5th) and dished out 14.50 assists per game (5th).
Texas A&M has won 20 of its last 23 games against SEC opponents dating back to last year’s conference…
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