So basketball is rolling tonight….

[karlchilders.sixpack]

It’s just hard to care about cupcake basketball games when we’ve still got 4 football games remaining. Interest in Mississippi State basketball before New Years has always been mostly nonexistent.

Exactly.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

This is a CBK issue not a state one. Too much inventory and the season is ridiculously long.

It’s just hard to care about cupcake basketball games when we’ve still got 4 football games remaining. Interest in Mississippi State basketball before New Years has always been mostly nonexistent.

You're not wrong, but this is one place where we could innovate if we truly had the desire. Kentucky and Louisville still have good turnouts early on, historically. No matter the NIL, the places where fans support the program will always be an attractive place to play.

Students are the ones I don't get. I mean what else do they have to do, where they can't attend a basketball game on a Monday and Thursday night?

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

We are going to struggle in the post from what I saw tonight.

Isn't that always the case?

 

[patdog]

You're not wrong, but this is one place where we could innovate if we truly had the desire. Kentucky and Louisville still have good turnouts early on, historically. No matter the NIL, the places where fans support the program will always be an attractive place to play.

Students are the ones I don't get. I mean what else do they have to do, where they can't attend a basketball game on a Monday and Thursday night?

Kentucky & Louisville are exceptions. They’ve always cared more about basketball than football. The reason Bear Bryant left Kentucky for Texas A&M was because when he won the SEC, they gave him a watch. Rupp won the SEC a few months later. They gave him a Cadillac. Bear got the message.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

You're not wrong, but this is one place where we could innovate if we truly had the desire. Kentucky and Louisville still have good turnouts early on, historically. No matter the NIL, the places where fans support the program will always be an attractive place to play.

Students are the ones I don't get. I mean what else do they have to do, where they can't attend a basketball game on a Monday and Thursday night?

Two schools with multiple national titles with a long history of winning in a state and region that’s crazy about basketball.

It’s not really a good example.

 

[patdog]

Two schools with multiple national titles with a long history of winning in a state and region that’s crazy about basketball.

It’s not really a good example.

It’s like saying Wisconsin should draw 10,000 fans for their baseball home opener because Mississippi State did.

 

[gtowndawg]

Kentucky & Louisville are exceptions. They’ve always cared more about basketball than football. The reason Bear Bryant left Kentucky for Texas A&M was because when he won the SEC, they gave him a watch. Rupp won the SEC a few months later. They gave him a Cadillac. Bear got the message.

The Grizzlies started the season 5-0 and had a very small crowd midweek against New Orleans. It's just that time of year.

 

[Called3rdstrikedawg]

You're not wrong, but this is one place where we could innovate if we truly had the desire. Kentucky and Louisville still have good turnouts early on, historically. No matter the NIL, the places where fans support the program will always be an attractive place to play.

Students are the ones I don't get. I mean what else do they have to do, where they can't attend a basketball game on a Monday and Thursday night?

Still celebrating maybe?

 

[Willow Grove Dawg]

We are going to struggle in the post from what I saw tonight.

Jans said multiple times preseason that he was concerned about post play.

Tristan Reed needs to be a player quickly. Jans is really high on him

Okafor is serviceable for limited minutes. Bartlett has tons of potential but......

 

[stateu1]

I think Reed can be a good player by the end of the year, but he’s not quite ready yet. Seems a little timid. But he definitely looks the part and like someone who could have a really good career if he develops.

Maybe, but he got blocked every time he took it to the basket except once and was out of position on defense.

 

[MSUDC11-2.0]

Maybe, but he got blocked every time he took it to the basket except once and was out of position on defense.

He’s looked like a true freshman. But he’s very talented. One of the highest ranked recruits Jans has signed.

I feel like he’ll be a much better player a year from now. But hopefully we start to see more flashes as the year progresses. We are going to need him, he’s got more ability than Okafor.

 

[maroonmania]

Hope we are improved this year. However, I refuse to have any expectations for any MSU athletics team (outside of maybe baseball). Only leads to disappointment. Going with the ol' 'expect the worst, hope for the best' mantra.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

I was at the game and this was my take away as well. On the inevitable nights we are cold shooting from the perimeter, how are we going to score?

Drive and get to the rim to finish or get fouled?
Defensive rebounds leading to transition buckets?
Extend defensive pressure to create some live ball turnovers?
Run some sets designed to get favorable scoring mismatches?

It's not like the only other way to score is to throw it to Kareem on the block and let him shoot the skyhook.

 

[Baddog11]

state was favored by 21.5. Sorry I missed this one. I don’t wanna let northwestern state Louisiana get my hopes up.

 

[MStateDawg]

Drive and get to the rim to finish or get fouled?
Defensive rebounds leading to transition buckets?
Extend defensive pressure to create some live ball turnovers?
Run some sets designed to get favorable scoring mismatches?

It's not like the only other way to score is to throw it to Kareem on the block and let him shoot the skyhook.

Doesn't seem like we're doing any of these things thru the first two games. I'm skeptical we'll be able to just turn on these features when needed.

 

[Drebin]

Only 44 points given up tonight.

NW State scored 18 points in the second half.

I'm old enough to remember NW State coming into Starkville and beating a Stansbury team.

 

[Maroon13]

Yeah I could care less about basketball until sec play starts. Even then, the older I get... I don't even watch the games unless it's convenient for me.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

Doesn't seem like we're doing any of these things thru the first two games. I'm skeptical we'll be able to just turn on these features when needed.

Agree there is room for skepticism given the Jans history. However, we have scored in other ways the first two games (competition noted).

21 fast break points
76 paint points
63 free throw attempts
41-72 on two point field goals with 36 attempts in each game

I have been pleasantly surprised in the first two games. Way more athletic, more guys who can make a shot, free throws look decent. Maybe a sliver of optimism is creeping in.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

I'm old enough to remember NW State coming into Starkville and beating a Stansbury team.

Egg Bowl night 2005. One of the first posts on SPS I read was a beautiful diatribe describing the Miss-Stakeness of that day.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

Kentucky & Louisville are exceptions. They’ve always cared more about basketball than football. The reason Bear Bryant left Kentucky for Texas A&M was because when he won the SEC, they gave him a watch. Rupp won the SEC a few months later. They gave him a Cadillac. Bear got the message.

Two schools with multiple national titles with a long history of winning in a state and region that’s crazy about basketball.

It’s not really a good example.

I am aware.

The point is still valid. We need to support non-con basketball better if we want to elevate the program. And I'm not really even calling on the alumni fans, that's understandable, football is going on, Starkville is a small town without a big local base, it's a lot of games, etc. But the students have no excuse.

Well, except for the terrible seating, which needs to be fixed.

 

[theoriginalSALTYdog]

and no game thread. THAT about sums up this board.

Don't buy the early hype from some here. It's fools gold. We will finish near the bottom in league play.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

Egg Bowl night 2005. One of the first posts on SPS I read was a beautiful diatribe describing the Miss-Stakeness of that day.

And they lost to I think SELA two days later.

 

[CochiseCowbell]

More folks in this thread than at the game.....

MY folks were at the game, but they don't SPS, do they count as my proxies?*

 

[CochiseCowbell]

It’s like saying Wisconsin should draw 10,000 fans for their baseball home opener because Mississippi State did.

The thought of February Wisconsin baseball just made the boys retreat upwards.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

Don't buy the early hype from some here. It's fools gold. We will finish near the bottom in league play.

Which statements are being classified as “early hype?”

 

[patdog]

The thought of February Wisconsin baseball just made the boys retreat upwards.

I can remember some bitterly cold & windy days at the old Dudy Noble Field back in the day. Can’t imagine what it would be like there.

 

[theoriginalSALTYdog]

Which statements are being classified as “early hype?”

Maybe hype wasn't the best way to describe it but I've seen people here and on social media talking about how we look improved, margin of victory, we've now got "scorers", etc. . Maybe they see something I don't because I see a team that's going to struggle mightily.

 

[Drebin]

Maybe hype wasn't the best way to describe it but I've seen people here and on social media talking about how we look improved, margin of victory, we've now got "scorers", etc. . Maybe they see something I don't because I see a team that's going to struggle mightily.

We could be improved and we could still struggle. Both of those things can exist together.

I get the cynicism; I'm usually all about it. But I don't see anyone here trying to pencil us into the sweet 16, either. I'm inclined to hope for better days and piss and moan later if I need to.

 

[HeCannotGo]

We played a ton of people. Josh sat for extended periods.

But the starters were especially impressive defensively. We held them scoreless for the first four minutes of the first half and then again for the first four minutes of the second half.

 

[L4Dawg]

Don't buy the early hype from some here. It's fools gold. We will finish near the bottom in league play.

Didn’t comment on that. I just commented that we were rolling on the night and there was no game three.

 

[M_over_S]

We are going to struggle in the post from what I saw tonight.

Maybe. To be fair, ND has been in too much foul trouble early to even show us what he’s got it, that in itself is a concern but more than that, what we have seen; he looks like JAG 5.0 at Center.

with that said, and the reason for my original “maybe”…. I see Tristan Reed and see someone that can be pretty damn good and maybe sooner rather then later. He seems to have the flexibility and athleticism it takes to be dynamic at C in Jan’s scheme. He looks better than ND now. Just start him and let him go thru growing pains. I think he’ll end up being a legit player sooner than later. He had 5 offensive rebounds in 12 minutes last night. Impressive

Then you got the wildcard man of mystery, Tee Bartlett. He showed last night that he is the best post scorer we have; not only that but he can facilitate from down low, sees the court well and can be an offensive conduit especially working inside out with our guard group. Yeah, he def struggles defensively and in transition but couple him with Bassong and Kimani at the 3/4 for help defensively, and then go with Hubb at the 1, and King Grace at the 2. Good mix of scorers and defenders would be an interesting lineup.

 

[M_over_S]

We played a ton of people. Josh sat for extended periods.

But the starters were especially impressive defensively. We held them scoreless for the first four minutes of the first half and then again for the first four minutes of the second half.

Starters also went 14-15 from the stripe with each starter hitting atleast 2