Mississippi State Bulldogs men's basketball

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Mississippi State Bulldogs
Basketball current event.svg 2024–25 Mississippi State Bulldogs men's basketball team
Mississippi State University Bulldogs Logo Official.svg
University Mississippi State University
First season1908
All-time record1,506–1,267 (.543)
Athletic director Zac Selmon
Head coach Chris Jans (3rd season)
Conference Southeastern Conference
Location Starkville, Mississippi
Arena Humphrey Coliseum
(capacity: 10,575)
Nickname Bulldogs
ColorsMaroon and white [1]
   
Uniforms
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Home
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Away
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Alternate
NCAA tournament Final Four
1996
NCAA tournament Elite Eight
1996
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
1963, 1995, 1996
NCAA tournament round of 32
1995, 1996, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008
NCAA tournament appearances
1963, 1991, 1995, 1996, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2019, 2023, 2024
Conference tournament champions
1923, 1996, 2002, 2009
Conference regular season champions
1912, 1913, 1914, 1916, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1991, 2004

The Mississippi State Bulldogs men's basketball program represents Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi, in men's NCAA Division I basketball. The Bulldogs play in the Southeastern Conference. Mississippi State has qualified for the NCAA tournament 13 times and most recently in 2024. The Bulldogs best finish in the NCAA tournament came in 1996 when they advanced to the Final Four. On March 20, 2022, Mississippi State named former New Mexico State head coach Chris Jans as its 21st head basketball coach.

Contents

History

The Bulldogs have been to the NCAA Tournament eleven times, the first time in 1963 and the most recent being 2019. Mississippi State chose not to accept previous bids because state officials viewed African-Americans as inferior and would not allow Ole Miss or Mississippi State to play against teams with African-American players. The 1963 team, however, famously snuck out of the state in the dead of night to play in what has since been dubbed the "Game of Change".

Six of the ten NCAA appearances have been earned in the past 10 seasons under former MSU Head Basketball Coach, Rick Stansbury. They have won 10 conference championships, four as a member of the now-dissolved Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 1912, 1913, 1914, and 1916 in addition to six SEC titles in 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1991, and 2004. The Bulldogs have won four conference tournament championships, one as a member of the Southern Conference in 1923 and three SEC tournament titles in 1996, 2002, and 2009. Mississippi State has several notable alumni including Erick Dampier, Bailey Howell, and Jarvis Varnado.

Rivals

As in all sports, Mississippi State's rival is Ole Miss. Mississippi State leads the series over Ole Miss 142–112. Former MSU Head Coach Rick Stansbury is 21–8 vs the Rebels. [2] Former head coach Ben Howland, was 6–9 against the Rebels.

Mississippi State and Alabama are considered rivals on the court, with only 90 miles separating the two programs. The Crimson Tide lead the all-time series 120–74. [3]

Former players

All-Americans

PlayerPositionYear(s)Selectors
Jim Ashmore Guard1956–57Converse, Associated Press, UPI, Helms Athletic Foundation
Bailey Howell (2)Forward1957–58, 1958–59Helms Athletic Foundation, Associated Press, USBWA/Look Magazine, NABC, UPI, NEA
Red Stroud (2)Guard1961–62, 1962–63Helms Athletic Foundation, Converse, NABC, Associated Press
Leland Mitchell Guard1962–63Converse
Rickey Brown Forward1979–80Citizen Saving Athletic Foundation, Associated Press
Jeff Malone Guard1982–83The Sporting News, Basketball Times, NABC
Greg CarterForward1990–91Associated Press
Chuck Evans Guard1991–92UPI
Eric Dampier (2)Center1994–95, 1995–96Associated Press
Mario Austin Forward2002–03Associated Press, Foxsports.com
Lawrence Roberts (2)Forward2003–04, 2004–05Associated Press, USBWA, NABC, The Sporting News
Jamont Gordon (2)Guard2006–07, 2007–08Foxsports.com, Rivals, ESPN, Associated Press
Jarvis Varnado (2)Forward2008–09, 2009–10Associated Press, College Basketball Insider
Dee Bost Guard2008–09CollegeHoops.net
Source:MSU Media Guide [4]

Notable basketball players who attended and played at Mississippi State University.

SEC West Division titles

The years the Bulldogs won were as follows: 1995, 1996, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010

Postseason

NCAA tournament results

The Bulldogs have appeared in the NCAA tournament 13 times. Their combined record is 11–13.

The Bulldogs qualified for the 1959 tournament but university president Benjamin F. Hilbun would not permit the team to participate in the tournament where they would face African-American players. [5]

YearSeedRoundOpponentResult
1963 Sweet Sixteen
Regional 3rd Place Game
Loyola–Chicago
Bowling Green
L 51–61
W 65–60
1991 #5Round of 64#12 Eastern MichiganL 56–76
1995 #5Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen
#12 Santa Clara
#4 Utah
#1 UCLA
W 75–67
W 78–64
L 67–86
1996 #5Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
Final Four
#12 VCU
#13 Princeton
#1 Connecticut
#2 Cincinnati
#4 Syracuse
W 58–51
W 63–41
W 60–55
W 73–63
L 69–77
2002 #3Round of 64
Round of 32
#14 McNeese State
#6 Texas
W 70–58
L 64–68
2003 #5Round of 64#12 ButlerL 46–47
2004 #2Round of 64
Round of 32
#15 Monmouth
#7 Xavier
W 85–52
L 74–89
2005 #9Round of 64
Round of 32
#8 Stanford
#1 Duke
W 93–70
L 55–63
2008 #8Round of 64
Round of 32
#9 Oregon
#1 Memphis
W 76–69
L 74–77
2009 #13Round of 64#4 WashingtonL 58–71
2019 #5Round of 64#12 LibertyL 76–80
2023 #11First Four#11 PittsburghL 59–60
2024 #8Round of 64#9 Michigan StateL 51–69

NIT results

The Bulldogs have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 11 times. Their combined record is 13–11.

YearRoundOpponentResult
1979 First RoundAlcorn StateL 78–80
1990 First Round
Second Round
Baylor
New Orleans
W 84–75
L 60–65
1994 First RoundKansas StateL 69–78
1999 First RoundColorado StateL 56–69
2001 First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Southern Miss
Pittsburgh
Tulsa
W 75–68
W 66–61
L 75–77
2007 First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Mississippi Valley State
Bradley
Florida State
West Virginia
W 82–63
W 101–72
W 86–71
L 62–63
2010 First Round
Second Round
Jackson State
North Carolina
W 81–67
L 74–76
2012 First RoundMassachusettsL 96–101 2OT
2018 First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Nebraska
Baylor
Louisville
Penn State
W 66–59
W 78–77
W 79–56
L 60–75
2021 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals
Saint Louis
Richmond
Louisiana Tech
Memphis
W 74–68
W 68–67
W 84–61
L 64–77
2022 First RoundVirginiaL 57–60

Awards

NCAA Defensive Player of the Year

PlayerYear
Jarvis Varnado 2010

SEC Coach of the Year

CoachYear
Babe McCarthy 1961, 1962, 1963
Kermit Davis Sr1971
Ron Greene 1978
Bob Boyd 1985
Richard Williams1991, 1995
Rick Stansbury 2004

SEC Player of the Year

PlayerYear
Jim Ashmore 1957
Bailey Howell 1958, 1959
W.D. "Red" Stroud 1962
Jeff Malone 1983
Lawrence Roberts 2004

SEC Defensive Player of the Year

PlayerYear
Jarvis Varnado 2008, 2009, 2010

Howell Trophy Award winners

PlayerYear
Lawrence Roberts 2005
Jamont Gordon 2008
Jarvis Varnado 2009, 2010
Arnett Moultrie 2012
Quinndary Weatherspoon 2018, 2019
Reggie Perry 2020
Iverson Molinar 2022
Tolu Smith 2023
Josh Hubbard 2024

Retired numbers

Mississippi State has retired one jersey number for Bailey Howell, doing so on February 7, 2009 at the Coliseum. [6] Mississippi State has also honored two others with honorary banners.

Mississippi State Bulldogs retired numbers
No.PlayerPos.CareerNo. ret.Ref.
52
Bailey Howell SF / PF 1957–19592009 [6] [7]

Honored jerseys

PlayerPos.Tenure
Babe McCarthy Head coach1955–1965
Jack Cristil Voice of the Bulldogs1953–2011

See also

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References

  1. Mississippi State Athletic Identity Standards (PDF). September 14, 2020. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  2. "Ole Miss at Mississippi State Postgame Notes February 9 2012" (PDF). hailstate.com.
  3. "Team media guide" (PDF). static.hailstate.com. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
  4. "Mississippi State All-Americas" (PDF). Mississippi State. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-01-11. Retrieved 2015-01-11.
  5. "Mississippi State Can't Go To Tourney". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Sarasota, Florida. March 1, 1959. p. 13.
  6. 1 2 "Bailey Howell". Seattle Times . February 8, 2009. Archived from the original on April 10, 2022. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
  7. Bailey Howell will be celebrated Saturday - Jan 23, 2015