SEC Co-player of the Week Perry, Bulldogs face Wildcats
Reggie Perry continues to establish himself as perhaps the Southeastern Conference's best player. The Mississippi State forward was chosen as the league's Co-player of the Week on Monday, his second weekly honor from the SEC over the last three weeks.
As good as he's been, Perry can't afford to let up.
Tonight, Perry and the Bulldogs (14-7, 5-3) are on the road facing No. 15 Kentucky (16-5, 6-2). It's a tremendous test for a red-hot
MSU squad that has won five straight league games. However State hasn't beaten the Wildcats in 11 years and have lost 13 games in a row overall to Kentucky.
“They're obviously a great team and they're really wellcoached,” MSU head coach Ben Howland said. “(Kentucky's John Calipari is) a Hall of Fame coach.
“They have a lot of talent and a lot of ability.”
This season, Kentucky hasn't quite been the juggernaut it is most years, but the Wildcats are still plenty good. They're strong on both ends of the floor, scoring 75 points per game on average while allowing 65.5.
The Wildcats have four players averaging 12 or more points per game. Perhaps their best overall player is Nick Richards, a junior forward averaging 14 points and 8.2 rebounds per outing.
Make no mistake about it though, Kentucky is facing a MSU team with quite a bit of talent too, headlined by Perry.
Perry has been spectacular of late. In earning the weekly award he was presented Monday, Perry averaged 25.5 points and 10 rebounds per game in MSU'S last two games – wins at Florida and against Tennessee. It simply continued what has been an amazing season for the standout sophomore. Perry is one of only five Power Five players and he's the only SEC player to average a double-double for the season. Perry enters tonight's game averaging 17.2 points and 10 rebounds per contest.
“I don't take him for granted,” Howland said of Perry's play after MSU topped Tennessee last Saturday. “(In) the last five games, he's been dominant.”
Perry seems to be getting stronger as the year goes. He has 12 double-doubles this season, including five in his last seven games and eight over his last 11 contests.
State will likely require Perry to be fantastic again tonight if the Bulldogs are to escape Rupp Arena with a victory. MSU wins haven't come often in Lexington. State is just 5-49 all-time at Kentucky.
Howland knows how big an obstacle Kentucky will be inside its own building.
“They have a great homecourt advantage and you have to play really well to beat anybody on the road, much less Kentucky, which has the best home-court advantage in our conference,” Howland said. “On a national level, I don't know if there's any better home court in the entire country.”
Kentucky without a doubt has a strong advantage on its home floor. The Wildcats also of course boast their incredible talent and top-tier coach.
What they don't have though is Perry. MSU'S star big man would love nothing more than to keep his stellar season going tonight at Kentucky's expense.
“He's playing great,” Howland said of Perry.