Bulldogs look to get back on track against Tide
Everyone in the Southeastern Conference now knows about Mississippi State’s D.J. Stewart Jr. and Iverson Molinar.
Stewart and Molinar began to emerge as freshmen for the Bulldogs last season, but were playing behind more experienced players.
After getting off to a hot start for MSU this season, they became the focus of scouting reports.
Stewart and Molinar hit a speed bump against the Ole Miss Rebels in last Tuesday night’s 64-46 loss.
Stewart led the Bulldogs with 18 points against the Rebels, but he only shot 7-of16 from the field, while Molinar, who was chosen Southeastern Conference Player of the Week recently, was held to just seven points.
MSU head coach Ben Howland said Stewart and Molinar have a “bullseye on their chest” because of the reputation they have developed in the SEC. Even after not being at their best against Ole Miss, Stewart and Molinar still average 17.4 points per game.
“Everyone throws their best game at them,” Howland said. “That’s good. That will make them better in the long run.”
It has been an up and down season for the Bulldogs, who are 9-6 overall and 4-3 in the league. The next challenge is a big one as MSU faces Alabama on the road today.
After starting the conference slate with an 83-73 victory over Georgia, State lost a double overtime decision to Kentucky 78-73. The Bulldogs bounced back to upset Missouri 78-63 and made it back-to-back wins with one at Vanderbilt 84-81.
MSU suffered a tough 5655 loss to Texas A&M to begin a three-game home stand, then played well to defeat Florida 72-69 and did not in the outing against Ole Miss.
“We didn’t do anything with any physicality or toughness at either end of the floor against Ole Miss,” Howland said. “We have to get back to that to be good. We have to get the ball inside more and play inside-out, which we were not doing at all. Executing what we do is the main thing.”
The Crimson Tide are not the type of team that’s going to make it easy on an opponent, especially at Coleman Coliseum, so execution will be critical for the Bulldogs.
John Petty Jr. leads Alabama with an average of 14.3 points per game.
“They are the best team in our league for sure as you look at it right now,” Howland said. “They’ve got some great road wins. They are playing great basketball and I’m not surprised. I thought they’d be good going in because they have Herb Jones and Petty as seniors.”
The tip in Tuscaloosa is set for 5 p.m. and will be televised by the SEC Network.