Howland: This team has improved a lot
STARKVILLE – In a moment of reflection now that the regular season is over, Ben Howland revealed a smirk when he thought back to Mississippi State’s opener against Norfolk State.
“We crushed them by four,” Howland said. “You think about some of our games … Northwestern State was a resounding 1point win. This team got better, no question.”
Before MSU (15-15) plays LSU (10-20) in the first round of the SEC Tournament in Nashville on Wednesday (6 p.m., SEC Network), it’s fair to examine how much, if at all, the Bulldogs actually improved.
The Bulldogs were 9-3 overall with an adjusted efficiency margin of 4.3, according to Kenpom, before conference play. Adjusted efficiency shows the number of points a team would be expected to outscore the average Division-I team over 100 possessions. It’s worth pointing out that 4.3 is an especially low number when considering MSU’s strength of schedule at the time was ranked No. 345 at the time by Kenpom.
MSU’s adjusted efficiency margin is now 6.66 while its strength of schedule is ranked 71 while playing in an improved SEC this year.
Interestingly, the Bulldogs’ adjusted defensive efficiency is the same as it was before SEC play at 100.3, which is a positive for MSU because of the tougher schedule.
“Defensively, in particular, we are a lot better,” Howland said. “It’s a good foundation and something to build on for the future.”
The problem for the Bulldogs is they barely improved in key categories like turnovers and offensive rebounding. The Bulldogs’ 26.5 offensive rebound percentage was ranked No. 272 in the country after they lost to Tennessee on Jan. 21. That percentage is now 28.9, which is still below the average of 29.3 percent.
Talk around the Bulldogs at that point in mid-January was around a possible NCAA Tournament bid and a more likely NIT appearance. Now, MSU is just looking for a strong finish in the SEC Tournament.
That’s what happens when you lose seven in a row.
MSU turned the ball over 19 times in two games during the losing skid, shot poorly in games and failed to close – losing five straight despite having a chance to win during the final minutes. I.J. Ready, the team’s lone senior, missed five games, but MSU’s problems weren’t suddenly solved when he returned – the Bulldogs lost five in a row with him back from an injury.
“Losing him during that five-game stretch was definitely tough for this team,” Howland said. “I think we would have had a chance to have a little bit more success with him than without him.”
For the youngest team in the country, the SEC Tournament can serve as a final opportunity to prove MSU has improved over the course of the season in key areas while building toward next season, which will come with heightened expectations.
“I think we have a good chance, to be honest,” Quinndary Weatherspoon said. “It’s not like we got blown out every game. We were in the games. I think if we clean up some mistakes we have a good chance at winning.”