A challenging regular-season slate, including a possible 19 contests against reigning postseason tournament teams from last season, comprise Mississippi State University’s 2001-02 men’s basketball schedule, as announced this week by MSU Director of Athletics Larry Templeton. Returning eight lettermen from last year’s 18-13 club, which advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2001 TiVo National Invitation Tournament, fourth-year head coach Rick Stansbury’s Bulldogs will open the 2001-02 campaign by playing six of their first eight games at home. Following home outings against Nicholls State (Nov. 17), Florida A&M (Nov. 19) and Arkansas-Little Rock (Nov. 21), MSU will first hit the road to meet Louisiana-Lafayette on Nov. 24. Upon returning home to play host to Alabama A&M and reigning NIT participant South Alabama on Nov. 28 and Dec. 1, respectively, the Bulldogs will then venture north to meet Richmond on Dec. 5. A Dec. 8 home contest versus Arkansas State will close out State’s Humphrey Coliseum slate for the 2001 calendar year.
Following fall semester exams, the Bulldogs will visit Southaven’s DeSoto Civic Center for the second straight year to take on Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday, Dec. 15. Prior to traveling to Nevada for the Las Vegas Classic (Dec. 20-22), the Bulldogs will stop over in Atlanta to meet reigning NCAA Tournament participant Georgia State the next day (Sunday, Dec. 16). The MSU-GSU meeting at Philips Arena will serve as the opening game of the 2001 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Classic for Kids tournament. The nightcap of the oneday collegiate basketball doubleheader in Atlanta will pit Georgia Tech against Syracuse. A Dec. 29 visit to the New Orleans Arena to meet Tulane will conclude State’s 2001-02 slate of regular-season, non-conference competition.
Mississippi State’s 16-game SEC schedule begins with four consecutive contests against reigning NCAA Tournament teams from last season. After opening up league play at home versus perennial powerhouse Kentucky (Jan. 5), the Bulldogs will challenge SEC Western Division rivals Arkansas (Jan. 8) and Mississippi (Jan. 12) on the road before returning home to play host to Tennessee on Jan. 16. During inter-divisional SEC play this season, MSU will also host Georgia (Feb. 6) of the SEC East, while traveling to Florida (Feb. 2), Vanderbilt (Feb. 20) and South Carolina (March 2). This year’s SEC Tournament will be held March 7-10 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.