If the Mississippi State Bulldogs defeat the Alabama Crimson Tide Wednesday, it will be the first time since 1936 a first year head coach from MSU started out 3-0 in SEC play.
The Bulldogs, who have not started 3-0 in SEC play since 2010, also look to improve their stellar record at home. They are 5-1 at The Hump this year.
In their first SEC road test Saturday, the Dogs came from behind to defeat Georgia 72-61.              
Head coach Rick Ray said he thinks even though the guys are a young team and injuries are most definitely playing a big role in this season’s lineup, the team is improving steadily.
“Us going on the road and getting that win over Georgia was huge. The team is really trusting the motion-based offense, and even when the shot clock gets low, they don’t panic and continue to keep moving,” he said.
Ray repeatedly noted the importance of ball security and defense. The Dogs have been most successful when they have applied pressure on the ball handler.
“Our guys must take care of the ball on offense, but we preach defense,” Ray said. “That’s all we do: we practice defense and getting stops. The offense and easy buckets will come from that.”
Craig Sword, who was named SEC Freshman of the Week, played Saturday’s game against Georgia with a sprained ankle. He said he thinks the team’s ability to knock down easy shots and apply pressure defensively are the keys to Wednesday’s game and for the rest of the season.
“I think it’s all about me letting the game come to me and not trying to force things,” Sword said. “Sometimes I move too fast, but now with Jalen (Steele) back, it opens up my game a lot more. But defense is still the most important. Everybody can play offense. We know that, but we just really try to stay focused on defense. Some of their players have more experience than ours, so we know we need to be prepared.”
After scoring a career-high 18 points in State’s SEC opener against South Carolina, Sword scored 16 points and added two steals in MSU’s win over Georgia.
Jalen Steele missed eight games earlier this season with a wrist injury but scored a career-high 21 points on Saturday at Georgia. Steele said he is very excited about the upcoming game against SEC rival Alabama. He said the game on Saturday helped him get back into the flow of things.
“During the Georgia game everything felt back to normal. Everything felt good and my game is starting to come back now,” Steele said. “My teammates were setting good screens and really trying to help me get open. It really helped out.”
Steele, a Junior guard from Knoxville, Tenn., is averaging 11.5 points and 23.3 minutes per game.
The Dogs must face a Crimson Tide team that is coming off a 68-65 win over Tennessee. Alabama is led by Trevor Releford, who averages 16.3 points per game. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Hump.