Students invited to basketball scrimmage Wednesday
Head coach Rick Stansbury has invited all students to watch the Mississippi State basketball team scrimmage Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Humphrey Coliseum. The scrimmage marks the second public viewing of the 2011-2012 team, with the first being Maroon Madness on Oct. 14. As part of a marketing promotion, MSU will be giving away a trip to the Florida game on Jan. 28 to a student in attendance.
The team is coming off a disappointing season that saw a nationally-televised fight on Christmas Eve and two players transfer during the season. Senior point guard Dee Bost is optimistic this season will be better, tweeting Sunday night, “One thing I can promise is its gone be a better year then last year.”
Meanwhile teammate Renardo Sidney has given himself and Bost the nickname of “DeeNardo.” The inside-out duo is one reason MSU is projected as a potential NCAA Tournament team. The arrival of transfer Arnett Moultrie from University of Texas-El Paso is another reason for optimism as the junior performed well in the team’s slate of exhibition games in Europe this summer.
State will begin exhibition play this Saturday at the Hump with a 2 p.m. matchup against Florida Tech, while the regular season will begin on Monday, Nov. 7 against Eastern Kentucky at home.
MSU will hold its on-campus media day Tuesday, and we will take a closer look at the 2011-12 team in Friday’s Reflector.
Students are also invited to have lunch at Rick Stansbury’s house this Sunday.
 
Game time for Homecoming set for 6:30 p.m.
MSU’s homecoming game against UT-Martin on Nov. 5 has been set for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff and will be televised by College Sports Southeast. This marks the first time this season State has appeared on CSS.
The UT-Martin game will mark the Bulldogs’ final non-conference matchup of the 2011 season. The Skyhawks have posted a 4-3 record so far in 2011 and play in the Ohio Valley Conference of the FCS.
State’s matchup with UT-Martin is the only non-FBS opponent the Bulldogs will play this season, and MSU is the only FBS opponent the Skyhawks will challenge.
 
Softball concludes fall tour with sweep of USM
The Mississippi State softball swept a double-header with Southern Miss Saturday to conclude the team’s first-ever fall tour.
The Bulldogs won the first game 4-0 behind 5.2 innings of shutout pitching from Stephanie Becker, who also struck out 10 Golden Eagle batters. State won the second game 3-2 on a walk-off hit by Briana Bell.
MSU concludes the tour with a perfect 6-0 record, which gives head coach Vann Stuedeman confidence heading into the 2012 season.
“What an absolutely incredible turnout from the hometown fans in Starkville,” Stuedeman said in a release from the university. “They capped off an amazing fall season for us, and we look forward to working hard for them this winter as we prepare for the 2012 season.”
The Lady Bulldogs also defeated Jacksonville State 3-2 in Birmingham on Friday night.
The 2012 season will begin on Feb. 9 at South Alabama, with the home slate beginning on Feb. 17 with the annual Bulldog Round Robin.