The Mississippi State men’s basketball team arrives at the start of the 2003-2004 season at a crossroads. Gone are most of the players who won the SEC Tournament in 2002. Gone are four starters from last year’s team who won the SEC Western Division before being unceremoniously bounced from the NCAA Tournament by Butler.
It is time for the Bulldogs to do what they couldn’t do after their Final Four run in 1996: sustain success.
Mississippi State hits the floor with Timmy Bowers the only returning starter from last year’s team after Ontario Harper went down with a knee injury during the off season. Bowers said that being the only returning starter means that he needs to provide consistency and leadership this season.
“Last year I mainly led by example on the court,” Bowers said. “This year I am going to be more vocal on and off the court. I am going to step up every aspect of my game to help this team win a championship.”
Even though Bowers will be the only returning starter, the Bulldogs still have lots of talent to work with.
Head coach Rick Stansbury brought a highly touted recruiting class to Starkville over the summer.
One incoming freshman, former New York City Player of the Year Gary Ervin, is expected to star at point guard soon.
Transfer Lawrence Roberts earned all-Big 12 honors in both seasons at Baylor and is expected to take over for Mario Austin.
Senior forward Branden Vincent sings the praises of Ervin, who has been called T. J. Ford with a jump shot.
“Gary is one of the fastest players I have ever seen,” Vincent said. “He is an excellent ball-handler … by his senior year he will be the best point guard in the nation.”
And Roberts?
“Lawrence is incredible,” Vincent said. “He doesn’t force shots and he is an excellent rebounder. He is very athletic and can get up and down the floor extremely well.”
Because State lost four starters that averaged 40.8 points per game, its top rebounder in Austin and top playmaker in Zimmerman, the Bulldogs were picked to finish third in the West behind LSU and Auburn. However, Stansbury said that he is not worried about the picks.
“The SEC West is wide open right now,” Stansbury said. “Auburn probably brings the most experience back. LSU is probably the most talented team with Jaime Lloreda as one of the best big men in the country. But we feel our chances are good to win the West because everyone lost key players. You can replace the talent, but not the experience.”
The men’s basketball program has gone through a resurgence under Stansbury in the last two years. The Dawgs have gone from being perennial NIT competitors to a legitimate top 25 team. This resurgence has led to something that MSU basketball hasn’t had that much of over the years: national television exposure.
The Bulldogs will be featured on national television in three games this year, all at home. The Jan. 13 game against Kentucky and the March 2 game against Auburn will be on ESPN and the Feb. 21 game against Alabama will be televised on CBS.
In addition, eight MSU games will be televised regionally, on either Jefferson Pilot Sports or Fox Sports South.
Mississippi State begins its exhibition schedule this Saturday against Sioux Falls of the CBA before opening up its regular season Nov. 22 against UT-Martin.