For only the third time in head coach Rick Stansbury’s career at Mississippi State, the Bulldogs dropped its season opener in the Hump Friday. The Rider University Broncs played spoiler with a convincing 88-74 lashing, said to be the biggest win for the school in 27 years.
However, the night began by going all MSU’s way. The Lady Bulldogs had romped in an earlier contest, last year’s SEC Tournament Championship trophy was unveiled and rings were handed out, the tournament banner was hoisted and MSU streaked out to a fast 11-2 run to start the game.
Senior forward Jarvis Varnado led the way early with six of those 11 points. For the first five minutes of the game, Varnado prowled the paint waiting for a Bronc to drive inside while Rider played from the perimeter.
Rider forward Mike Ringgold answered that challenge, putting many of his team-leading 21 points over and around the State shot-blocker. Varnado still finished with a double-double, 22 points, 14 rebounds and 7 blocks.
MSU’s other starters were out of sync.
Guards Ravern Johnson, Dee Bost and Barry Stewart each had trouble getting shots to drop, going 4 of 11, 3 of 11 and 2 of 10 from the field, respectively. Bost and Stewart’s only field goals were 3-pointers.
Forward Kodi Augustus fared better, going 4 of 9, but with 15 minutes, only saw half as much action as any other starter. Guard
Phil Turner contributed 8 points, alternating with Augustus, in 25 minutes.
Forward Romero Osby added 4 points in 11 minutes, and guard Riley Benock and center Wendell Lewis rounded out the night with four minutes each.
Stansbury said Ringgold and guard Novar Gadson, each with 21 points, were big factors for Rider.
“Give them credit, they were good,” he said. “And the two guys that absolutely killed us, two guys that most nights are not their leading guys, were Ringgold and Gadson. We had no answer for them.”
The coach said depth on the bench became an Achilles’ heel for the Dawgs.
“I probably would have liked to use my bench a little bit more, said. “I wish I could have. Riley hasn’t practiced much. We were just thin out there.”
Stansbury said exhaustion became a factor, particularly with Varnado, who logged 36 minutes – eight more than his average. His 7 blocks move him 11 shy of Shaquille O’Neal’s SEC record of 412.
However, chasing the record was not on the senior’s mind.
“We didn’t play defense at all,” he said. “If we would have, our offense would have been good. But we just didn’t do that tonight.”
While Varnado was the standout for MSU, Kodi Augustus may be the story.
The junior was clearly frustrated after the game with his lack of playing time, despite being one of the more consistent players from the field with 9 points and 5 rebounds. Seven of his points came in the first half on only five minutes of play.
“I’m in for five minutes, and then I’m out. I can’t even get in a rhythm,” he said. “Yeah I play all those minutes in the exhibition game, then you come in and play me 15 minutes.”
Augustus said he thought both he and Turner deserved to be on the court at the same time.
“I’ve been practicing hard,” he said. “I make the changes. I talk. I do everything. I don’t see why I don’t play that much. I mean, play me and Phil at the same time. We’re both good, we both contribute on the team. Don’t make one of us suffer for the other.”
Augustus said he was mad about the loss and frustrated with his minutes, but Stansbury is the coach.
“I’m not that type of player that if the coach doesn’t play me, talk back,” he said. “I’m not doing it. I didn’t do it my first two years, and I’m not now. [But] I want to be out there helping. Who doesn’t?”
The Bulldogs have a few days to fix their defensive problems and work players like freshman Shaun Smith back into the rotation. They take the court next against Southeastern Louisiana on Thursday, with tipoff time set for 7 p.m.