Mississippi State enters the game against Tennessee coming off a 83-75 loss at Missouri. The Bulldogs are 9-4 and ranked 84th in the College RPI. According to the RPI, they are 0-3 against the Top 50, with those losses coming to Clemson (14), Missouri (27), and Winthrop (44), while 8 of the Bulldog’s 9 wins have come against teams ranked 101 of lower. That doesn’t bode well going against a Tennessee team on the road ranked 16th in the RPI. The Bulldogs are led by sophomore Jamont Gordon with his 15.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game which all rank in the top 10 in their respective categories within the SEC. Helping out Gordon on the perimeter is super freshman Barry Stewart and Ben Hansbrough. Stewart is second in the SEC among freshman with 11.6 points coming off the bench for the Bulldogs while Hansbrough is averaging 8.2 points and 4.1 assists in 27 minutes per game. Down low, the Bulldogs employ 6’9” freshman Jarvis Varnado. Varnado is averaging 7.2 points and 6 rebounds per game. Varnado is joined by Vernon Goodridge and Charles Rhodes down low. Rhodes was the starter earlier in the season until he sprained his wrist against Charlotte on November 29th.
KEYS TO THE GAME:
This will be a coming home of sorts for the Bulldogs as 4 of their starters reign from the state of Tennessee. Also, this will be the second time this year that the Vols will be facing a Hansbrough. This time, however, it will come in the form of 6’3” younger brother Ben Hansbrough. The Bulldogs will match up quite well with the Vols height wise until they bring in Rhodes or Goodridge. The starting lineup consists of 4 guards just like the Vols and will setup an interesting matchup between Jamont Gordon and Dane Bradshaw. The bigger question will be, as it will be for all Tennessee opponents this season, how do you limit Chris Lofton? Many SEC teams will be finding out soon how much Lofton has improved. Last season, if you shut down Lofton from 3, he seemed to disappear. You do that this year and he will drive right around you. Lofton is averaging 1.8 more 2 point field goals per game than last year to go along with 2.7 more free throw attempts. This game will be a great preview of whats to come in the SEC with two young teams that are full of talent. The Vols will focus on shutting down Gordon and Stewart and will be trying to force the tempo and create turnovers against the young Bulldogs.
Projected Starting Lineups:
Mississippi State
PG – 6’3” #11 Ben Hansbrough
SG – 6’4” #24 Reginald Delk
SF – 6’4” #1 Richard Delk
PF – 6’4” #44 Jamont Gordon
C – 6’9” # Jarvis Varnado
Tennessee
PG – 6’2” #12 Ramar Smith
SG – 6’2” #5 Chris Lofton
SF – 6’2” #2 JaJuan Smith
PF – 6’4” #23 Dane Bradshaw
C – 6’7” #32 Duke Crews
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