PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – What the Pitt Panthers are facing in Dayton Tuesday night is akin to facing Jamie Dixon or Ben Howland. Mississippi State is built on defense and rebounding with a strong post presence.
The Bulldogs are second in the SEC and seventh in the nation allowing only 60.4 points per game. It’s better than any team the Panthers have faced this season. MSU is also fourth in the SEC in rebounding including 13 offensive rebounds per game.
Their team runs through the middle with 6’11”, 245-pound senior Tolu Smith averaging 15.8 points and 8.5 rebounds a game while shooting 59% from the floor. He finished the season with 72 points and 34 rebounds against Vanderbilt, Florida and Alabama-all games were double-doubles. He had a dozen double-doubles throughout the season with arguably his best game dropping 27 points (11-13 FG) and grabbing 13 rebounds against Jamie Dixon and TCU.
Like Pitt they have a number of transfers, eight players started at other schools including Smith who led the SEC in field goal percentage, eighth in scoring and second in rebounding.
What might also make you remember the old Panthers teams is they are the worst three-point shooting team not only in the SEC, but the worst in all of Division 1 at 27% with only 172 made all season.
Dashawn Davis averaged just over three assists a game to lead MSU while scoring 8.5 ppg. 6’7”, 215-pound senior DJ Jeffries started every game, leads the Bulldogs in made threes with 37 while scoring 8.8 points per game and 6.2 rebounds. Shakell Moore, 6’1”, 190-pound transfer from NC State, averages 9.6 points and 6’7”, 225-pound Cameron Matthews shoots 49% hitting 7.1 points and 5.6 rebounds a game.
The Bulldogs won its first 11 games including a victory over Marquette. MSU lost eight of nine in the middle of the season before righting itself beating TCU in overtime at home. The big win down the stretch was at home, 69-62 over Texas A&M forcing 16 turnovers and holding the Aggies to under 40% shooting. Its final win was in the SEC Tournament beating Florida on a layup with five seconds left in the SEC Tournament before getting blown out by Alabama.
Bulldogs were last in the NCAA Tournament in March of 2019 when Ben Howland was head coach, losing in the first round to Liberty. The last Mississippi State NCAA Tournament win was in 2008 beating Oregon as an eight-seed.