2008 Mississippi State Basketball Predictions & Preview
Written October 17, 2008 by Luke Knight
Rick Stansbury has not enjoyed senior-laden rosters, but with a total of only two contributing seniors Mississippi State has won back-to-back Western Division crowns and post-season berths, including 23-11 overall record and 12-4 record in the SEC last season. Mississippi State defeated Oregon in the NCAA Tournament last season before falling to Memphis 77-74 in the second round. The Bulldogs won’t be putting many seniors on the court this season either, with just one senior returning and one senior transfer. Mississippi State lost three of its top four scorers, including All-SEC standouts Charles Rhodes, whose eligibility expired, and Jamont Gordon, who bypassed his final year to turn pro. Ben Hansbrough announced in April that he was transferring, eventually landing at Notre Dame where he will be ineligible until 2009-2010. That means Mississippi State will be young and new, which will lead to some uncertainty. Check out BetUS where the Bulldogs are +750 odds to win the SEC West.
Jarvis Varnado, a 6’9” 210-pound forward, emerged as a force as a sophomore. His strength, scoring, and rebounding all improved immensely, but it was his defensive play that really turned heads. He jumped to the national lead in blocked shots in early January after blocking 27 in the first three SEC games. Varnado finished the year with a school record 157 total blocks with a national-best 4.6 per game. He will be the leader of the frontcourt. The rest of the frontcourt will be made up of Brian Johnson, Elgin Bailey, and Kodi Augustus, all returners and two newcomers in Romero Osby and Jacquiese Holcombe. Bailey and Johnson were both valuable commodities off the bench. Augustus saw little action as a true freshman. Osby will likely be one of the first forwards off the bench. He has a tremendous upside and is a great person, but as a freshman in the SEC it will be tough. Holcombe is a junior college transfer. He dominated the JuCo ranks and will battle for minutes.
Sophomore Barry Steward averaged 11.5 points per game and tied for the team lead with 62 3-pointers last season, but his shooting percentages were down from his freshman season despite the fact that he was an overall better player. With the departure of Gordon and Hansbrough, Stewart will be expected to contribute more. Phil Turner, Ravern Johnson, and Riley Benock all got minutes in 2007-2008 but all discovered that the transition to Division I basketball is tough. Turner was inconsistent and Johnson, who showcased his athleticism at times, was limited due to lack of strength. Dee Bost will likely be this team’s starting point guard as a true freshman. Bost can score, drive inside, and dish out the assists. Twany Beckham will also be expected to contribute as a true freshman. Beckham is a versatile player and has the ability to play all three guard slots.
Final Analysis
The Mississippi State Bulldogs once again have a ton of talent, but they once again lost a ton of talent. Gordon and Rhodes were underrated college players and Hansbrough was a tough-as-nails swingman who had the ability to knock down big shots. Varnado gives the Bulldogs a shot-blocking presence that is unmatched in the nation. Stewart is a solid scoring option in the backcourt, but Mississippi State is just too young and unproven in too many spots to see them as a serious contender for a third straight Western Division title. We have them finishing near the bottom of the SEC West, but they could still pick up an NIT berth. Head over to BetUS where the Bulldogs are +10000 odds to win the NCAA Championship.
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