Men's basketball team still has much potential

[jdelta02]

My opinion, the incoming freshman point guard is really fast, really talented. Coach Howland would be well served to play at a faster tempo with this group.

First 5 appears more than solid regardless Robert Woodard's status (in very good shape)
(PG )Deivon Smith
(W) Iverson Molinar
(W) DJ Stewart
(F) R. Woodard (status pending) or T. Smith.
(C) Abdul Ado

Keep an eye on incoming freshman Anderson Garcia at the 3 and 4 spots as well. Need good minutes out of Quinten Post. Possibly pickup at least 1 grad-transfer, juco, ect. Also, teams are waiting to some extent on word expected soon concerning immediately eligible transfers, continuing to monitor the current portal, ect.

Possibly add another "ready to play" perimeter shooter to the rotation.

[ZedFedder]

I appreciate your opinion, but I just don’t see how we can expect much if we barely were on the bubble with the talent we had last year.

[KOdawg1]

Love the optimism but unless we get some star transfers, this team is going to suck next year. We just simply lose too much

[R2Dawg]

I partly agree with delta. The starting 5 may not be too bad. DJ and Molinar can take big steps. Ado is a beast inside but we need some scoring help in inside.

This team may surprise some folks if they decide to play as a team. This is not Rick Ray type of rebuild next year but we do need more talent.

[jdelta02]

I appreciate your opinion, but I just don?t see how we can expect much if we barely were on the bubble with the talent we had last year.


Big keys ....playing faster with Deivon at the point, similar to Coach Bruce Pearl.

My opinion, play a good bit faster with this group. Coach Howland's grind offense....tweaked for the personel. Add a few additional players in the rotation. Possibly add at least 1 really good transfer ....even 2 transfers. Knockdown shooter...would help. Need solid backup for Ado as well....T. Smith (4 and 5 spots), Quinten Post, possible newcomer, walkon, ect.

[ZedFedder]

What it comes down to is that I don’t trust Howland with them. We had the talent last year to be top 25 at the minimum, yet we weren’t even close. How can we expect him to take a roster that should not make the NCAA tournament and make it?

[hopsondawg22]

Coach Ben Howland teams don?t know how to play fast though.

[maroonmania]

Coach Ben Howland teams don?t know how to play fast though.

We had really good talent this year (3 guys going pro early), some of the best we've ever had and we were still on the wrong side of the NCAA bubble. Just not that impressed with Howland's coaching. Its extremely vanilla. He plays man-to-man defense only, never mixes it up. Doesn't really do much with pressing or full court pressure that affects anything and the offensive system is pretty blah as well. Nothing wrong with his style if you have really good talent but I just don't see anything Howland does that can take lesser talent and have them overachieve. And we will have to significantly overachieve next year even to be an NIT team unless by some miracle Woodard comes back.

[jdelta02]

We had really good talent this year (3 guys going pro early), some of the best we've ever had and we were still on the wrong side of the NCAA bubble. Just not that impressed with Howland's coaching. Its extremely vanilla. He plays man-to-man defense only, never mixes it up. Doesn't really do much with pressing or full court pressure that affects anything and the offensive system is pretty blah as well. Nothing wrong with his style if you have really good talent but I just don't see anything Howland does that can take lesser talent and have them overachieve. And we will have to significantly overachieve next year even to be an NIT team unless by some miracle Woodard comes back.

Already have several of the perimeter athletes needed to run the floor....
- Deivon Smith
- DJ Stewart
- Iverson Molinar
- Garcia and Matthews (develop these 2)
Could use a few more

Also, transfer portal and juco transfers available

[Dawg2003]

God bless everyone that still follows men's basketball!

[gtowndawg]

God bless everyone that still follows men's basketball!

There's about 4 of us left...

[Leeshouldveflanked]

There's about 4 of us left...
Meh... 3 now.

[HoopsDawg]

There's about 4 of us left...

I'm still in. Next year could be rough. We are on 2, possibly 3 transfers. 1 backcourt guy and 2 guys that can play in the frontcourt.

[pilldawg]

Yes, terrible to follow a team that has three 20+ seasons in a row and just finished 4th in the SEC when most preseason experts and publications had us no higher than 7th. There are over 700 players in the transfer portal and probably half of that number going pro. Every college team in America is trying to reconstruct their roster. We will likely drop down some this year, but it isn?t a given with the outflow and inflow of players all over.

[Cooterpoot]

No, it'll be damn weak.

[maroonmania]

Yes, terrible to follow a team that has three 20+ seasons in a row and just finished 4th in the SEC when most preseason experts and publications had us no higher than 7th. There are over 700 players in the transfer portal and probably half of that number going pro. Every college team in America is trying to reconstruct their roster. We will likely drop down some this year, but it isn?t a given with the outflow and inflow of players all over.

Just shows how pathetic preseason 'experts' are.

[gtowndawg]

I'm still in. Next year could be rough. We are on 2, possibly 3 transfers. 1 backcourt guy and 2 guys that can play in the frontcourt.

Might need to look at the California Penal League for some talent...

[ScottH]

As much as I love MSU hoops, I see no light at the end of the tunnel.

If preseason is as challenging as Howland has indicated, this is a sub 500 team in my opinion.

[ZedFedder]

Yes, terrible to follow a team that has three 20+ seasons in a row and just finished 4th in the SEC when most preseason experts and publications had us no higher than 7th. There are over 700 players in the transfer portal and probably half of that number going pro. Every college team in America is trying to reconstruct their roster. We will likely drop down some this year, but it isn?t a given with the outflow and inflow of players all over.

Its not the win/loss total, it is the win/loss total with regards to what was on the roster.

[NCMSTFAN]

There are some really good grad transfers out their, Ole Miss grabbed 1 the other day.. we have to try and get one or two or maybe a JUCO guy or two. Getting freshman wont help much for next season.

We actually do have some solid players left with DJ, Molinar and Ado.. Tolu is proven also, I like our PG coming in also... we just need to add a couple pieces

[tcdog70]

Damn, y'all some whiners. Right now with Smith, Molinar ,DJ, Tolu and Ado--that is a good starting five. In Basketball you don't need but 7. Add the 7 footer and pick up a good transfer and we could win 20. We might be better at the PG, Molinar will blossom and Ado will be a force on defense. Tulu , from what I hear can play. DJ is also solid. How about we play a few games before you start knashing your teeth and whining.

[bobcat91]

We are going to suck. Like 12 to 14 wins suck and compete for the bottom of the Conference. This is Howland's swan song. Cohen needs to have a list right now.

[Saltydog]

I'm tired of "potential".....Hell, we've had "potential" for years...?...It's time to take it up a notch or ask CBH to move on.....Simple as that......Potential is just another word that means you haven't done it...…..

[StarkVegasSteve]

Unless Howland lets the horses run then we'll struggle. We just don't have a team that can slow it down and make it a defensive battle, we don't play good enough defense for that. He either needs to take the reigns off or step aside for someone that will. And I say this as a huge Ben Howland supporter. He brought us out of the Dark Ages and I'll be forever thankful for that. But you can't play like Virginia when you don't recruit like Virginia. We recruit NBA type players and then try to make them defensive guys. You can preach defense and still want to run, but for some reason Howland can't find that balance.

[Cowbell]

No, it'll be damn weak.

And undercoached

[msugolf]

There are some really good grad transfers out their, Ole Miss grabbed 1 the other day.. we have to try and get one or two or maybe a JUCO guy or two. Getting freshman wont help much for next season.

We actually do have some solid players left with DJ, Molinar and Ado.. Tolu is proven also, I like our PG coming in also... we just need to add a couple pieces

Tolu averaged 3 pts/game and his high is 9 pts. We're going to see a HUGE drop off at that position with Reggie gone.

There isn't an alpha on the roster that can take over a game. We have some nice players but when you try to make them the primary option as opposed to secondary there's going to be struggles.

Also, teams around us are recruiting at such a high level and getting major transfers in. It's easy to not pay attention but we are at the bottom of the league in recruiting recently and I think that catches up with us next year.

[gtowndawg]

It's going to be ugly guys.

[tcdog70]

same shit i heard about Stansbury---Coach K ain't coming to Starkville--we ran off the winiest Coach is MSU history--don't run off Ben We could get a Jim Hatfield

Hell most of complainers don't even know who Hatfield is he took us from the penthouse to the outhouse---Ray wasn't the first shitty Coach we had. Give Ben a Chance then blast Him. We just finished 4th in Sec when we were predicted to finish 7th.

[Shooter McGavin]

Other than the guy from USM, does anyone have names of any other transfers we are after?

[TheLostDawg]

I still think whoever said we are working on replacing Howland from within was correct. Watching the games and seeing how Howland would stand back at time outs while someone else called the next play is why I say this. However other head coaches might do this that I don't know about.
If he stays this year and this isn't just a rumor hopefully we see some new ideas this season.

[KentuckyDawg13]

I agree, both Molinar and Stewart gave us glimpses of what they can do. Frankly, I was expecting more from DJ but with Woodard, Perry and Spoon it was hard to get in that mode. Molinar was the biggest surprise of the season, as he was better than Nick. Better complete player.
T Smith's stats are not that great, but the chatter is he can play. Scrimmaging against an All American everyday will make you better. Ado has been improving every year and now with him being a senior, he may actually surprise us with a scoring game.
The freshmen coming in are all solid players. Not ALL-SEC types (yet), but they have a lot of potential.
2-3 transfers with 2 having immediate playing time will salvage 2021 season.

[fishwater99]

Woodard says he is not coming back

[Bothrops]

MSU hoops is now in the unobservable universe.

[TheLostDawg]

Only way we "pack the hump" this year is if football is cut out. Even then the students probably won't go to men's games.


Sorry, couldn't help but to put the student comment in there.