This basketball team is a year away

[NWADAWG]

We are good enough to play with anybody we play. We arent good enough to win all the close games due to youth and FT shooting.

This group really needs to stay together another season. Could really make a run next Spring

A year away from me watching again? How did you know?

[Ari Gold]

A year away from me watching again? How did you know?

That’s the beauty of it.. you don’t have to watch...
just make sure you aren’t watching if we make a run and have a good year...

[parabrave]

No chance. Not in this discombobulated offensive system

Ditto. Plus the kids are not getting any better.

[Tripp McNeely]

Ditto. Plus the kids are not getting any better.

I love declarative statements like this that are: 1. Obviously opinions and; 2. Are just flat-out wrong!!

You really don?t think Molinar and Stewart (our best 2 players) really arent MUCH better than they were last year??? Really???

[R2Dawg]

We are good enough to play with anybody we play. We arent good enough to win all the close games due to youth and FT shooting.

This group really needs to stay together another season. Could really make a run next Spring

I tend to agree. Outside of Ado, all our top contributors are fresh or soph and all learning to play together or in different roles. Early season surprised performance gave us all increased expectations. I still like how the team plays, culture, and attitude which we haven't had in a while.

Yes we have room to improve in some execution and coaching areas but so does every team. This group can make a run next year.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Look, Are we fun to watch at times? YES. Are we frustrating to watch at times? ABSOLUTELY. Is our offense concerning at times? YES. Do we play outstanding defense? MOST OF THE TIME. Can we shoot free throws consistently? MOST DEFINITELY NOT. Most said it before the year started that this was a young team and we were going to have some growing pains this year. Right now we are having those growing pains. We tend to play up or down to our competition like most young teams do. I can tell you this though, the talent is there. And look, this team gives consistent effort, which is something we haven't seen from most Howland/Ray/Stans teams. I think as the season continues to progress we will continue to get more consistent.

Bottom Line: This is a team that will make noise next year and has a chance to be one of the best Mississippi State teams ever. Howland deserves to be apart of that. Let him have next year and maybe the year after and he'll be ready to retire and you look a heck of a lot more attractive than you would firing a guy during a pandemic that's coming off back to back 20 win seasons and probably back to back tourney appearances if it wasn't for the tourney being cancelled.

[BiscuitEater]

But having those one or 2 upperclassmen , who are both NBA talent is. A huge deal
Example Bama

Next year could be special if they return..

'IFs' and 'BUTs' Another example. ... MSU, three 'leaders' ... Q, Perry & Woodard LEAVE; a JR and two SOs jump!! I know ... 'if' they return!!

It's always ... next year!

[Ari Gold]

'IFs' and 'BUTs' Another example. ... MSU, three 'leaders' ... Q, Perry & Woodard LEAVE; a JR and two SOs jump!! I know ... 'if' they return!!

It's always ... next year!

Just made a point that Bama had 2 guys come back
And it makes a huge difference
Everyone knew Perry was going Woodard was a little bit I’d a surprise

[Ari Gold]

Ditto. Plus the kids are not getting any better.

This says it all..
so dumb..

[BiscuitEater]

Just made a point that Bama had 2 guys come back
And it makes a huge difference
Everyone knew Perry was going Woodard was a little bit I’d a surprise

So, any bets this team comes back next year? You seem confident they will! Me, not so much.

[BiscuitEater]

Duh.. we had the three best underclass ALL leave last year and two were Sophomores!

[parabrave]

I love declarative statements like this that are: 1. Obviously opinions and; 2. Are just flat-out wrong!!

You really don?t think Molinar and Stewart (our best 2 players) really arent MUCH better than they were last year??? Really???

Of course they're better than last year/ But I'm talking about this year. Look at IM. He is still cold as ice in the 1st half and comes out hot at the beginning of the 2nd/ he is now at 44% . DJ is at 39% FG. Tulu has all but disappeared the last few games getting in early foul trouble.

[maroonmania]

Yes we will be somewhat better next year just because we should have more experience at the guard position. But 80-90% of all college basketball games are decided in the last 5 minutes of a game. I would almost say in fact that, in the majority of games, the first 35 minutes are almost a waste of time unless you let yourself get totally blown out or you blow someone out. So until Howland and staff start doing a WAY better job of coaching their team at the end of games, where in game coaching REALLY counts, especially on the offensive end of the court, we will never live up to our potential under this staff. And this part of Howland's coaching has been pretty rough with every team he has had at MSU. We just win very few games that come down to the very end with this staff because our players don't play smart or understand game situations at the end. Heck, for most end of game situations, the Stansbury stall was actually way more effective than what we get now under Howland. I'm done watching for this year because I know what is going to happen at the end of most every game and don't care to get constantly gut punched game after game. But yes, when the slate gets wiped clean, and we get a bit more experienced with these players, I will be back watching next year to see if we can make some noise. This year is likely gone for any type post-season play anyway, probably even for the NIT. And even in saying all of that, I reiterate that I am not calling for Howland's job because our basketball coaching job is just not very attractive because we, as a fanbase, just don't support basketball very well. Its really our 3rd sport, and with what the women had been doing under Vic, had pretty much slipped to 4th. NMP is taking care of that for us though.

[Ari Gold]

Yes we will be somewhat better next year just because we should have more experience at the guard position. But 80-90% of all college basketball games are decided in the last 5 minutes of a game. I would almost say in fact that, in the majority of games, the first 35 minutes are almost a waste of time unless you let yourself get totally blown out or you blow someone out. So until Howland and staff start doing a WAY better job of coaching their team at the end of games, where in game coaching REALLY counts, especially on the offensive end of the court, we will never live up to our potential under this staff. And this part of Howland's coaching has been pretty rough with every team he has had at MSU. We just win very few games that come down to the very end with this staff because our players don't play smart or understand game situations at the end. Heck, for most end of game situations, the Stansbury stall was actually way more effective than what we get now under Howland. I'm done watching for this year because I know what is going to happen at the end of most every game and don't care to get constantly gut punched game after game. But yes, when the slate gets wiped clean, and we get a bit more experienced with these players, I will be back watching next year to see if we can make some noise. This year is likely gone for any type post-season play anyway, probably even for the NIT. And even in saying all of that, I reiterate that I am not calling for Howland's job because our basketball coaching job is just not very attractive because we, as a fanbase, just don't support basketball very well. Its really our 3rd sport, and with what the women had been doing under Vic, had pretty much slipped to 4th. NMP is taking care of that for us though.

Thanks for your support of MSU athletics.. I guess

[maroonmania]

Thanks for your support of MSU athletics.. I guess

You're welcome. Been supporting MSU athletics as a student and alum for more than 35 years and been a football season ticket holder for most of that time. But MSU sports, like any sports, is entertainment. For any that are still getting entertainment value watching a team continually implode the last few minutes of pretty much every competitive game they play in, then by all means, knock yourself out. Here's hoping next season that will improve with some better coaching.

[BiscuitEater]

This is a team that will make noise next year and has a chance to be one of the best Mississippi State teams ever. Howland deserves to be apart of that.

Woodard left after his SO year. Iverson, DJ, & Tulo are SOs. 'IF' none leave and 'IF' they can add another shooter, this team may be better next year. But ...

[PGHBulldogBG]

As bad as Ray was, his teams did play with effort and gave 100 percent. They just had no talent and Ray didn?t know what he was doing. I wish we could?ve taken that heart and effort and put them into Stans and Howlands past teams, but this team does seem to have that. We just need to hope Howland can improve and adjust offensively

[Liverpooldawg]

It took a decade to get back to something like what we were under Stans. Hopefully we aren't about to do it again.

[confucius say]

It took a decade to get back to something like what we were under Stans. Hopefully we aren't about to do it again.

This is correct. No way we need to run off howland. I believe we will be a tourney team next year. And I expect us to win a few as an underdog down the stretch this year, maybe sneaking in the NIT

[maroonmania]

This is correct. No way we need to run off howland. I believe we will be a tourney team next year. And I expect us to win a few as an underdog down the stretch this year, maybe sneaking in the NIT

Howland desperately, and I mean DESPERATELY, needs to trade out an assistant coach for someone that can help with offensive game planning and execution. Until we get that its going to be hard to ever get past that 'pretty good' level that we were even with 3 NBA future players, in addition to Tyson Carter, Aric Holman and Lamar Peters all on the same team. Howland will likely never have a roster that talented again. But we just have way too many game where we even struggle to break 50 points. You just can't win many basketball games against really good teams like that today just like you can't win many football games 17-14 these days.