Thursday, December 29
Starkville
7:00 PM
Mississippi State
vs
Kansas City
Mississippi State closes out its non-conference slate Thursday against UMKC.
Bulldogs Conclude Non-Conference Play Against Kangaroos
December 28, 2016 | Men's Basketball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Riding the momentum of a two-game winning streak, Mississippi State closes out its non-conference slate Thursday when Missouri-Kansas City visits Humphrey Coliseum.
Tip is set for 7 p.m., with Bart Gregory and Matt Wyatt handling the SEC Network + broadcast. The game can also be heard on the MSU radio network with veterans Jim Ellis and Richard Williams on the call. Tickets can be purchased at a special price of $5.
MSU stands at 8-3 on the year after rallying to beat upset-minded Morehead State, 85-76. Sophomore guard Quinndary Weatherspoon scored a career-high 27 points, while I.J. Ready added 19.
The Kangaroos enter the contest 7-7 following its 77-67 setback to UT Martin.
THE SERIES
MSU is 2-2 against UMKC, with the Kangaroos posting a 72-67 win a year ago in Kansas City.
COACHES
Ben Howland is in his second year at MSU and 21st overall. As a head coach in four different stops, he is 423-226 with a 22-20 mark with the Bulldogs.
Kareem Richardson is in his fourth year with UMKC and owns a 43-65 ledger.
QUOTABLE
"UMKC beat us last year at their place. We expect that they will play a lot of zone. They're a pressing team. They get after you with their press. They'll pick you up full court. They've played at some tough places. They started out their season by barely losing at Creighton, who's Top 10 in the country. So you know they have some players." — MSU coach Ben Holland on UMKC.
NEXT 2
Jan. 3 against Alabama at Humphrey Coliseum and Jan. 7 on the road at LSU.
BULLDOG BITES
Tip is set for 7 p.m., with Bart Gregory and Matt Wyatt handling the SEC Network + broadcast. The game can also be heard on the MSU radio network with veterans Jim Ellis and Richard Williams on the call. Tickets can be purchased at a special price of $5.
MSU stands at 8-3 on the year after rallying to beat upset-minded Morehead State, 85-76. Sophomore guard Quinndary Weatherspoon scored a career-high 27 points, while I.J. Ready added 19.
The Kangaroos enter the contest 7-7 following its 77-67 setback to UT Martin.
THE SERIES
MSU is 2-2 against UMKC, with the Kangaroos posting a 72-67 win a year ago in Kansas City.
COACHES
Ben Howland is in his second year at MSU and 21st overall. As a head coach in four different stops, he is 423-226 with a 22-20 mark with the Bulldogs.
Kareem Richardson is in his fourth year with UMKC and owns a 43-65 ledger.
QUOTABLE
"UMKC beat us last year at their place. We expect that they will play a lot of zone. They're a pressing team. They get after you with their press. They'll pick you up full court. They've played at some tough places. They started out their season by barely losing at Creighton, who's Top 10 in the country. So you know they have some players." — MSU coach Ben Holland on UMKC.
NEXT 2
Jan. 3 against Alabama at Humphrey Coliseum and Jan. 7 on the road at LSU.
BULLDOG BITES
- The Bulldogs are looking for their first 9-3 start since beginning the 2013-14 campaign 9-3.
- Former MSU assistant (2013-15) Chris Hollender is now an assistant at UMKC.
- MSU is 3-2 against the 18 teams that currently comprise the Western Athletic Conference. In addition to its 2-2 mark against the Kangaroos, MSU is 1-0 versus Chicago State.
- Against Morehead State, MSU implemented its fourth-different starting lineup of the year, with Xavian Stapleton starting in the place of Mario Kegler. It was the first career-start at MSU for Stapleton, a transfer from Louisiana Tech.
- MSU won for the first time in four games this year when trailing at the halftime.
- Both Mississippi State (.534) and Morehead State (.500) shot better than 50 percent. The last time MSU and its opponent did that in the same game was last year at Kentucky, .529/.509.
- Sophomore guard Quinndary Weatherspoon scored a career-high 27 points against Morehead State, the most by any Bulldog player this season. MSU is 5-1 all-time in games he totals 20-plus points, including a 4-0 mark this year. He is fourth in the SEC with his 18.4 scoring clip.
- I.J. Ready is 58th nationally and 3rd in the SEC with his 2.7 assist/turnover ratio.
- I.J. Ready is now 209 points shy of becoming the 37th player in MSU history to score 1,000 for a career. Against Morehead State, he had 3 assists to give him 330 for his career, now the 10th most in school history. He needs just 124 more to move into the Top 5.
- In addition, he is 11 steals shy of tying Darryl Wilson for the 10th most in school history.
- l In his last five games, backup guard Lamar Peters has made 16 of his last 30 3-point attempts (.533). After draining a career-best six against Georgia State, he had one versus Morehead State.
- KenPom.com has Mississippi State as the least experienced team (.72) of all 351 DI programs.
- When is Mississippi State successful? When shooting 45 percent or better (7-0), outrebounding foes (6-0) and winning or being tied at the half (7-0).
- Of current SEC players, I.J. Ready is 11th with 791 points, third with 129 steals and fourth with 330 assists.
- $5 tickets
- Bully's Kidz Kourt, 5:30 p.m.-6:45 p.m.
- Pictures with the St. Petersburg Bowl and Egg Bowl trophies
- Free admission for Bully's Kids Club with ID
- @HailStateMBK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram