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Bulldogs are Primed for a Run in the SEC Tournament

By Josh Barnhill

Feb 27, 2016; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs guard I.J. Ready (15) and guard Craig Sword (32) react during the final seconds of the second half of the game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Humphrey Coliseum. The Bulldogs won 68-58. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 27, 2016; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs guard I.J. Ready (15) and guard Craig Sword (32) react during the final seconds of the second half of the game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Humphrey Coliseum. The Bulldogs won 68-58. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports /
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After beating South Carolina on Saturday, Bulldogs’ coach Ben Howland was asked what the secret was to getting his team to gel late in the year after early season struggles. Instead, he insisted he should have had the team playing like this much sooner.

That’s the kind of response you want from a head coach. It the kind of response we’ve typically gotten out of Dan Mullen as well, although Howland has a few more helpings of humility than Mullen.

At any rate, MSU’s current standing in the SEC is what it is: 6-10 (13-15 overall). With only two games left there’s no chance for a winning record, and only a .500 record overall. The only real hope is a deep run in the SEC Tournament.

As you know, winning the SEC Tournament gets you an automatic invite to the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs pulled off that feat in 2009 when they won the conference tournament and ended up with a 13 seed in the big dance. Georgia did the same in 2008 – and theirs was the most improbable of runs as they were 4-12 during the regular season (tied for worst in the league) and had to win two games in one day because of the tornado that disrupted the schedule that year.

So it’s not unprecedented for a team to come out of nowhere to win the SEC Tournament. And really, MSU would not be coming out of nowhere.

After losing their first five games, they’ve gone 6-5 over the last 11. In each of the last four games they’ve faced teams that were inside Joe Lunardi’s Bracketology field of 68 – and State has come away 3-1 with the only loss being by two points on the road.

Two games remain: at Ole Miss and senior day vs. Auburn.

Right now, MSU is tied for 11th place in the SEC with Tennessee….but since the Vols won the head-to-head they are really 11th and MSU is 12th. Somehow, the Dawgs need to finish one game ahead of UT so they can avoid playing on Wednesday, and having to win five games in five days.

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Ordinarily, it would be inevitable that State would be playing a ‘play-in’ game, but this year Missouri has checked themselves out with a self-imposed postseason ban. That means only one play-in game between the 12th and 13th teams in the standings.

In a year like this one, with no real dominant team in the SEC, it’s possible to make that run. Getting that 11 seed would be a big boost to help it along.

It’s always good to have this hope, however unlikely it may be. But even if MSU could just make a run in the SEC Tournament (with a good finish in the regular season) they may be able to pull out a NIT bid.

Just last year Auburn went from the #13 seed to the semifinals where they lost to Kentucky. If State were to have a similar showing and get their final record over .500 it’s possible they could get a bid. If for nothing else than excitement over a budding program and showcasing a NBA talent like Malik Newman – MSU is attractive to the NIT.

With the way State is playing, an invite to the NIT is very appealing to me. While I’d love to see them in the big dance, it’s a long shot, and they have more of a chance for success in the NIT.

We’ll see what happens. Need to take care of business at Ole Miss on Wednesday.

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