Mississippi State vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi: Highlights, final score, and analysis
By Landon Young
The Mississippi State basketball team opened up its 2022-2023 season by defeating the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders, 63-44.
Here are my early post-game thoughts on this year’s 2022-2023 Mississippi State basketball team.
This team works hard.
Chris Jans’ teams work hard and this team will be no different. The Bulldogs held a former tournament team to 44 points tonight. That’s some great defense on night one of Jans’ tenure. Cameron Matthews is a great example of this year’s team being one that works hard. Matthews fought all game on the defensive side of the ball. He won’t be a guy that will produce much offensively, but he will make plays on defense and that will get him playing time in the eyes of Chris Jans.
Tolu Smith could be a difference maker.
Tolu Smith led the Bulldogs in scoring tonight with 17 points. He is the typical big man down low, but he looks much improved from last year. Expect to see the Bulldogs try to get Smith the ball more and more as this year goes on.
Mississippi State basketball needs a shooter.
Dashawn Davis or Shawn Jones Jr. could be that guy for the Bulldogs this season. Both Davis and Jones have a really good-looking shot, but they will need to be more consistent as the Bulldogs move into more difficult opponents.
Shakeel Moore can be a combination of Dee Bost and Lamar Peters.
Shakeel Moore showed spurts of greatness tonight at the Humphrey Coliseum. Moore has great court vision like Dee Bost, but he also has some moves to get to the basket like Lamar Peters. Moore could put himself in the Mississippi State basketball history books by the time his career is over.
Give this team time.
Chris Jans will put Mississippi State basketball back on the map. There will be times this season that might seem frustrating (like the first half), but don’t lose hope on Jans. Bulldog basketball is back.