Game 15 | Mississippi State vs. Alabama | Wednesday, January 16, 2013 Gregg Ellis, Assistant Media Relations Director Humphrey Coliseum, Room 202 | 55 Coliseum Boulevard Mississippi State, MS 39762 | Fax: 662.325.3654 Office: 662-325-3595 | Cell: 662-322-0145 E-Mail: [email protected] | www.hailstate.com Twitter: @mstateMBK; @msuhoopsgregg; @RickRay1 2012-13 Men’s Basketball Facebook: www.facebook.com/mstateMBK 10 NCAA Appearances | 1 Final Four | 6 SEC Championships | 3 SEC Tournament Titles | 18 Postseason Appearances At A Glance MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS (7-7) When: ..............Wednesday, January 16, 2013 Head Coach: Rick Ray (Grand View [IA], 1994) Where: ................................... Starkville, Miss. Venue: .............. Humphrey Coliseum (10,500) MSU Record: 7-7, 1st year Time: ..................................................... 8 p.m. Career Record: Same TV: ............................................................CSS Talent: Matt Stewart, Kyle Macy Sirus/XM: ............................................. 94/190 VS Series:.........................Alabama leads, 115-73 Last Meeting: ........ 67-50, Alabama (2-25-12) ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (9-6) Head Coach: Anthony Grant (Dayton, 1987) Alabama Record: 78-45, 4th year 2012-13 Schedule/Results Career Record: 148-70, 7th year NOVEMBER 9 at Troy L, 56-53 13 FLORIDA ATLANTIC W, 78-58 WHAT TO NOTE AS MSU PLAYS ALABAMA . Maui Invitational (Maui, Hawaii) aMississippi State is looking for its first 3-0 start in SEC play since 2010. 19 vs. North Carolina (ESPN2) L, 95-49 aIn the last 20 years, the Bulldogs have been 3-0 just four times — 2010, 2009, 2008 and 1994. 20 vs. Marquette (ESPN2) L, 89-62 aMississippi State has won 12 out of the last 15 meetings against Alabama in Starkville. Overall, 21 vs. Texas (ESPNU) L, 69-55 the two have split their last 10 affairs. 27 ALCORN STATE W, 60-42 aIn Starkville, the Bulldogs have won 56 games against the Crimson Tide, the third most victo- ries against anyone team — Ole Miss (91) and LSU (58). DECEMBER aThe win at Georgia at Saturday snapped a three-game losing streak to the Bulldogs. As a SEC/Big East Challenge (Providence, RI) result, MSU has now won three-straight regular-season SEC games dating back to last year. 1 at Providence (ESPNU) L, 73-63 aMSU has held eight of its opponents under 60 points. In the last five games, the Bulldogs 4 TEXAS-SAN ANTONIO W, 53-42 are yielding just an average of 58.0 points. In the six home games, opponents are totaling just 15 at Loyola-Chicago L, 59-51 50.2 points. 22 vs. Central Arkansas^ W, 79-72 aIn 14 games this season, the Bulldogs have used six different lineups. 30 ALABAMA A&M (CSS) L, 59-57 aAgainst Georgia, junior guard Jalen Steele scored a career-high 21 points. aOf the 10 players that have seen action this year, nine have started at least four games. JANUARY aAfter scoring a career-high 18 points against South Carolina and 16 points at Georgia, Craig 3 NEW ORLEANS (CSS) W, 97-46 Sword was named the SEC’s Freshman of the Week. 9 SOUTH CAROLINA (ESPN3) W, 56-54 aGavin Ware’s 7.1 rebounds are second best among SEC freshmen and 9th overall. 12 at Georgia (SEC Network) W, 72-61 aFred Thomas’ 10.0 scoring clip is fourth best among freshmen in the SEC, while Craig Sword 16 ALABAMA (CSS) 8 p.m. (9.6) is 5th and Gavin Ware (8.4) seventh. 19 at Tennessee (SEC Network) 3 p.m. aDue to injuries, MSU has lost freshmen Andre Applewhite (ACL) and Jacoby Davis (ACL) 23 at Arkansas (CSS) 8 p.m. for the year. Senior forward Wendell Lewis is out indefinitely with a fractured right patella. 26 FLORIDA (ESPN2) 7 p.m. 30 TEXAS A&M (CSS) 8 p.m. FEBRUARY MSU’S PROJECTED STARTING 5 2 LSU (FSN) 4:30 p.m. 6 at Ole Miss (CSS) 8 p.m. 9 at Florida (FSN) 4 p.m. 13 MISSOURI (SEC Network) 7 p.m. 16 at LSU (ESPNU) 4 p.m. 20 at Alabama (SEC Network) 7 p.m. 23 VANDERBILT (SEC Network) 12:30 p.m. 27 at Kentucky (SEC Network) 7 p.m. MARCH Gl32lFR Gl0lJR Gl4lSO Fl20lFR Fl3lJR 2 OLE MISS (FSN) 4 p.m. Craig Jalen Trivante Gavin Colin 6 at South Carolina (ESPN3) 6 p.m. 9 AUBURN (FSN) 4:30 p.m. Sword Steele Bloodman Ware Borchert 13-17 SEC Tournament (SEC Network/ABC) TBA P: 9.6 P: 11.5 P: 5.8 P: 8.4 P: 7.6 ^ - Jackson, Miss (Mississippi Coliseum) R: 3.2 R: 3.7 R: 3.6 R: 7.1 R: 4.8 A: 1.7 A: 1.0 A: 2.9 B: 1.1 B: 1.6 S: 2.0 S: 1.2 S: 1.2 S: 0.6 S: 1.4 MISSISSIPPI STATE BASKETBALL GAME 15: ALABAMA 2012-13 MISSISSIPPI STATE PLAYER BREAKDOWN Statistical Comparison A CLOSER LOOK AT THE ALABAMA SERIES 2012-13 Stats MSU BAMA While Alabama leads the overall series 115-73, MSU holds a 56-35 2012-13 Record .........................7-7 9-6 advantage in Starkville and has won 12 out of the last 15 at the Hump. Conference Record ...................2-0 1-1 Overall, the Tide has won five out of the last seven Scoring ....................................63.2 65.9 Here is a look at the last 10 games, where the series is 5-5 . Scoring Defense ......................62.5 60.9 Year Where Score Scoring Margin ........................+0.7 +5.0 2012 Tuscaloosa Bama, 67-50 Field Goal Pct. .........................41.4 44.6 2012 Starkville MSU 56-52 Opp. FG Pct.............................39.6 40.7 2011 Tuscaloosa Bama, 75, 61 3-Point FG Pct. ........................27.8 34.3 2011 Starkville Bama, 75-57 Opp. 3-Point FG Pct. ...............33.6 32.1 2010 Starkville MSU, 74-66 Free Throw Pct. .......................65.8 70.9 2010 Tuscaloosa Bama, 62-57 Opp. FT Pct. ............................61.8 70.0 2009 Tuscaloosa Bama, 87-85 2 OT Rebounding Average ...............36.8 32.4 2009 Starkville MSU, 83-74 Opp. Rebounding Avg. ............36.4 33.3 2008 Atlanta MSU, 69-67 OT Rebound Margin ......................+0.4 -0.9 2008 Starkville MSU, 73-66 Assists .......................................9.9 11.8 Turnovers ................................17.2 12.9 JANUARY RECORD LAST 25 YEARS Turnover Margin ......................+0.1 +1.9 Steals.........................................9.1 8.3 Dating back to the 1987-88 season when Richard Williams was over- Blocked Shots............................4.6 4.8 seeing the program, Mississippi State owns a composite ledger of 101-88 (.534) in January. Last year, MSU was 4-3 in January. Statistical Leaders Scoring SCOUTING ALABAMA MSU PPG OPP PPG Alabama evened its record in SEC play at 1-1 with a 68-65 home win Johnson ........ 12.0 Releford ......... 16.3 against Tennessee on Saturday. Steele ........... 11.5 Lacey ......... 12.5 The Crimson Tide, which trailed 28-24 at the break, hit 23 of its 54 shots and drained 6 of its 14 3-pointers. Rebounding Defensively, Bama saw the Volunteers connect on 26 of their 55 shots MSU RPG OPP RPG while forcing 16 turnovers and converting those miscues into 19 points. Ware ............... 7.1 Gueye ........... 4.5 Guards Trevor Lacey and Trevor Releford paced Alabama with 15 Johnson .......... 5.2 Cooper ........... 4.4 points each, while Levi Randolph added 12. Randolph also led the Tide with six rebounds. Assists MSU APG OPP APG LAST TIME OUT FOR MSU . Bloodman ....... 2.9 Lacey ........... 3.3 Sword ............. 1.7 Releford ........... 2.6 Mississippi State overcame a 7-point deficit to improve to 2-0 in SEC play with a 72-61 win at Georgia on Saturday. It was the largest margin Blocks of victory on the road in league play since winning 88-78 at Arkansas in MSU BPG OPP BPG March of 2011. Borchert .......... 1.6 Gueye ........... 1.2 The Bulldogs hit 25 of their 54 shots, while holding UGA to 19-of-58 Ware ............... 1.1 Jacobs/Pollard .............1.0 shooting. Defensively, MSU forced 15 turnovers and collected nine steals. Steals Jalen Steele led MSU with a career-high 21 points, while Craig Sword MSU SPG OPP SPG finished with 16 points. Steele also paced MSU with seven rebounds. Sword ............. 2.0 Releford ........... 1.8 Thomas ............. 1.8 Lacey .............1.4 LACK OF INEXPERIENCE SEEN IN MINUTES Field Goal Percentage (97 minimum) Back from last year’s squad is a total of four players that combined to MSU FG% OPP FG% average 46.9 minutes. Included in that mix are Jalen Steele (24.5 min- Ware ............. 51.5 Releford ......... 48.3 utes) and Wendell Lewis (19.4). Johnson ........ 44.4 Lacey ......... 45.9 Steele has missed eight games due to injury, while Lewis is now out indefinitely with a fractured right patella. 3-Point FG Percentage (25 minimum) MSU 3FG% OPP 3FG% MISSISSIPPI/ALABAMA CONNECTIONS Steele ........... 42.9 Lacey ......... 41.8 Mississippi State currently has three players on its roster from Alabama Thomas......... 23.9 Releford ......... 40.8 — Wendell Lewis (Selma), Craig Sword (Montgomery) and Roquez John- Free Throw Percentage (28 minimum) son (Montgomery). MSU FT% OPP FT% In addition, assistant coach George Brooks is from Lafayette, while as- Bloodman ..... 72.0 Releford ......... 85.3 sistant Wes Flanigan was an All-SEC standout at Auburn. Thomas......... 71.4 Lacey ......... 70.0 Alabama’s Devonta Pollard is from Porterville (Kemper Country HS). BULLDOG BASKETBALL MISSISSIPPI STATE BASKETBALL GAME 15: ALABAMA 2012-13 MISSISSIPPI STATE PLAYER BREAKDOWN Leading returning scorer from last year. Had JALEN STEELE l Jr l G l 6-3 l 194 l Knoxville, TN team-high 16 points at Troy. ... Suffered a frac- tured wrist against FAU and missed eight games.