11 NCAA TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES 1963 • 1991 • 1995 • 1996 • 2002 • 2003 MISSISSIPPI STATE 2004 • 2005 • 2008 • 2009 • 2019 MEN’S BASKETBALL CONTACT 2020-21 BASKETBALL MATT DUNAWAY • [email protected] OFFICE (662) 325-3595 • CELL (727) 215-3857 Mississippi State (14-12 • 8-9 SEC) vs. Auburn (12-14 • 6-11 SEC) GAME 27 • AUBURN ARENA • AUBURN, ALABAMA • SATURDAY, MARCH 6 • 12:00 P.M. CT 27 TV: SEC NETWORK • WATCH ESPN APP • RADIO: 100.9 WKBB-FM • STARKVILLE • ONLINE: HAILSTATE.COM • TUNE-IN RADIO APP MISSISSIPPI STATE (14-12 • 8-9 SEC) MISSISSIPPI STATE POSSIBLE STARTING LINEUP • BASED ON PREVIOUS GAMES H: 9-6 • A: 5-3 • N: 0-3 • OT: 0-2 NO. 1 IVERSON MOLINAR • G • 6-3 • 190 • SO. • PANAMA CITY, PANAMA NOVEMBER • 1-2 2020-21 • 16.3 PPG • 140-297 FG • 32-71 3-PT FG • 64-80 FT • 3.9 RPG • 2.6 APG • 1.1 SPG Space Coast Challenge • Melbourne, Florida • Nov. 25-26 Wed. 25 vs. Clemson • CBS-SN L • 53-42 LAST GAME • AT TEXAS A&M • 18 PTS • 7-12 FG • 2-5 3-PT FG • 2-4 FT • 5 REB • 3 ASST • 1 STL Thur. 26 vs. Liberty • CBS-SN L • 84-73 • Molinar is an explosive combo guard who is a talented shooter, passer and slasher that can get to the rim • 16.3 PPG is 6th in the SEC (03/06) Mon. 30 Texas State • SECN W • 68-51 • Dialed up career-high 24 PTS at UGA (12/30) and at VANDY (01/09) • Howland: Molinar’s jump from FR/SOPH reminds him of Russell Westbrook at UCLA DECEMBER • 5-1 • 10+ PTS in 20 of his 23 outings and 6 GMS of 20+ PTS in 2020-21 • His +10.4 PPG is T-8th largest FR/SOPH scoring jump in SEC over last decade Fri. 4 North Texas • SECN+ W • 69-63 • MSU is 17-8 when Molinar scores 10+ PTS • 10+ PTS in 24 of his 31 career starts • Most notable NBA player from Panama is Rolando Blackman (1982-94) Tue. 8 Jackson State • SECN W • 82-59 • Played AAU circuit for Team Why Not, Russell Westbrook’s team coached by his brother, in the Nike EYB • Played for Panama at 2017 FIBA AmeriCup Holiday Hoopsgiving • Atlanta, Georgia • Dec. 12 Sat. 12 vs. Dayton • ESPNU L • 85-82 • 2OT NO. 3 • D.J. STEWART JR. • G • 6-6 • 205 • R-SO. • GRACE, MISSISSIPPI Wed. 16 Central Arkansas • SECN W • 81-65 2020-21 • 16.4 PPG • 153-359 FG • 41-115 3-PT FG • 80-101 FT • 3.1 RPG • 2.8 APG • 1.4 SPG Mon. 21 Mississippi Valley State • SECN W • 87-48 Wed. 30 at Georgia • SEC • SECN W • 83-73 LAST GAME • AT TEXAS A&M • 14 PTS • 5-13 FG • 4-9 3-PT FG • 0-0 FT • 5 REB • 1 ASST • 1 STL • 1 BLK JANUARY • 4-5 • Stewart Jr. is a consensus 4-star recruit • Named the No. 2 prospect in Mississippi for Class of 2018 behind former teammate Robert Woodard II Sat. 2 Kentucky • SEC • SECN L • 78-73 • 2OT • Redshirted 2018-19 • Career-high 32 PTS versus DAY (12/12) • SEC career-high 29 PTS at SC (02/06) • 16.4 PPG is 5th in SEC (03/06) Tue. 5 No. 13 Missouri • SEC • SECN W • 78-63 • Stewart Jr. and Molinar are 2 of 10 SEC players to have at least 6 GMS of 20+ PTS in 2020-21 • 1 of 9 SEC players to have 30+ PTS this season Sat. 9 at Vanderbilt • SEC • SECN W • 84-81 • 10+ PTS in 22 of 26 GMS during 2020-21 • He and Molinar’s 32.7 PPG are 4th in the SEC in 2020-21 & MSU’s highest scoring duo since Ravern Wed. 13 Texas A&M • SEC • SECN L • 56-55 Johnson and Dee Bost in 2010-11 • MSU is 10-1 when Molinar,Stewart Jr. and Tolu Smith score 10+ PTS during the same game this season. Sat. 16 Florida • SEC • ESPN2 W • 72-69 Tue. 19 Ole Miss • SEC • SECN L • 64-46 NO. 20 • DEREK FOUNTAIN • F • 6-9 • 210 • FR. • HOLLY SPRINGS, MISSISSIPPI Sat. 23 at No. 18 Alabama • SEC • SECN L • 81-73 2020-21 • 5.1 PPG • 24-51 FG • 10-25 3-PT FG • 3-6 FT • 2.8 RPG • 1.0 APG Tue. 26 at No. 18 Tennessee • SEC • SECN L • 56-53 SEC/Big 12 Challenge • Starkville, Mississippi • Jan. 30 LAST GAME • AT TEXAS A&M • 2 PTS • 1-4 FG • 0-1 3-PT FG • 0-0 FT • 5 REB • 2 ASST • 1 BLK Sat. 30 Iowa State • ESPN2 W • 95-56 • Fountain is a versatile wing man who is a strong shooter, passer, rebounder and defender • Posted 23.0 PPG and 13.0 RPG as a senior FEBRUARY • 3-4 • Holly Springs went 28-5 en route to the MHSAA Class 3A state semifinals in 2019-20 • Holly Springs were state runner-up in 2017-18 & 2018-19 Tue. 2 at Arkansas • SEC • SECN L • 61-45 • A 2-time All-State selection & Class 3A District 2 MVP honoree • Made 1st career MSU start vs. Vanderbilt (02/13) • Started 4 of last 5 (02/13-03/03) Sat. 6 at South Carolina • SEC • SECN W • 75-59 • Piled up season’s best of 20 PTS, 7 REB and 2 ASST versus LSU (02/10) • 170 of his 193 minutes of action has been in last 7 GMS (02/06-03/03) Wed. 10 LSU • SEC • ESPNU L • 94-80 • 1 of 4 MSU freshmen to score 20+ PTS off bench under Howland • Other 3 are 1,000 PTS scorers in Tyson Carter, Lamar Peters & Quinndary Weatherspoon Sat. 13 Vanderbilt • SEC • SECN L • 72-51 • Played the AAU circuit for Team Thad out of Memphis, Tennessee founded by NBA player Thaddeus Young • AAU teammates with Matthews Sat. 20 at Ole Miss • SEC • SECN W • 66-56 Wed. 24 South Carolina • SEC • SECN W • 69-48 NO. 35 • TOLU SMITH • F • 6-10 • 245 • R-SO. • BAY ST. LOUIS, MISSISSIPPI Sat. 27 No. 6 Alabama • SEC • SECN L • 64-59 2020-21 • 12.4 PPG • 124-210 FG • 0-0 3-PT FG • 75-126 FT • 8.5 RPG • 1.2 APG • 0.8 BPG MARCH • 1-0 Wed. 3 at Texas A&M • SEC • SECN W • 63-57 LAST GAME • AT TEXAS A&M • 8 PTS • 4-7 FG • 0-0 3-PT FG • 0-3 FT • 6 REB • 5 ASST • 1 BLK • 1 STL Sat. 6 at Auburn • SEC • SECN 12 p.m. • Smith spent his freshman season (2018-19) at Western Kentucky under former MSU coach Rick Stansbury • Posted 3.3 PPG and 2.6 RPG in 34 GMS • Amassed 20 PTS versus LIB (11/26) • 7th double-double with 12 PTS & 13 REB vs. #6 Bama (02/27) • Career-highs 27 PTS & 14 REB vs. UF (01/16) SEC Tournament • Nashville, Tennessee • March 10-14 TBA • Redshirted 2019-20 • 10+ PTS in 17 GMS in 2020-21 after WKU-high was 9 PTS vs. West Virginia (11/16/2018) • Hit on 78-of-122 from the floor NCAA First Four • March 18 TBA (63.9 percent) in last 16 GMS (01/05-03/03) • 7 double-doubles in 2020-21 are T-1st on the SEC leaderboard • 3.3 O-RPG is 1st, 8.6 RPG is 2nd, & NCAA 1st/2nd Rounds • March 19-22 TBA 5.2 D-RPG is 5th in SEC (03/06) • Prepped at Kahuku Intermediate School in Hawaii where he registered 21.2 PPG, 10.3 RPG and 1.6 BPG as a senior NCAA Sweet 16/Elite 8 • March 27-30 TBA NCAA FInal 4 • April 3, 5 TBA NO. 24 • ABDUL ADO • F • 6-11 • 255 • R-SR. • LAGOS, NIGERIA 2020-21 • 5.6 PPG • 57-107 FG • 0-0 3-PT FG • 31-46 FT • 6.3 RPG • 2.0 BPG • 0.7 SPG All Times Central; Rankings reflect AP Top 25 poll on gameday; RV - Receiving Votes; Home Games in Maroon and Bolded LAST GAME • AT TEXAS A&M • 8 PTS • 4-5 FG • 0-0 3-PT FG • 0-3 FT • 6 REB • 5 BLK • 1 ASST • Ado tucked away 5.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG & 1.9 BPG in 2019-20 • 235 career BLK is 3rd at MSU • Started 123 of 124 GMS, which is 1st in MSU history • 2020-21 SEC season-high is 11 PTS vs. UF (01/16) • 2019-20 SEC season-high was 14 PTS vs. SC (02/19) • Career-high is 19 PTS at A&M (02/20/2018) • SEC’s active leader in REBs & BLKs • His 1.9 BPG (6th • 2017-18) • 1.8 BPG (7th • 2018-19) • 1.9 BPG (4th • 2019-20) • 2.0 BPG (3rd • 2020-21) WHAT’S INSIDE • TOC • 9 BLK vs. #8 AU (01/07/2020) are most for MSU player since Jarvis Varnado at #18 VANDY (02/03/2010) • 68 career GMS with 2+ BLKS & 15 in 2020-21 Schedule & Results • Probable Starters • Matchup Breakdown 1 • 11th in MSU history with 745 REB • 9 REB away from passing Jack Houston (1952-53-54-55) • 6.7 RPG (9th • 2019-20) • 6.4 RPG (11th • 2020-21) Off the Bench • Stats Comparison • On the Air 2 • SEC’s top returning offensive rebounder • 2.5 O-RPG (6th • 2020-21) • 100+ O-REB in 2 of first 3 seasons • Has 20 career GMS with 5+ O-REB TV/Radio Chart • 2020-21 Roster/Coaching Staff/Pronunciation Guide 3 • Ado was Tennessee’s 2016 Player of the Year at Hamilton Heights HS • 4-star recruit • Ranked No.