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 WWW.HAILSTATE.COM Mississippi State (4-3 • 0-0 SEC) vs. Mississippi Valley State (0-7 • 0-0 SWAC) GAME 8 • HUMPHREY COLISEUM • STARKVILE, MISSISSIPPI • MONDAY, DECEMBER 21 • 7:00 P.M. CT 8 TV: SEC NETWORK • WATCH ESPN APP • RADIO: 100.9 WKBB-FM • STARKVILLE • ONLINE: HAILSTATE.COM • TUNE-IN RADIO APP MISSISSIPPI STATE (4-3 • 0-0 SEC) MISSISSIPPI STATE POSSIBLE STARTING LINEUP • BASED ON LAST GAME H: 4-0 • A: 0-0 • N: 0-3 • OT: 0-1 NO. 1 IVERSON MOLINAR • G • 6-3 • 190 • SO. • PANAMA CITY, PANAMA NOVEMBER • 1-2 2020-21 • 17.5 PPG • 28-57 FG • 8-18 3-PT FG • 6-10 FT • 4.0 RPG • 3.5 APG • 1.5 SPG Space Coast Challenge • Melbourne, Florida • Nov. 25-26 Wed. 25 vs. Clemson • CBS-SN L • 53-42 LAST GAME • CENTRAL ARKANSAS • 14 PTS • 5-13 FG • 2-4 3-PT FG • 2-4 FT • 3 REB • 2 STL • 1 ASST 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 • Possesses big-time motor/toughness Mon. 30 Texas State • SECN W • 68-51 • Tied career-high with 21 PTS versus Jackson St (12/08) • Howland: Molinar’s potential jump from frosh-to-soph reminds him of Russell Westbrook at UCLA DECEMBER • 3-1 • 10+ PTS in 4 of his first 5 GMS in 2019-20 (11/05-11/21/2019) • Frosh-high 21 PTS vs. Tulane (11/21) • Added 20 PTS and career-high 7 ASST vs. DAY (12/12) Fri. 4 North Texas • SECN+ W • 69-63 • MSU is 8-1 when Molinar scores 10+ PTS • 10+ PTS in 8 of his 12 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 • Also 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-FR. • GRACE, MISSISSIPPI Wed. 16 Central Arkansas • SECN W • 81-65 2020-21 • 18.7 PPG • 51-108 FG • 14-29 3-PT FG • 15-22 FT • 3.3 RPG • 2.4 APG • 0.6 SPG Mon. 21 Mississippi Valley State • SECN 7 p.m. Wed. 30 at Georgia • SEC • SECN 6 p.m. LAST GAME • CENTRAL ARKANSAS • 17 PTS • 7-13 FG • 3-7 3-PT FG • 0-0 FT • 6 REB • 5 ASST • 1 STL JANUARY • 0-0 • 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 5 p.m. • Redshirted 2018-19 • 10+ PTS in 14 of last 21 GMS (01/22-12/16) • MSU is 15-6 when he scores 10+ PTS • 18.7 PPG ranks 4th in SEC (12/21) Tue. 5 Missouri • SEC • SECN 8 p.m. • Career-high & SEC-high for 2020-21 of 32 PTS versus DAY (12/12) • Stewart Jr. is one of 4 SEC players to have 3 GMS of 20+ PTS in SEC this season Sat. 9 at Vanderbilt • SEC • SECN 12 p.m. • 1 of 13 players to have 30+ PTS in a game as a freshman/sophomore at MSU since 1954-55 • He and Molinar are 2 of 9 players to score 20+ PTS Wed. 13 Texas A&M • SEC • SECN 8 p.m. in 2 of first 3 GMS of season as freshmen/sophomore at MSU since 1956-57 • Posted 25.0 PPG & 10.7 RPG as a senior at Riverside HS Sat. 16 Florida • SEC • ESPN2 3 p.m. Tue. 19 Ole Miss • SEC • SECN 8 p.m. NO. 0 • JALEN JOHNSON • G/F • 6-6 • 210 • R-SR. • BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA Sat. 23 at Alabama • SEC • SECN 5 p.m. 2020-21 • 6.6 PPG • 13-34 FG • 8-21 3-PT FG • 12-13 FT • 2.4 RPG • 0.6 APG Tue. 26 at Tennessee • SEC • SECN 6 p.m. SEC/Big 12 Challenge • Starkville, Mississippi • Jan. 30 LAST GAME • CENTRAL ARKANSAS • 15 PTS • 3-8 FG • 3-5 3-PT FG • 6-6 FT • 3 REB • 1 BLK Sat. 30 Iowa State • ESPN/2/U TBA • Johnson piled up 1,061 points and 495 rebounds between his three seasons at Saint Louis (2016-17 • 2017-18) and Louisiana-Lafayette (2019-20) FEBRUARY • 0-0 • Career-high was 27 points versus Louisiana-Monroe (01/25/2020) • Ranked in Sun Belt’s top 10 in PTS (15.5 – 6th), REB (6.6 – 7th) and FT % (82.9 – 4th) Tue. 2 at Arkansas • SEC • SECN 8 p.m. • Played in 106 career games with 76 starts • Collected 52 outings of 10-plus points • 11 outings of 20-plus points • 9 career double-doubles Sat. 6 at South Carolina • SEC • SECN 2:30 p.m. • Season-high is 15 PTS versus UCA (12/16) when he was inserted into starting lineup • Scored 5+ PTS in 6 of 7 GMS Wed. 10 LSU • SEC • ESPN2/U 8 p.m. • Prepped at University Lab School in Baton Rouge • Won three straight Louisiana Class 3A Championships in 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 Sat. 13 Vanderbilt • SEC • SECN 12 p.m. • Notable basketball U-High alumni include Glen Davis (LSU • 2005-06-07) and Garrett Temple (LSU • 2006-07-08-09) who played in the NBA Tue. 16 at Auburn • SEC • ESPNU 8 p.m. Sat. 20 at Ole Miss • SEC • SECN 5 p.m. NO. 35 • TOLU SMITH • F • 6-10 • 245 • R-SO. • BAY ST. LOUIS, MISSISSIPPI Wed. 24 South Carolina • SEC • SECN 6 p.m. 2020-21 • 14.0 PPG • 35-62 FG • 0-0 3-PT FG • 28-46 FT • 8.4 RPG • 1.0 BPG • 0.6 APG Sat. 27 Alabama • SEC • SECN 7:30 p.m. MARCH • 0-0 LAST GAME • CENTRAL ARKANSAS • 10 PTS • 4-7 FG • 0-0 3-PT FG • 2-4 FT • 10 REB • 1 BLK Wed. 3 at Texas A&M • SEC • SECN 7:30 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) • Notched 3rd double-double with 10 PTS and 10 REB versus UCA (12/16) • WKU-high was 9 PTS vs. #13 WV (11/16/18) SEC Tournament • Nashville, Tennessee • March 10-14 TBA • Redshirted 2019-20 • 10+ PTS in first 7 GMS of 2020-21 (11/25-12/16) with Stewart Jr. • 1 of 3 MSU teammates to be frosh/soph to do it since 1958-59 NCAA First Four • March 16-17 TBA • One of 3 SEC players with 3+ double-doubles in 2020-21 • 14.0 PPG is T-19th, 8.4 RPG are 4th, 56.5 FG % is 6th and 1.0 BPG is T-14th in SEC (12/21) NCAA 1st/2nd Rounds • March 18-21 TBA • Prepped at Kahuku High and Intermediate School in Hawaii where he registered 21.2 PPG, 10.3 RPG and 1.6 BPG per game as a senior NCAA Sweet 16/Elite 8 • March 25-28 TBA NCAA FInal 4 • April 3, 5 TBA NO. 24 • ABDUL ADO • F • 6-11 • 255 • R-JR. • LAGOS, NIGERIA 2020-21 • 5.6 PPG • 15-28 FG • 0-0 3-PT FG • 9-12 FT • 6.6 RPG • 1.6 BPG • 0.7 APG • 0.6 SPG All Times Central; Rankings reflect AP/USA Today Coaches Top 25 poll on gameday; RV - Receiving Votes; Home Games in Maroon and Bolded LAST GAME • CENTRAL ARKANSAS • 6 PTS • 3-5 FG • 0-0 3-PT FG • 0-1 FT • 5 REB • 2 BLK • 1 STL • Ado tucked away 5.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG & 1.9 BPG in 2019-20 • 193 career BLK is 5th in program history • 3 BLK from 4th • Started 104 of 105 GMS • 2019-20 season-high was 17 PTS vs. RAD (12/18) • 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) • 1.6 BPG (6th • 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) • His 60.4 career FG % is 1st in MSU history Schedule & Results/Probable Starters/Matchup Breakdown 1 • 21st in MSU history with 626 career REB • 3 REB away from passing Larry Fry (1973-74-75) • 6.7 RPG (9th • 2019-20), 6.6 RPG (13th • 2020-21) Off the Bench/Stats Comparison/On the Air 2 • SEC’s top returning offensive rebounder • 100+ offensive rebounds in 2 of first 3 SZNs • 3.2 O-RPG (2nd • 2019-20), 2.4 O-RPG (14th • 2020-21) TV/Radio Chart 3 • Ado was Tennessee’s 2016 Player of the Year at Hamilton Heights HS • 4-star recruit • Ranked No.