Every year in March after Selection Sunday rolls around, there is a ridiculous and almost absurd amount of attention paid on discussing the last few teams who just get into the tournament and the teams who find themselves on the outside looking in (just as Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg how that feels). All the hoopla surrounding the last four at-large selections is often irrelevant, as these teams will have to win a playoff game just to receive a double-digit seed and have a tumultuous path to just win a few games in the tournament. Only three double-digits seeds have ever made it to the Final Four (LSU in 1986, George Mason in 2006, and VCU in 2011).
However, recent history has shown that any team can make a run in the tournament, as every team is 0-0 in the field of 68. Just last year, VCU was one of the last four teams to make it into the tourney as an at-large after many people vehemently opposed the Rams making the Big Dance at all. The Rams got hot after their opening round victory over USC and won 4 straight game en route to the Final Four as an 11 seed.
Mississippi St. is a bubble team that could cause a lot of trouble for higher seeds and make a run deep in the dance. However, the Bulldogs have to focus on turning their season around and getting an invite to the tournament first and foremost.
Mississippi St. is a team that is currently not playing good basketball and the Bulldogs, who were once firmly in the tournament, are now treading on thin air. After starting off SEC play with a 6-3 record including an incredible overtime victory on the road over Vanderbilt, the Bulldogs have been having some real issues. They have dropped 5 of their last 6 conference games including losses to Auburn, who is 4-10 in conference, Georgia, who is also 4-10 in conference, and LSU, who isn't above .500 as well.
The Bulldogs seem to be having some major chemistry issues and problems playing together, which is always difficult to reconcile when you have a guy like Renardo Sidney, who was suspended last year for behavioral issues including a fight he got into with a teammate.
However, the Bulldogs have enough talent and size in the post to cause a lot of teams trouble in the tournament. Arnett Moultrie is averaging a double-double with 16 points and just under 11 rebounds per game. The 6-11 UTEP transfer forms a formidable duo with Renardo Sidney, when his head is straight and he is able to stay on the floor, down in the paint.
The Bulldogs even have a versatile guard with Dee Bost to complement the post play. Bost is averaging just under 16 points and over 5 assists per game and is able to stretch the floor with his ability to hit the three.
The Bulldogs showed their potential in their tight loss to Kentucky at home, as they lead convincingly at half 41-28 before faltering down the stretch. If Mississippi St. can pick up some momentum with some victories in the SEC tournament, they have enough talent to cause a scare to some higher seeded teams in the Big Dance.
There is no doubt that the Bulldogs will be motivated to make the tourney. Mississippi St. has made just 10 tournament appearances in program history. To put that in perspective with other SEC teams, only Ole Miss with 6 tournament appearances and Auburn and Georgia with 8 tournament appearances have made less tourney appearances than Mississippi St. The Bulldogs haven't made the Big Dance since back in 2009. In fact, Mississippi St. hasn't made it past the second round since 1996 when they made it all the way to the Final Four as a 5 seed behind the play of Darryl Wilson, Marcus Bullard, and Erick Dampier.
No comments:
Post a Comment