Bulldogs open SEC Tournament with Kentucky rematch

Wildcats defeated MSU in double overtime earlier this season

For Mississippi State head coach Ben Howland, the formula is simple. When his Bulldogs take the court on Thursday to begin the Southeastern Conference Tournament, there's only one option if MSU wants to go to the big dance later this month – State has got to win the whole thing. And that's a spot both MSU and its Thursday opponent, Kentucky, find themselves in.

“We’re in the same boat as Kentucky, [we need to win the SEC Tournament to make it to the NCAA Tournament]," Howland said. "I know it’s a whole new season, so both teams are starting over. We’re going to bring our very best effort that we can give Thursday morning, and I know [Kentucky] will too.”

For both the Bulldogs and Wildcats, winning the SEC Tournament will be a tall order. It'll require four wins in four days. Neither team has had a four-game winning streak all season.

Nonetheless, both MSU and Kentucky are primed and ready to compete. It's a spot that Howland, for one, is glad to be in given the spot the SEC found itself in a year ago at this time when the COVID-19 pandemic was just beginning and league tournaments around the country were cancelled.

"It’s amazing how fast this year has gone by," Howland said. "This is where we were a year ago. We were a double bye going into [last year's SEC Tournament] and didn’t have a chance to compete at all. We’re grateful to have a chance to compete this year."

And for the Bulldogs it all starts against a familiar nemesis in the form of the Wildcats. MSU hasn't defeated Kentucky since 2009. It looked like earlier this season the Bulldogs would end that streak when State had a nine-point second-half lead at home over the Wildcats. However Kentucky roared back and ultimately won in double overtime.

Is Thursday the day MSU finally gets back in the win column against Big Blue? Can the Bulldogs start a run in the SEC Tournament? We'll all soon see. Below, you'll find how you can follow along on Thursday, along with a transcript of all Howland said in his pre-SEC Tournament media session. You can view Howland's full press conference with the video at the top of this page.

• What: Mississippi State (14-13, 8-10) vs. Kentucky (9-15, 8-9)
• Where: Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, Tennessee
• When: 11 a.m. central on Thursday, March 11, 2021
• TV/Video: SEC Network, Online via ESPN.com/ESPN App
• Radio/Audio: Mississippi State Sports Radio Network (click here for full list of affiliates), online at Hailstate.com and the TuneIn radio app. Sirius/XM Radio channel TBD.

Comments from Ben Howland's pre-SEC Tournament media session:

Question: How do you get your team ready mentally and physically ready for the SEC Tournament?

Ben Howland: “We’ve won three out of our last five games. We had a chance there on Saturday [at Auburn]. It was a one-point game with five minutes to go. We fell short, which was disappointing for us. We played well in three of [our last] four [games] going into that game.”

“I think our guys will be very excited to play against the University of Kentucky. Who wouldn’t be? They play in the SEC Tournament, which is a whole new season. They’ll be very excited and pumped up for this opportunity coming up Thursday morning.”

Q: How do you guys feel about the NCAA Tournament and where that stands?

BH: “We’re in the same boat as Kentucky, [we need to win the SEC Tournament to make it to the NCAA Tournament]. I know it’s a whole new season, so both teams are starting over. We’re going to bring our very best effort that we can give Thursday morning, and I know they [Kentucky] will too.”

Q: What looks different about Kentucky now compared to your first meeting with them this season?

BH: “Well, they’re starting [Davion] Mintz at the point now, and he’s really been a stabilizing guy for them the entire year. He’s playing really good basketball. He’s tough, and he makes a lot of plays for his teammates. I really like him as a player, as a leader and as a competitor.”

“They’re playing faster. They’re really pushing the ball hard in transition and really trying to get easy, early shots. They’re played their best basketball here late in the season. Their win at Tennessee was incredibly impressive. They crushed South Carolina in their last win the other day. Boston [Brandon Boston Jr.] had a really good game in that game. We know the history of the SEC Tournament with Kentucky basketball. They are very much hand-in-hand. They’re great in this tournament every year, and we’re going to have to play extremely well to have success.”

Q: How do you see KeShawn Murphy fitting into the roster next year, and what did you see from him this year?

BH: “He had a great year [at Ramsey High School in Alabama]. He’s a really good player and a good kid. He’s something that we need, in that he’s a stretch four. He can step out, space the floor, shoot the ball from the perimeter at 6-10, and still score around the basket and rebound the basketball. Plus, he can block shots. He’s an exciting addition for us in the future, and we’re looking forward to having him here in a couple months when we start back up in June.”

Q: Is it an advantage to have the excitement and exuberance of young players getting their first major minutes preparing for an NCAA Tournament run, or would you rather have a roster full of veterans?

BH: “Well, I’d like to turn the clock back one year and give the team last year a chance to play in the SEC Tournament. It’s amazing how fast this year has gone by. This is where we were a year ago. We were a double bye going into that tournament and didn’t have a chance to compete at all.”

“We’re grateful to have a chance to compete this year. It’s been absolutely phenomenal to be able to play this season. We were one of two teams in our league, Auburn being the other, that didn’t have any games impacted from COVID. I’m really proud of our team and the way they’ve handled that this entire season with all the protocols and things they’ve done to make themselves stay healthy. There’s no question that having experience over having guys that are young is always the advantage. Experience trumps non-experience 99 percent of the time.”

Q: What improvements do you need to see from the team in order to win the SEC Tournament?

BH: “Bottom line is that we’re going one game at a time. You know you have to win four [games], but we just have to win the next game. Right now, it’s about surviving and staying alive. That’s what you’re trying to do in this tournament setting. Everybody is really good. Everybody is fighting. We’re in a situation where we’re playing against the premier team in our conference, in terms of the history and tradition of the SEC. Kentucky is the winningest program ever. Their dominance of this tournament over the last 60 years is incredible. I know there will be a lot of blue in the gymnasium. I imagine there are going to be some people in some blue shirts at that game Thursday … This will be like our first true road game of the conference. There will be a lot of Kentucky folks there, and that will be our mindset. We’re playing a road game, not just a game in the SEC Tournament. They [Kentucky fans] travel, and they show up.”

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