Three MSU Basketball Players to Watch for in Opener Against Arizona State

After making the NCAA tournament last year, Mississippi State men's basketball second-year head coach Chris Jans heads into this season with more talent and expectations. The Bulldogs open in neutral-site Chicago against Arizona State, a tournament team last year in their own right, but which players will be key for MSU to start the season off 1-0?

Keep an eye on these three especially:

Josh Hubbard

The highly coveted recruit from Madison Ridgeland Academy signed initially with Ole Miss but eventually signed with MSU after Ole Miss fired Kermit Davis. MSU is happy he did. Hubbard has a small frame at 5-foot-10 inches but is a natural scorer.

The struggles on offense last year for the Bulldogs were no secret, so Hubbard's sharp shooting and quick first step will be much needed this year. Shakeel Moore will not be available for this game, which makes Hubbard all the more critical, along with the next guy.

Andrew Taylor

Another scorer the Bulldogs added this offseason, this time out of the transfer portal. Taylor spent four years at Marshall, where he averaged 14 points a game, including 20 points a game last season, before being named first-team all-Sun Belt.

Taylor will be a valuable member of the MSU backcourt this season, and after shooting 36 percent from three last year, he will play a vital role in improving the Bulldogs permitter shooting. Hubbard was an excellent addition, but they desperately needed a scorer with college experience, and Taylor fits that bill.

Jimmy Bell Jr.

Jans, and MSU fans were disappointed when it was revealed that Tolu Smith sustained an injury and would miss the entire non-conference schedule. Jimmy Bell Jr. started every game last year for West Virginia, and when the Bulldogs picked him up out of the portal, he was expected to come off the bench.

Now, with the sudden injury to Tolu, the 6-10 Bell will be thrust into the starting lineup. He'll need to play well in this game, not necessarily scoring but making sure the Bulldogs do not get dominated on the boards.

If Bell can play solid defense in the post and get around eight rebounds a game, the Bulldogs will be fine.

This year, perhaps, maybe the most anticipated season of men's basketball in Starkville in almost a decade, and a win tonight will undoubtedly help their resume come March.

Chris Jans Gives Fans Updates On Mississippi State Basketball Team

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