No. 17 Mississippi State looks to keep its momentum going when it welcomes in Long Beach State on Friday night.
The Bulldogs have jumped out to a 2-0 start with a pair of wins over Hartford and Austin Peay, and it’s been evident thus far that Ben Howland’s team is capable of big things this season.
Meanwhile, Long Beach State has suffered a couple of losses to Pac-12 competition while earning a victory over Menlo.
Let’s run through what to watch for in this matchup.
Game Details
- Long Beach State (1-2) at Mississippi State (2-0)
- Location: Humphrey Coliseum – Starkville, MS
- Game Date: Nov. 16
- Game Time: 9 p.m. EST
- Watch: SEC Network
Players to Watch
Quinndary Weatherspoon (Mississippi State)
It hasn’t been a surprise at all to see the older Weatherspoon get off to a fast start this season after averaging 14.4 points per game last season.
The 6-4 senior has posted back-to-back 20-point games and has been very efficient in doing so, especially inside the perimeter.
Weatherspoon has made 17 of his 25 2-point attempts thus far this season, and on the defensive side of the court, he’s racked up eight steals.
He is going to be the player that Mississippi State leans on through the year for baskets in key situations, and that should equal a monster senior season.
Aric Holman (Mississippi State)
Holman has been his usual self in terms of impacting the game on both sides of the court.
He’s averaging 10.9 points and 6.7 rebounds through the first two games, which included a double-double in the opener against Austin Peay.
The 6-10 senior can spread the floor due to his 3-point shooting ability (3 of 6 to start the season) while adding an incredible shot-blocking presence on defense.
Those strengths should be what keeps Mississippi State in the SEC title hunt.
Deishuan Booker (Long Beach State)
Booker is the only Long Beach State player averaging double figures at this point, and it has a lot to do with his tremendous performance against UCLA.
He racked up 31 points on 9-of-14 shooting while going 5 of 7 from 3-point range and hitting all eight of his free-throw attempts.
If the 49ers want to keep up with Howland’s team, they’ll need another strong showing from Booker in this one.
Key Stats
Long Beach State returns four starters from last season and ranks 21st in the nation in experience, so perhaps that’ll help in a tough atmosphere.
But in terms of efficiency, there have been some issues for Dan Monson’s team.
The 49ers currently rank 316th nationally in effective field-goal percentage and 324th nationally in 2-point percentage, and I wouldn’t expect those numbers to improve against a long and athletic team like the Bulldogs.
Mississippi State should be able to use its height to attack the offensive glass and find extra scoring opportunities, which will be important in case Long Beach State gets hot from 3-point range (57th nationally with 79 3-point attempts).
Game Outlook
- Spread: Mississippi State -20
- Over/Under: 151.5
- KenPom Projection: Mississippi State, 96 percent chance to win
- ESPN BPI Projection: Mississippi State, 92.8 percent chance to win
Mississippi State is undoubtedly the better team overall, and the only potential weaknesses thus far have been shot selection and a possible over-reliance on perimeter shots.
But those are likely just early season issues that get worked out as the season progresses, so there’s no cause for concern just yet.
The 49ers have already played in two challenging environments in UCLA and Arizona State, so they should at least understand the challenges heading into this game.
Howland has his team playing well right now, and that trend should continue for the Bulldogs.
Season Prediction Record (straight up): 28-5
Game Prediction: Mississippi State 84, Long Beach State 70
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