No. 15 Mississippi State will take on the Saint Mary’s in the consolation game of the MGM Resorts Main Event tournament on Wednesday night.
The Bulldogs and Gaels had disappointing performances on Monday night, with the Bulldogs falling 72-67 to Arizona State and the Gaels losing 80-63 to Utah State.
Mississippi State has compiled a 3-1 record to this point, with wins over Austin Peay, Hartford, and Long Beach State.
The Gaels are off to a similar start, with their victories coming against McNeese State, Utah Valley, and New Mexico State.
Let’s take a look at the players to watch and some key stats for the game.
Game Details
- No. 15 Mississippi State (3-1) vs. Saint Mary’s (3-1)
- Location: T-Mobile Arena – Las Vegas, NV (MGM Resorts Main Event)
- Game Date: Nov. 21
- Game Time: 8:30 p.m. EST
- Watch: PPV
Tyson Carter (Mississippi State)
A lot of the attention that has been paid to the Mississippi State basketball team over the last few seasons has been paid to the Weatherspoon brothers, and rightfully so, as they are the catalysts for Ben Howland’s squad.
However, Carter is quietly having his best statistical season of his three years at Mississippi State. He is averaging a career-best 11.3 points per game off the bench, including three double-figure scoring performances in his first four games.
In the one game he didn’t score in double figures, however, the Bulldogs lost to Arizona State, which truly demonstrates how important Carter is to his team. He provides a shooting threat from the wing position, as well as solid defensive capabilities (5.6 steals per 100 possessions).
Carter’s impact has been largely understated throughout his career, but he is destined to have his best season to date as the Bulldogs look to get back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since the 2008-09 season.
Malik Fitts (Saint Mary’s)
After the loss of WCC Player of the Year Jock Landale to the NBA, the Gaels and head coach Randy Bennett had to search for a post player replacement.
They might have found part of the solution in South Florida transfer sophomore Malik Fitts, who has stepped up thus far to play a very important role.
Fitts averages 15.3 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game, which rank him second and first on the team, respectively. At 6-8 and 237 pounds, he is considerably smaller than Landale and has a different skillset than Landale did, shooting 45.0 percent from behind the arc this season on a high volume of attempts.
The Gaels will always be a tough out in every game they play, and Fitts is one of the main reasons why they should continue to be one of the favorites in the West Coast Conference.
Key Stats
One of the key factors of any game in basketball these days is the 3-point shooting efficiency of each team.
According to the team numbers, Saint Mary’s has a large advantage in that department, shooting around 38 percent from behind the arc (67th nationally) while the Bulldogs rank in the bottom 50 in that same category at 316th.
Mississippi State has plenty of capable shooters on its roster, but it’s up to the players to make the shots provided to them.
If the trends continue as they look right now, the Gaels should have a great chance to win the game. If not, look for Mississippi State to be extremely locked in and potentially win the game by catching fire from beyond the arc.
Game Outlook
- Spread: Mississippi State -5.5
- Over/Under: 137
- KenPom Projection: Mississippi State, 67 percent chance to win
- ESPN BPI Projection: Mississippi State, 58.9 percent chance to win
Mississippi State’s loss to Arizona State wasn’t ideal, but it may turn out to be a good learning experience for Ben Howland’s squad.
The Bulldogs just aren’t gonna win a lot of games shooting 30 3-pointers, and they have to use their size and athleticism to attack the rim while grabbing extra looks on the offensive boards.
Saint Mary’s has the size to match up well enough in this game, but Mississippi State should still be able to find an advantage in the frontcourt.
Playing against the Gaels is never easy due to their disciplined approach (seventh nationally in turnover percentage), so the Bulldogs have to be focused on both sides of the court.
Mississippi State feels like the better pick, but this won’t be an easy victory.
Game Prediction: Mississippi State 74, Saint Mary’s 69