ESPN Men's Basketball

There are rebuilding programs, and then there's this.

That's the immediate and obvious reaction I had when reading the latest out of Starkville, Miss. Sunday night, just after whatever it was that happened on "Mad Men." (To be honest, I'm not really sure. I'm a couple of episodes behind, and I spent most of the night ducking Twitter's all-hours spoiler routine.) Indeed, it went from bad to worse at Mississippi State: Freshman guard Rodney Hood is transferring out of the program, newly appointed head coach Rick Ray announced in a statement:

"Obviously, we are disappointed in Rodney's decision," Ray said. "I was looking forward to getting a chance to develop and coach him. This decision, unfortunately, was made before my hire. The Hoods were forthright and honest about where they were when I met with them, and I appreciate their honesty.

"I look forward to putting together a team with the current members, rolling up our sleeves and recruiting new Bulldogs."

At least Ray isn't sugar-coating it. Because right now, there aren't many Bulldogs to speak of.

That's meant as no offense to Jalen Steele and Wendell Lewis -- who immediately become the Bulldogs' leading returners in points (12.5, combined) and minutes (44.8, again combined) per game. Both Steele and Lewis proved themselves in 2012 as completely competent Division-I men's basketball players. And there are a couple of freshman, most notably DeVille Smith, in the program right now. So, you know, there's that. (Update: DeVille Smith left the program in late March, so nevermind that part.)

But the exodus of talent has been breathtaking to behold. Arnett Moultrie, gone. Dee Bost, gone. Renardo Sidney, gone in a blaze of glory:

"So, I was thinking, he’s going to sit me out until about four or five minutes left in the second half. I still didn’t get in the game. There were two overtimes. He turned his back on me, so after the game I just left. I said I was out, meaning I was not going back to the school or playing for Mississippi State."

Anyway, now Hood, a 6-foot-8 SEC all-freshman team member and a top-40 player in his ESPNU recruiting class, who managed to average 10.3 points and 4.8 rebounds despite playing in the vortex of bad vibes that was Starkville last season, has wisely seen that the program is in a relative shambles and has decided to ply his trade somewhere less bombed out and depleted. And can you blame him? Of course not. This is, unfortunately, where Mississippi State is. Rick Stansbury is gone, the players who formed the backbone (ahem) of what could have been an excellent team in 2011-12 have fallen away, and what is left is Rick Ray's elbow grease and pluck.

Really, let's wish him the best of luck. It's going to be a long offseason -- and, barring a relative miracle, an even longer 2012-13.

(Oh, and hi there. My mini post-Final Four blog siesta is over. Welcome to the offseason, everyone. Let's see if we can't keep ourselves entertained over the next few months, huh?)

NEW ORLEANS -- Four weeks ago it was a question of where, not if, Mississippi State would be dancing.

The Bulldogs were 19-5 heading into the final month of the season. They were ranked No. 18 in the country and primed for solid seeding in both the SEC and NCAA tournaments.

Those days seemed like a distant dream Thursday night in the Mississippi State locker room. A month removed from such lofty aspirations, the Bulldogs crashed out of the SEC tournament 71-61 at the hands of lowly Georgia, the No. 11 seed, to complete a 2-6 skid.

"It hurts," said State forward Renardo Sidney. "I know we're one of the better teams down here in the SEC tournament, and we just didn't go out there and play hard. We didn't have no heart."

Huddled around their postgame meals, the Bulldogs looked like they'd just woken up from a bad dream -- a nightmare in which they lost five consecutive games during the month of February.

The only problem is, that's the sobering reality.

Big man Arnett Moultrie couldn't bring himself to even speak about it. Faced with a wall of cameras and recorders, Moultrie steadfastly repeated "no comment" before turning to his dinner.

It's an understandable reaction after the forward, who averaged 16.1 points for the Bulldogs this season, was limited to a mere seven in 39 minutes by a relentless Georgia zone defense.

"Give Georgia credit. They did a good job of keeping our bigs from scoring inside that zone," said Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury.

Sidney, who was limited to four points and managed just 19 minutes because of foul trouble, was willing to talk, but found himself at a loss for words.

"It was hard to get the ball down there," he said. "That zone. I can't even explain it."

The only Mississippi State starter who could find his game was guard Jalen Steele. With State trailing 59-51 and five minutes to play, Steele reeled off the next nine Bulldogs points to pull them within as close as three points, 60-57. The run seemed to inspire the MSU bench, and it brought the State faithful to their feet.

"I thought it was going to be just like Vanderbilt, where we came out and came back," Sidney said. "We just couldn't get it over the line. We tried to fight back, but they kept coming."

Two minutes later, two Mississippi State turnovers had allowed Georgia to extend the lead to seven, and the rally was dead.

"We had the thought that we lost to [Georgia] on our mind, but we knew it was a new game," said guard Dee Bost. "We lost the momentum, and they made plays when they were supposed to."

Steele said the Bulldogs lacked heart, and it showed. Led by guards Gerald Robinson and Dustin Ware, Georgia rattled off a 15-2 run starting about five minutes into the second half. Although they only trailed by nine, Steele said it took the Bulldogs too long to respond.

"We came out kind of sluggish. We could have came out with a little more energy, but it didn't fall our way," he said.

It was a similar feeling and a fitting ending. The Bulldogs were within a basket inside the last 10 minutes of five of their six recent losses, but they let them all slip away. Having officially hit rock bottom, all they can do is hope their NCAA hope hasn't slipped away as well.

"We were on the bubble going into this game, and we really needed this game," Sidney said. "Just the thought of your season in somebody else's hands, it's kind of tough. Hopefully we get in."

NEW ORLEANS -- After a nightmare finish to the 2012 regular season, Mississippi State entered the SEC tournament needing some wins to bolster its tournament resume.

Unfortunately, the Bulldogs didn't get the memo, instead dropping a 71-61 upset loss to the tournament's No. 11 seed, Georgia.

The Bulldogs (the ones from Georgia) established early on that they wouldn't be rolling over or playing dead for Mississippi State's bubble prospects. Gerald Robinson set the pace, as usual, putting up 12 points to help Georgia to a 31-29 halftime lead. That scrappiness continued into the second half, where the teams traded the lead in the opening minutes.

Where Georgia got production from Robinson, as well as freshman Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and senior Dustin Ware, Mississippi State couldn't find consistency from anyone. It took the Bulldogs (the ones from Starkville) until the 7:59 mark of the second half to have a scorer reach double digits. Mississippi State's bedrock trio of Dee Bost, Arnett Moultrie and Renardo Sidney accounted for just 21 total points.

Turning point: With 16:25 to play, Brian Bryant tied the game at 34. Georgia then ripped off a 9-0 run highlighted by two consecutive jumpers from Ware, who finished with 13 points. Robinson and Donte Williams each tacked on a basket to make it 43-34. Jalen Steele's 19 points helped Mississippi State get it as close as three, but the Bulldogs couldn't bring it all the way back.

Key player: Robinson led the Bulldogs as he always does, notching 23 points. But Ware was the key to the second half surge that pushed Georgia in front. Ware finished with 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting, but he had no points at halftime. He accounted for 11 points of Georgia's 15-2 run that seemed to kill Mississippi State's morale.

Key stat: Sidney contributed as many fouls as he did points (4). The Bulldogs' big guy only managed 19 minutes, and didn't come close to his season scoring average. Moultrie got into foul trouble as well and finished with four of his own. He managed to play 39 minutes, but only scored 7 points after averaging 16 this season.

Miscellaneous: It's fitting that State's final setback happened at the hands of Georgia. The Bulldogs have had a rough month, going 2-6 since a Feb. 11 overtime loss to? Who else but Georgia.

What's next: Georgia moves on to face No. 3 seed Vanderbilt, who beat the Bulldogs by 11 and nine in two meetings this year. Mississippi State, which spent a good chunk of the season in the top 25 and at one point seemed to be playing for tournament seeding, will now go home and hope for an NCAA bid.

With one month remaining in the regular season, the battle for the Wooden Award appears to be a two-man race between Kentucky’s Anthony Davis and Kansas’ Thomas Robinson. Right now I’m leaning toward Davis, the projected No. 1 pick in this summer’s NBA draft. But you could definitely make an argument for Robinson, too. There are still plenty of opportunities for each to impress -- or regress. Here’s how I’d vote if the season ended today.

1. Anthony Davis, Kentucky - The 6-foot-10 Davis averaged 19 points, 7 rebounds and 6 blocks in the Wildcats’ most recent victories over South Carolina and Florida. He shot a collective 17-of-23 from the field in those two games. Davis’ presence alone affects the game on the defensive end.
2. Thomas Robinson, Kansas - Robinson had 20 points and 17 rebounds in a victory over Oklahoma before erupting for 25 and 13 in Saturday’s 74-71 loss at Missouri. When he’s playing his best, Robinson might be the toughest player in the country to stop in the paint. He’ll be tested Wednesday by Baylor’s Quincy Acy and Perry Jones III.
3. Kevin Jones, West Virginia - The senior forward continues to post gaudy stats - he’s scored 20 or more points in nine consecutive games - but his team is struggling. The Mountaineers have lost three of their past four contests, with the only victory coming in overtime against Big East bottom-feeder Providence. Impossible as it might seem, West Virginia may need Jones to do even more.
4. Jared Sullinger, Ohio State - The versatile Buckeyes forward averaged 21 points and 8 rebounds in victories over Wisconsin and Purdue. College basketball fans - and Wooden Award voters - have grown used to seeing Sullinger post impressive stat lines. It’d be a shame if they started taking him for granted.
5. Doug McDermott, Creighton - The Bluejays sophomore has averaged 21.3 points and 8.3 rebounds in the three games since the last Wooden Award ballot was released. Creighton, though, lost back-to-back contests at Northern Iowa and Evansville during that span. The setbacks certainly aren’t McDermott’s fault — but it’s definitely on him to make sure they don’t become a trend. Saturday’s home game against Wichita State is huge.

On the cusp:

Isaiah Canaan, Murray State - The leader of the nation’s only undefeated team had 32 points in last week’s victory over Southeast Missouri State. Canaan averages 18.9 points and shoots 47.1 percent from the field.

Draymond Green, Michigan State - Playing on basically one leg, the senior forward matched Michigan on the boards all by himself Sunday. Green had 16 boards while the Wolverines snared a collective 16.

John Henson, North Carolina - The junior had 17 points and 12 boards in Saturday’s victory over Maryland. Henson is averaging a double-double (14.3 points, 10 rebounds) on the season.

Perry Jones III, Baylor - Jones has scored 15 or more points in each of his past four games, but he’ll need to be more assertive than ever if the Bears have any hope of defeating Kansas in Waco, Texas, on Wednesday.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky - The freshman had 13 points and 13 rebounds in Tuesday’s win against No. 7 Florida. He’s one of the main reasons Kentucky is regarded as the nation’s best team.

Damian Lillard, Weber State - The guard had 40 points in Thursday’s win over Portland and 35 in a victory over Northern Colorado two days later. Lillard leads the nation with 25.5 points per game.

Scott Machado, Iona - The nation’s assists leader dropped 23 dimes and combined for 32 points in victories over Manhattan and Canisius. Machado leads the country with an average of 10 assists per game.

Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State - Moultrie’s presence - he averages 17 points and 11.1 boards - has taken some pressure off of highly scrutinized forward Renardo Sidney. As a result, both players have flourished.

Mike Scott, Virginia - The senior forward scored 16 points in Saturday’s 58-55 road loss at Florida State. He’s shooting an impressive 58.8 percent from the field on the season. Scott could burst onto the national scene with an impressive performance at North Carolina on Saturday.

Tyler Zeller, North Carolina - Most people are obsessed with Zeller’s younger brother, Cody, a standout freshman for Indiana. Tyler, though, has been equally impressive. He averaged 20 points and 12.5 rebounds last week.

As good as the afternoon was, with exciting upsets and huge road wins over top-five teams, the evening may have matched it in the vital FOPM statistical category. (FOPM stands for freak outs per minute. It's a tempo-adjusted metric, naturally.) Let's lead with what may be the result of the day -- Syracuse's very first loss of the season, at Notre Dame.

Notre Dame 67, No. 1 Syracuse 58

What we learned: Nobody's perfect. OK, yeah, Murray State is still perfect, but you get the drift: Everyone loses eventually. Sooner or later, the Orange were going to have a particularly bad shooting night. Sooner or later, they were going to struggle on the road. Sooner or later, they were going to do these things against a coach and a team that had designed the perfect gameplan to take advantage of this opportunity. As it happens, that coach was Mike Brey. That team was Notre Dame.

Of course, the Fighting Irish don't have a tenth of the talent available to Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim. What do the Irish have? The Burn. That's what Brey calls his team's intentionally slow, clock-killing offense, and while it isn't always the preferred strategy in South Bend, it is something the Irish keep in their back pocket when they find themselves facing a bigger, stronger, faster, more skilled, pretty-much-all-around-better opponent.

Indeed, as ESPN's Doris Burke noted late in the game, the Irish played a sort of semi-burn Saturday night. They lulled the Cuse into seven fewer possessions (61) than its average adjusted tempo (68) on the season (including a handful of late heaves when the game was out of reach), but ND was also opportunistic: When it broke SU's press, it didn't always pull out and set up the halfcourt offense. It was a clinic in opportunistic decision-making. (At one point, it ended in a contested fast-break dunk by Jack Cooley. Jack Cooley? Jack Cooley!)

Syracuse, being Syracuse, still managed to force a mess of turnovers. At several points in the second half, as Notre Dame forward Scott Martin struggled time after time to inbound the ball on his own baseline, it appeared the Irish were just a few possessions away from a late collapse. But the Orange's poor shooting (they posted a 40.0 effective field goal percentage) and ND's solid free throw shooting sealed this game in the closing moments.

Burke called it a "masterful" gameplan from Brey and, as usual, she was dead on: Notre Dame knew exactly what it needed to do to take a walk through any door Syracuse left ajar. When the time came, it executed.

Going forward, this loss may knock Syracuse out of the top spot in the rankings, but it shouldn't change the perception of this team much. First of all, the absence of leading rebounder and shot-blocker Fab Melo (due to an unresolved academic issue from the fall semester) was a blow to this team's inherent interior advantage. Second, Syracuse didn't shoot the ball well. Frankly, it didn't play well. Overreact if you like, but it's the opinion of this writer that, well, hey, these games happen.

For Syracuse, it was bound to go this way eventually. When it did, the Irish were ready.

No. 15 Mississippi State 78, Vanderbilt 77 (OT)

What we learned: The Commodores will struggle with capable frontcourts. They struggle late in close games. They struggle on the defensive end. They are, in other words, the same Vanderbilt Commodores we've come to know and love in each of the past three seasons. Their recent improvements created the notion that this team had turned some vague corner, that it was finally ready to assume the top-10, Final Four-worthy preseason expectations foisted upon them.

Instead, on Saturday, we saw the team that led us to doubt that status in the first place. Vandy yielded a 12-point second-half lead, allowed Mississippi State to score 1.14 points per possession and got vastly outrebounded on both ends of the floor. In the end, even with very good chances to win the game -- particularly the final shot in regulation, which ended up being an uncontested four-foot shot for Festus Ezeli (which he missed) -- Vanderbilt just couldn't make the key defensive plays.

In the meantime, Mississippi State deserves credit for a major road win. Forward Arnett Moultrie was brilliant (21 points, 14 rebounds, three steals, one block) and guard Dee Bost was just as good (24 points, five rebounds, four assists and a handful of key second-half shots). Even Renardo Sidney, who struggled for much of the game and suffered an injury in overtime, got in on the act, hitting a monster 3 with 1:22 remaining in the second half.

Three days ago, the Bulldogs went to rival Ole Miss and lost and looked vulnerable -- even downright overrated -- throughout. Their ability to rebound from that loss with a win on the road against a streaking Vanderbilt team, one that had won its past eight games -- including on the road at Alabama -- is to be commended. Surprising stuff, to say the least.

No. 12 UNLV 80, New Mexico 63

What we learned: UNLV is still the Mountain West favorite. Yes, yes, San Diego State certainly has a claim to that distinction, too, especially since its first two conference results -- a two-point home win over the Rebels and an incredibly impressive road win at New Mexico -- were among the most impressive back-to-back performances we've seen from any team in any league this season. New Mexico is no slouch, either. Before Wednesday's loss to SDSU, the Lobos had won 13 in a row. There are three very good teams in the MWC, folks. That much we know.

Then again, I'd say we knew that already. The main takeaway from Saturday night's best late-night matchup -- and this is a good old-fashioned eye-test thing to say, but I'm doing it anyway -- is that UNLV just looks like the best team in this league. The Rebels have few, if any, holes in their attack. They have talented players at every position. Their guards push the pace; their forwards run to the rim; their wings hit 3s with ease. Anthony Marshall, Chace Stanback, Mike Moser, Oscar Bellfield and even reserves like Carlos Lopez and Justin Hawkins -- these players are perfectly suited to Dave Rice's new emphasis on uptempo basketball, and when you watch them play, it shows.

The Mountain West race is going to be fascinating, and we'll hear more from the Lobos -- and, of course, the league-leading Aztecs -- before the season is out. Sure, I'd take UNLV as the favorite. But whatever happens, if two of these three teams are playing, it promises to be very entertaining.

A few more observations from the Saturday evening that was:

[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Keith SrakocicPitt lost its ninth game Saturday, matching the highest season loss total of Jamie Dixon's tenure.
• Bad times got worse for Pittsburgh on Saturday night, as the Panthers fell to No. 21 Louisville at home, 73-62. In case you're counting, that's Pitt's eighth straight loss and seventh in a row in Big East play ... for the first time in Pitt hoops history. Ouch. Even worse? According to ESPN Stats and Information, this is the first time Pitt has lost four straight home games since 1999-2000. The loss is also Pitt's ninth this season. Jamie Dixon-coached Pittsburgh teams have never recorded more than nine losses in a regular season. There are myriad issues afflicting the Panthers right now, chief among them defense, but it's hard to see any major improvements coming any time soon. If this wasn't a lost season already, it is now.
• Neither VCU nor Old Dominion are likely to end up with a chance at an at-large bid come March, but their meeting tonight was still full of implications for the CAA title race. Before Saturday, ODU was 6-1 in conference and VCU 5-2, both right there hanging around with George Mason and Drexel in the Colonial standings. In other words, Virginia Commonwealth got a rather massive 61-48 win, handling the lackluster Monarchs rather easily at home. Shaka Smart's team is still rebuilding after last year's miracle NCAA tournament run, but they're not nearly as far down as most would have expected. Keep your eye on the Rams.
• The C-USA race is going to be interesting. Marshall appeared to have the best odds to challenge Memphis' purported superiority, with Southern Miss a notch or two below -- a dark horse at best. After Saturday -- when Southern Miss topped Marshall and tied the Thundering Herd at 4-1 in league play -- it seems clear things aren't quite that simple. There are no remaining unbeaten teams in the league, with UCF at 5-1 and Memphis, Marshall and USM all now residing in second place at 4-1.
• I don't know if we'll call the Pac-12 race "interesting." "Mystifying" feels more appropriate. Either way, consider what went down in the conference Saturday: Cal fell at Washington State (not an unforgiveable loss, given how well Wazzu has played at home, but still) just as the Bears appeared set, thanks to a blowout Stanford loss at Washington, to create some separation between themselves and the rest of the league. Meanwhile UCLA -- which keeps struggling, week after week, to sort things out -- fell on the road at Oregon, which is now 6-2 and tied atop the league standings. Elsewhere, lowly Utah not only didn't lose, but actually blew out Arizona State in Salt Lake City; and Colorado held on for a one-point home win over Arizona. Those Pac-12 power rankings are going to be a bear to write. I can't wait.
• Two results from the West that shouldn't be dismissed. Long Beach State, a team that played perhaps the most grueling nonconference schedule in the country, continues to see the dividends from that gauntlet. On the road Saturday night, LBSU went into the Thunderdome and absolutely obliterated chief rival UC Santa Barbara, 71-48, the talented squad that's beaten the 49ers in the Big West final in each of the past two seasons. And in Laramie, Wyoming beat rival Colorado State -- which had won eight straight -- 70-51 to improve to 16-3. Yes, 16-3. What a job by first-year coach Larry Shyatt. And what a performance by USC transfer Leonard Washington, who set career highs in points (32) and rebounds (14).
• As for the momentum Nebraska created with that dramatic victory over Indiana on Wednesday? Ohio State did not seem to care. Buckeyes 79, Huskers 45. So much for that.

DALLAS -- Forget the national-player-of-the-year candidate.

And don’t be overly concerned with the freshman who’s projected as an NBA lottery pick, or the veteran senior who scores half of his baskets on dunks.

Perry Jones III, Quincy Miller and Quincy Acy might form one of the most imposing frontcourts in the nation. But all week long, Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury told his squad that stopping the trio wasn’t the key to beating the Baylor Bears.

“Pierre Jackson is the key to their team,” Stansbury said. “He’s the guy that makes them go.”

It was certainly hard to argue that point Wednesday, when Jackson -- the Bears’ diminutive 5-foot-10 point guard -- came through for Baylor yet again.

With 22 seconds remaining, Jackson beat Bulldogs guard Dee Bost off the dribble and streaked through the lane for an uncontested layup that propelled the No. 7 Bears to a 54-52 victory over 14th-ranked Mississippi State at American Airlines Center.

At 13-0, Baylor is off to its best start in school history. The Bears are one of just four remaining undefeated teams in the country. Mississippi State fell to 12-2 after losing for the first time since Nov. 9.

“That was probably one of the toughest teams we’ll play all year,” said Jackson, who scored a game-high 14 points. “Our chemistry is really good right now. We’ve got to keep getting better.”

Wednesday wasn’t the first time that Jackson -- who earned national junior college player-of-the-year honors at the College of Southern Idaho last season -- has come through for Baylor in the clutch.

He scored 23 points and hit a 3-pointer that forced overtime in last week’s victory over West Virginia, when he reeled off eight consecutive points during a stretch from late in the second half through the first 70 seconds of the extra period. And he blocked a game-tying 3-point attempt at the buzzer in Baylor’s 86-83 win at BYU on Dec. 17.

In short, Jackson and Boston College transfer Brady Heslip have completely reshaped a Baylor squad that missed the NCAA tournament last season because of a porous backcourt that, at times, could barely get the ball up the court. The twosome combined for 21 of the Bears’ 34 first-half points against MSU.

“Those two killed us,” Stansbury said. “Like I said, people can talk about Jones and those other guys all they want. But Jackson is the reason Baylor is so good.”

That’s not to say Jackson and the Bears are without flaws. Baylor found a way to win Wednesday despite turning in one of its sloppiest performances of the season.

The Bears shot just 21 percent after intermission and missed all eight of their 3-point attempts. Baylor also clanked three of its five foul shots in the final 3 minutes -- yet it managed to emerge victorious.

“When you can shoot 21 percent in the second half and still beat a top-15 team, it shows that you really defended and rebounded well,” BU coach Scott Drew said. “We weren’t very good rebounding early in the year. We made it a focus after the BYU game and we’ve improved.”

Indeed, Baylor outrebounded Mississippi State 40-32 and came up with some huge stops down the stretch. Moments before Jackson’s winning basket, the Bears forced Bost into a terrible shot against his momentum on the other end. The Bulldogs had a chance to tie or win after Jackson’s layup, but they couldn’t get a good look before Rodney Hood went up for a guarded jumper with 6 seconds left. Hood’s shot was blocked, and Jackson made a heady play by batting the ball toward the other end of the court as time expired.

“The toughest thing for young players is ... when you’re not scoring, you don’t want to play defense,” Drew said. “For us, to shoot 21 percent and still play defense shows a lot of [character]. I’m proud of our guys.”

The victory in Dallas -- Baylor’s first this season against a top-25 opponent -- could have long-reaching effects. Drew touted after the game that his team is the only one in the country with wins against six top-50 opponents, according to the Sagarin ratings.

“It’s a win that resonates on your resume throughout the rest of the season,” Drew said.

It should also do wonders for Baylor’s confidence, as the Bears likely won’t face many teams in the Big 12 as tough as the Bulldogs. No team in the league has as good of a frontcourt as Mississippi State’s tandem of Renardo Sidney and Arnett Moultrie. Bost is regarded as one of the nation’s top point guards and Hood probably won’t be in school longer than two years before jumping to the NBA.

Baylor has plenty of future pros on its roster, too, but its biggest strength continues to be its depth. Jones and Acy combined for just 15 points on 6-of-20 shooting. But it didn’t matter thanks to players such as Jackson, Heslip and Miller, who had 12 points and 6 boards. Nine Baylor players saw at least seven minutes of action Wednesday, and seven of them played 19 minutes or more.

“We came down here and went nose-to-nose-to-nose with them,” Stansbury said. “We took a team averaging 80 points and held it to 54. It was a hell of a game. These were two pretty good teams. We’ll take a lot of positives from this and get better from it, and I’m sure Baylor will, too.”

DALLAS -- Here are a few quick observations from Baylor's 54-52 victory over Mississippi State on Wednesday at American Airlines Arena in Dallas.

Overview: Baylor point guard Pierre Jackson scored a team-high 14 points -- including the game-winning layup with 22 seconds remaining. Quincy Miller added 12 points for the Bears, who are off to their best start ever at 13-0. Baylor trailed for nearly all of the second half -- but never by more than four points. The Bears outrebounded Mississippi State (38-31), an area that Scott Drew's team struggled in recent weeks. Renardo Sidney and Jalen Steele had 10 points each for Mississippi State, which lost for the first time since Nov. 9

Turning point: Baylor trailed for almost the entire second half before Jackson beat Dee Bost off the dribble for what proved to be the game-winning layup with 22 seconds remaining. The Bears also caught a huge break at the 1:35 mark, when Mississippi State's Sidney was whistled for a technical while arguing with an official who had just whistled him for his fifth personal foul. The Bears shot four free throws -- two for the fifth foul, two for the technical -- and made two of them to force a 52-52 tie. Bost missed a runner on the other end. Baylor rebounded and then Jackson made his heroic shot.

Star of the game: Jackson may have hit the winning shot, but Miller may have been the Bears' top all-around performer in a sloppy game. The freshman forward scored 12 points and grabbed six rebounds in 25 minutes, an encouraging sign considering his recent struggles.

What the win means for Baylor: The Bears should be ecstatic about being one of four undefeated teams in the country. They've defeated some good teams and have earned the accolades that will come their way. Still, all teams strive to improve, so head coach Scott Drew should use Wednesday's game to address a handful of flaws that may have been masked by Baylor's successful start. Much like they did last season, the Bears play out of control at times. Jackson, in particular, took a ton of terrible shots in traffic against Mississippi State. Instead of trying to take the game over by himself, he needs to get better at sharing the ball and dishing off when he draws help defense. He's an incredible talent who has a knack for hitting huge shots, but he needs to develop some discipline. Drew also needs to let Miller play through his mistakes. He sat out way too long in the second half. He's simply too talented to keep on the bench. Drew also may want to consider tightening his rotation. Playing 10 to 12 guys early in the season is fine when you're trying to figure things out, but by now it may be better to go with a rotation of seven to eight guys. Brady Heslip sat way too many minutes in the second half. Still, none of that should diminish the magnitude of Wednesday's victory. No one can question the Bears' legitimacy now.

What the loss means for Mississippi State: There is no reason for the Bulldogs to hang their heads. They went toe-to-toe against a Final Four contender and could've easily won. If anything, Mississippi State should be encouraged. On a night when leading scorer Arnett Moultrie wasn't all that productive (eight points) the Bulldogs got huge contributions from secondary players such as Brian Bryant (eight points) and Steele (10). Aside from a silly technical foul in the waning minutes, Sidney turned in a strong performance, scoring 10 points and blocking two shots in just 19 minutes. His poor conditioning is still an issue, but Mississippi State doesn't lose much when Wendell Lewis subs for him. This is a deep, talented team that should finish no worse than third in the SEC. Rick Stansbury, who was under fire after a disappointing 2011-12 season, is doing a nice job.

Up next: Baylor opens Big 12 play Jan. 2 against Texas A&M in Waco. Mississippi State hosts Utah State on Saturday before opening SEC play Jan. 7 at Arkansas.

For one scary moment, Perry Jones III feared he was done for a long time.

Baylor's big man was writhing on the court in pain and wasn’t sure he could come back into the game, let alone how much of the season might be missed.

Jones had knocked knees with BYU’s Brandon Davies atop the perimeter on a drive with 1:26 left and his seventh-ranked Bears up 84-83. Without its star forward, Baylor looked like it might lose not only the game, but its shot at a glorious season.

“I was scared,’’ Jones told ESPN.com by phone Saturday. “I couldn’t move my leg on my own. I thought I tore something.’’

But Jones quickly made a decision while on the bench.

He wanted back in.

“I didn’t want to let my team down,’’ Jones said. “I just wanted to ignore the pain, get to the weak side and get the rebound. I was there at the right time.’’

Jones’ tip-in follow with 21 seconds left gave Baylor an 86-83 lead.

“That was huge,’’ BU coach Scott Drew said. “What was really special is that normally a player gets injured, limps around and doesn’t make the big play. He got the big play.’’

Brigham Young had one more chance to tie the game when Davies had a 3-pointer at the buzzer. But Pierre Jackson, a 5-foot-10 guard, came from the side and blocked the 6-9 forward’s shot.

“I was closest to him,’’ Jackson said after the Bears' 86-83 victory. “I know I can jump pretty high. I wanted to contest it but I happened to block it. It was a big block, and it saved the game for us.’’

Drew said Jackson is as athletic a player as Baylor has and that he wasn’t surprised Jackson found a way to block Davies’ shot.

Jones, a clear contender for All-America status and Big 12 player of the year, finished with a career-high 28 points and eight rebounds, while Jackson added 13 off the bench. Brady Heslip made six of 10 shots from beyond the arc and finished with 18 for the Bears.

Baylor hadn’t been tested yet this season, blowing out all its competition, even in the one previous road game at Northwestern.

So Drew wasn’t sure how his team would handle going into the Marriott Center, a notorious graveyard for BYU opponents.

“You’re not going to find a tougher atmosphere in college,’’ Drew said. “They were 48-2 in their last 50 games. This definitely gets us ready for Big 12 play and tells us a lot about our team. It showed we know how to execute at the end of games. Toughness is required to win on the road. We weren’t ready early on, and we got dominated on the glass.’’

The Cougars added UCLA transfer Matt Carlino for this game, and he tied Davies for the team lead with 18 points. But Baylor did have length, size and depth advantage in the frontcourt with BYU missing sixth man Stephen Rogers.

However, it was Cal transfer guard Gary Franklin who played a key role Saturday. He made two 3s in 12 minutes, but Drew said Franklin’s defense was just as crucial.

“Normally you like to bring in a player that you add midseason for a home game,’’ Drew said. “But he was tremendous. He guarded very well.’’

It's pretty clear the Bears are more than capable of competing for the Big 12 title and a deep run in March, possibly long enough to get to New Orleans.

But there still are some potholes ahead. Baylor plays Saint Mary’s and West Virginia in Las Vegas next week, and then squares off with Mississippi State on Dec. 28 in Dallas.

The length of Arnett Moultrie and size of Renardo Sidney will certainly test Jones, Quincy Miller and Quincy Acy, while Heslip, Franklin, Jackson and A.J. Walton will have their hands full with Dee Bost and Rodney Hood.

So plenty of tests remain for the unbeaten Bears. But one of the biggest of all was passed in Provo.

“We got through the adversity together,’’ Jones said. “We just have to play smarter and play better together.’’

Based on results and not preseason expectations, here's my attempt at ranking the SEC teams one month into the season:

1. Kentucky: The Wildcats played the toughest nonconference game to date and beat North Carolina on a buzzer-beating blocked shot. UK has the most talent in the league and will be the team to chase throughout the season. Nothing will change that going forward.

2. Florida: The Gators lost on the road in two places (Ohio State, Syracuse) where most teams will fall this season. Wednesday's OT victory against Arizona was a must-win for this team. Having Patric Young score 25 points is a good sign the Gators will keep getting better.

3. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs have the most intriguing frontline in Arnett Moultrie and Renardo Sindey. Dee Bost continues to be a steadying force for MSU, which seems to have righted itself since the home loss to Akron. This has the look of an NCAA team.

4. Vanderbilt: The Commodores have played the toughest schedule of any SEC team so far, but the Dores blew leads against Xavier at home and at Louisville. Getting Festus Ezeli back in a road win at Davidson means Vandy can start its season anew. This is still a team with a chance to go far in March.

5. Alabama: The Crimson Tide lost at home to surging Georgetown and on the road to an erratic Dayton. Bama is still an NCAA-type team, but the Tide need to find some consistency before they hit the SEC season. The ceiling is still high for this crew.

6. Ole Miss: The Rebels squeezed out a win at DePaul when Murphy Holloway came through in the clutch. But that win and the one at Penn State aren't exactly jaw-droppers. The Rebs have a formidable frontcourt, but the guard play has to improve.

7. Arkansas: The Razorbacks lost Marshawn Powell for the season, but still showed they had plenty of fight in a loss at Connecticut. Mike Anderson has this team highly competitive with a chance for postseason play.

8. LSU: The Tigers have climbed up into the top eight after winning two in a row on the road, at Houston and at Rutgers. The rebuilding job by Trent Johnson might be turning a bit of a corner. A game against Marquette is still on the horizon, which could humble the Tigers.

9. Tennessee: The Vols have lost four of their past five, but Tennessee did show it can hang and play with passion and purpose in losing to Duke and Pitt in close ones, and to Memphis in double overtime in Maui. A soft part of the schedule is coming up. UT needs to take advantage.

10. Georgia: The Bulldogs have hit a skid in the schedule by losing five of their past six, all against power-six schools (no softies here). Georgia needs a win badly and might get one at USC on Dec. 17.

11. South Carolina: The Gamecocks were looking like one of the worst teams in any major conference early in the season (with losses to Elon and Tennessee State), but the win at rival Clemson keeps them out of the SEC basement. The problem is that Ohio State comes calling on Dec. 17. Uh-oh.

12. Auburn: The Tigers (4-1) have a better overall record than LSU, Tennessee, South Carolina or Georgia, but the four wins were against low-majors. The one time the Tigers played a power-six school they lost badly at Seton Hall. So judging is still incomplete with the Tigers.

NEW YORK -- The night before the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer title game, Meo Stansbury had an important assignment for her husband, Rick.

She needed him to broker a taste test. Friday was Arnett Moultrie's 21st birthday and Mrs. Stansbury wanted to make sure she chose the exact right cookie to celebrate.

“Well I liked all three,’’ Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury said. “But I told him he wasn’t getting any cookies until after the game was over.’’

In the end, Moultrie chose chocolate chip. Nothing fancy, nothing exotic, just good.

Sort of like Moultrie.

The Mississippi State forward will not stun you with his flash. He won’t overpower you with his finesse.

He will just beat you down.

Usually it’s on the boards. But on his birthday, Moultrie offered up a special treat, a double-double beatdown of 19 points and 10 rebounds that lifted Mississippi State to a 67-57 victory over No. 16 Arizona, securing the program's first in-season tourney title in more than decade.

Moultrie, who had eight points and eight boards against 18th-ranked Texas A&M on Thursday, took home a nice little birthday souvenir from New York -- tournament MVP honors.

“It’s an amazing feeling,’’ Moultrie said. “The Garden is the biggest stage you can play on.’’

The beauty of Moultrie, though, is that he’s more than happy being a supporting cast member. He is Dennis Rodman without the makeup and the look-at-me-me-me, a voracious rebounder who has not just an instinct for the ball but an insatiable desire to go get it.

In five games this season, Moultrie has pulled down double-digit boards all but once and is averaging a ridiculous 11.2 rebounds a game.

And on a team full of stars, some of them star-crossed, that makes him the perfect complement and antidote for the Bulldogs.

A year ago, Mississippi State was known more for its off-court drama than its on-court success. Moultrie presents a steadying influence and the sort of selflessness the Bullies need.

“I don’t know how many nights he’s going to be our leading scorer, but I do know that one thing he’s going to bring every night is an energy to go rebound that basketball,’’ Stansbury said. “Not many guys have that. You tell a guy to go get that ball and he doesn’t want to hear it. Arnett wants to hear it.’’

Moultrie came to Mississippi State from UTEP, transferring out of El Paso after his coach, Tony Barbee, moved on to Auburn. A big pickup, he still existed in the shadow of the enigmatic talent of Renardo Sidney.

Now he and Sidney combine for a formidable pair in the paint. Mississippi State didn’t command the boards entirely -- it outrebounded Arizona by only five -- but it controlled the paint. The Bulldogs outscored the Wildcats 38-24 there.

Moultrie and Sidney (8 points) scored themselves, but their presence also cleared the lane for their guards to drive and score or drive and dish.

“Their two big guys are enormous,’’ Arizona coach Sean Miller said. “But Arnett, in particular, was the difference in this game.’’

The big question, of course, is what does this all mean for Mississippi State? This long has been a team stuffed with talent -- Sidney and Dee Bost, on paper, should be one of the more formidable inside-outside pairs in the country.

Except it’s never quite panned out, as the team has been done in by infighting, suspensions and Sidney’s wishy-washy commitment.

Five games and two strong ones in New York do not a season make, but all signs right now point to an MSU team that needs to be added to the SEC conversation -- provided the Bulldogs can maintain it.

Mississippi State started 7-2 a year ago before skidding through a 1-5 stretch.

“Everyone wants to win,’’ Bost said. “That’s all that’s on anyone’s mind.’’

Well, that and celebratory cookies.

NEW YORK -- A quick look at Mississippi State’s 67-57 win over Arizona in the championship game of the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer:

What it means: Maybe, just maybe, Mississippi State is going to deliver on its promise. The Bulldogs, usually known more for their off-court drama than their on-court play, roll out of New York with the Coaches vs. Cancer trophy. A team next to which everyone put a big question mark at the start of the season may be providing some solid answers. Arizona, meantime, is going to be a good team. The Wildcats have athletes all over the floor and guys who can just flat-out play, but this young group still has to get over some growing pains.

How it happened: Mississippi State exposed Arizona in the paint, using Arnett Moultrie and Renardo Sidney to either score or clear way for their guards. The two big men were a combined 12-of-18 from the field.

Star of the game: UTEP transfer Moultrie, maybe the most overlooked player on the Mississippi State roster, made eight of his 10 shots and scored 19 points while grabbing 10 rebounds. Quite simply: He was a beast.

Halftime: More track meet than basketball game, Mississippi State held a slim 35-34 lead at the break. You could call it either great offense or bad defense. Regardless, the result was some seriously hot shooting. MSU used its obvious advantage on the inside to outscore Arizona in the paint 22-14, but the Wildcats’ ability to score from anywhere -- they got points from seven players in the first half -- kept UA in step with the Bulldogs.

What’s next: Mississippi State’s next big test will come on Dec. 3 when the Bulldogs host a young but talented West Virginia team in the Big East/SEC Challenge. Arizona’s tough nonconference schedule continues as the year winds down. The Wildcats will have a tricky road game at New Mexico State on Nov. 29, play at Florida on Dec. 7, host Clemson on Dec. 10 and face Gonzaga on Dec. 17.

NEW YORK -- Mississippi State and "potential" have been synonymous in recent years.

Only problem? The Bulldogs have been unable to live up to expectations.

Then you witness a game like Thursday's 69-60 victory over No. 18 Texas A&M, a co-favorite in the Big 12, and that word starts popping into your head again. Could this be the season the Bulldogs put it all together? Could the potential finally be realized?

Well, it's just one game, but it sure was an impressive one at Madison Square Garden in the semifinals of the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer.

The Aggies didn’t have their best player, Khris Middleton, who is out with a knee injury for a few more weeks. But Mississippi State dominated this game from start to finish. The Bulldogs proved they can get to the basket with a veteran lead guard in Dee Bost (20 points), take up plenty of space inside with the trio of Arnett Moultrie, Renardo Sidney and Wendell Lewis, and get quality play from role players like Rodney Hood (a pair of 3s) and Deville Smith (8 points).

Dare we say that this MSU team has loads of potential that could be met?

Sure, the Bulldogs lost at home to Akron, a legitimate contender in the MAC. But the difference is that a year ago that loss would have been compounded by poor play instead of a improved performance.

“The one thing that we’ve had all summer and all fall is that this team plays hard,’’ Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury said. “We weren’t going to make excuses [with the Akron loss]. But that wasn’t us.’’

Sidney, who missed State's previous game against South Alabama due to a groin injury, was 0-for-8 against the Ags, but did convert three free throws. He also had two steals and a block. He was active throughout his 22 minutes, even if he wasn’t productive offensively.

“Sidney isn’t close to his ceiling,’’ Stansbury said. “He’ll finish six of those eight [in the future].’’

Smith had been out earlier in the season with headaches. He has steadily been worked back into the lineup and has been a game-changer for the Bulldogs. His arrival means Bost can play more off the ball and become even more effective.

Look, Kentucky is an overwhelming SEC favorite. Florida should be next. Vanderbilt, once Festus Ezeli returns, must be in the mix as well. Alabama has a veteran squad and is a legit top-20 team. Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy said he has his best frontline since he’s been in Oxford.

But the Bulldogs have to be in the discussion.

“We’re versatile enough,’’ Stansbury said. “What I like is that we were 19-of-31 at the free-throw line. It’s a good stat on the road to make more free throws than the other team attempts (14). We did that against a good, physical A&M team.’’

The Bulldogs have been an enigmatic bunch. They tend to be all over the place in the nonconference and then rally in the SEC to be a thorn in everyone's side. But there is hope that if Sidney and Moultrie can play together and produce in the low post, if Smith continues to get quality minutes and Bost continues to get his buckets, then the Bulldogs will be a tough out for anyone on the schedule.

That includes 16th-ranked Arizona on Friday night.

NEW YORK -- A quick take on Mississippi State's 69-60 victory over No. 18 Texas A&M at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night.

What it means: The Bulldogs improve to 3-1 on the season, and earn a spot in Friday night's championship game of the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer. The Aggies (2-1) suffer their first loss of the season.

The skinny: Mississippi State played a ferocious first 10 minutes, sprinting out to a 31-9 lead midway through the first half. But then the Bulldogs seemed to relax, and the Aggies worked their way back into the game, trailing 41-32 at intermission. Eight players appeared for Mississippi State in the first half, and all eight scored.

The Bulldogs began the second half on a 7-0 run to expand the lead back to 16, and never were in serious danger from there. The Aggies finally cut it to single digits at 58-50 with 4:28 to play -- but they never got closer than that.

Team effort: Mississippi State was led by senior guards Dee Bost (20 points) and Brian Bryant (12). Freshman swingman Rodney Hood added 10, and two other players chipped in 8. Talented 6-foot-10 junior Renardo Sidney was 0-for-9 from the field, finishing with just 3 points and 6 rebounds.

Junior guard Elston Turner had 13 points to lead Texas A&M.

Hard to believe: Mississippi State shot just 10-for-30 (30 percent) in the second half, yet was never really challenged. For the first 10 minutes of the game, the Bulldogs looked like the best team in the country; they were mediocre at best after that.

What's next: Mississippi State will take on No. 16 Arizona, the winner of the second semifinal, in the championship game Friday at 6:30 p.m. Texas A&M will play St. John's in the consolation game at 4:30 p.m. ESPN2 will televise both games.

1. The season began with a trickling of news of extra benefits benching key players. We can quibble on the merits of each extra benefit from C.J. Leslie (NC State), Ryan Boatright (Connecticut) and Festus Ezeli (Vanderbilt). But the reality is that these violations have and will affect these teams from starting the season the way each should. Leslie needed to get off on solid footing for new coach Mark Gottfried at NC State. He’s out for three games and will first play against Vandy. Leslie was a bit of a disappointment last season. He has a chance to start fresh with Gottfried, and now he has to play catch-up. Each of these incidents, and Baylor’s Perry Jones III (out for the first five games, too), weren’t involving the coaching staffs. That doesn’t matter. These forced sit-downs affect each team. No one will miss the NCAAs because of these violations, but it’s just another cautionary tale of how extra benefits prior to college or in the offseason for college players will have consequences.

2. It was just the first weekend of games, but how a conference does out of conference matters in November and December. The Missouri Valley has a chance for multiple bids, much like the Colonial Athletic Association did last season. And any non-conference wins against projected conference favorites help. Missouri State won handily at Nevada in Paul Lusk’s debut as head coach. The Wolf Pack were the preseason favorite in the WAC over Utah State by the coaches (not the media, who had the reverse). Evansville beat Horizon League favorite Butler in overtime at home as Colt Ryan was the star with 0.9 seconds remaining in regulation by hitting a free throw and then six of the 11 points in OT. Northern Iowa dismantled Old Dominion on the road behind Jake Koch’s 18. Creighton and Wichita State are the favorites in the Valley. But the better the rest of the league does, the more likely there will be at-large bids, too.

3. Mississippi State’s Renardo Sidney didn’t play against South Alabama on Saturday because of a groin injury. He is being evaluated each day. Sidney did play in a 10-point loss to Akron last week. It would be a shame if he’s not healthy enough to go against Texas A&M on Thursday night in the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer. The Bulldogs did play better without Sidney against South Alabama, but the competition wasn’t the same against Akron. Still, the Bulldogs need to have some consistency with Sidney and Arnett Moultrie together in the post. The two games in New York against Texas A&M and then either St. John’s or Arizona will help this team get ready for the long haul, as well as possibly provide critical power-rating points.

Mississippi State's Renardo Sidney hasn't had the easiest college career thus far. There's been an NCAA suspension, a suspension for sparring with a teammate, and an overseas preseason tour he wasn't allowed to make this summer. Those have all been warning signs for a 6-foot-10, 280-pound forward who still has hopes of living up to his hype coming out of high school.

But the Bulldogs do have positive reports from this offseason as well, as coach Rick Stansbury is making it known that Sidney has for the first time managed to finish conditioning drills despite his weight issues, according to The Clarion-Ledger.

"That doesn't mean he was winning every race," said Stansbury, "but he made it through it. For him, that’s a step in the right direction. We've just got to keep stepping the right way and not step back."

More importantly, "he’s been a good teammate," Stansbury said.

"The team has handled him very well," said Stansbury, who added that the attitude of his core group of players is much better than last season’s group.

We'll have to see how this translates on the court once the games get going, but the comments from Stansbury have to be a welcome respite from the torrent of negativity that has defined Sidney's stay in Starksville thus far. Stansbury also spoke to Sidney's maturity level, according to the paper.

"We haven’t had any blow ups," Stansbury said. "Call it maturity, call it whatever you want to call it; that's what we want. I don't care what you call it. That's what we expect and need from him."

So far, so good from Sidney. The program can only hope it stays that way for the long haul.