Expectations were high for Mississippi State last season, and for a good reason. The Bulldogs were fresh off a successful run in the NIT run the year before, stocked with a returning core, and led by a veteran coach with a defined style. After a 12-1 start to the season, everything looked like it was falling into place for where preseason expectations had them.
Then SEC play began.
The Bulldogs stumbled to a 4-6 start, one that exposed the roster’s flaws. If not for a 5-0 stretch during the soft middle of their conference schedule, Ben Howland’s squad might have missed the NCAA tournament.