2021–22 Mississippi State Bulldogs men's basketball team
American college basketball season
The 2021–22 Mississippi State Bulldogs men's basketball team represented Mississippi State University during the 2021–22 NCAA Division I men's basketball season . The team was led by seventh-year head coach Ben Howland , and played their home games at Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, Mississippi as a member of the Southeastern Conference . They finished the season 18–16, 8–10 in SEC play to finish 10th place. They defeated South Carolina in the second round of the SEC tournament before losing to Tennessee in the quarterfinals. They received an at-large bid to the National Invitation Tournament where they lost in the first round to Virginia .
Following the season, the school fired head coach Howland.[1] On March 20, 2022, the school named New Mexico State head coach Chris Jans the team's new head coach.
Previous season
In a season limited due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic , the Bulldogs finished the 2020–21 season 18–15, 8–10 in SEC play to finish in ninth place. They defeated Kentucky in the second round of the SEC tournament before losing to Alabama in the quarterfinals. They received an invitation to the National Invitation Tournament as the fourth seed in the Saint Louis bracket. There they defeated Saint Louis ,[2] Richmond ,[3] and Louisiana Tech [4] to advance the championship game where they lost to Memphis .
Offseason
Departures
Incoming transfers
2021 recruiting class
US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name
Hometown
High school / college
Height
Weight
Commit date
KeShawn Murphy #18 PF
Birmingham, AL
Ramsay High School
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
Aug 28, 2020
Recruiting star ratings : Scout : Rivals : 247Sports : ESPN : ESPN grade: 83
Alden Applewhite #28 SG
Memphis, TN
AZ Compass Prep
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
230 lb (100 kg)
Feb 26, 2021
Recruiting star ratings : Scout : Rivals : 247Sports : ESPN : ESPN grade: 82
Cam Carter SG
Donaldsonville, LA
Oak Hill Academy
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
Feb 26, 2021
Recruiting star ratings : Scout : Rivals : 247Sports : ESPN : N/A ESPN grade: 0
Overall recruiting rankings:
Note : In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.
Sources:
2022 Recruiting class
Roster
2021–22 Mississippi State Bulldogs men's basketball team
Players
Coaches
Pos.
#
Name
Height
Weight
Year
Previous school
Hometown
G
0
Rocket Watts
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
Jr
Michigan State
Detroit, MI
G
1
Iverson Molinar
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
Jr
Veritas Prep (CA)
Panama City , Panama
F
2
Javian Davis
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
240 lb (109 kg)
RS Jr
Alabama
Canton, MS
G
3
Shakeel Moore
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
So
NC State
Greensboro, NC
G/F
4
Cameron Matthews
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
So
Olive Branch HS
Olive Branch, MS
G
5
Cam Carter
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
Fr
Oak Hill Academy
Donaldsonville, LA
F
10
Garrison Brooks
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
230 lb (104 kg)
GS
North Carolina
Lafayette, AL
G/F
11
Andersson Garcia
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
So
Hamilton Heights Christian Academy
Moca, DR
F
12
KeShawn Murphy
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
245 lb (111 kg)
Fr
Ramsey
Birmingham, AL
F
13
D. J. Jeffries
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
Jr
Memphis
Olive Branch, MS
F
20
Derek Fountain
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
So
Holly Springs HS
Holly Springs, MS
G
21
Justin Rumph (W)
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
RS Sr
Southern Union State CC
Birmingham, AL
G
24
Tyler Brumfield (W)
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
Fr
Montverde Academy
Los Angeles, CA
G
25
Isaac Stansbury (W)
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
170 lb (77 kg)
Jr
Greenwood HS
Bowling Green, KY
F
35
Tolu Smith
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
245 lb (111 kg)
RS Jr
Western Kentucky
Bay St. Louis, MS
F
44
Alden Applewhite
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
205 lb (93 kg)
Fr
AZ Compass Prep
Memphis, TN
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
(W) Walk-on
Roster
Schedule and results
Date time, TV
Rank#
Opponent#
Result
Record
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Site (attendance) city, state
Regular season
November 10, 2021 *7:00 p.m., SECN+
North Alabama
W 75–49
1–0
18 – Brooks
14 – Matthews
4 – Matthews
Humphrey Coliseum (6,671)Starkville, MS
November 13, 2021 *6:00 p.m., SECN+
Montana
W 86–49
2–0
16 – Molinar
11 – Brooks
7 – Carter
Humphrey Coliseum (6,289)Starkville, MS
November 17, 2021 *7:00 p.m., SECN+
Detroit Mercy Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship campus game
W 77–64
3–0
19 – Molinar
7 – Brooks
6 – Molinar
Humphrey Coliseum (6,497)Starkville, MS
November 21, 2021 *2:00 p.m., SECN+
Morehead State
W 66–46
4–0
15 – Molinar
10 – Jeffries
6 – Molinar
Humphrey Coliseum (6,108)Starkville, MS
November 25, 2021 *9:30 p.m., CBSSN
vs. Louisville Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship semifinal
L 58–72
4–1
17 – Molinar
7 – Matthews
2 – Molinar
Baha Mar Convention Center Nassau, Bahamas
November 27, 2021 *12:30 p.m., FloHoops
vs. Richmond Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas consolation
W 82–71 OT
5–1
22 – Smith
11 – Smith
7 – Molinar
Baha Mar Convention Center (1,175)Nassau, Bahamas
December 2, 2021 *7:00 p.m., SECN+
Lamar
W 75–60
6–1
17 – Molinar
11 – Smith
5 – Jeffries
Humphrey Coliseum (5,981)Starkville, MS
December 5, 2021 *1:00 p.m., SECN
Minnesota
L 76–81
6–2
26 – Molinar
10 – Brooks
6 – Molinar
Humphrey Coliseum (6,965)Starkville, MS
December 11, 2021 *1:00 p.m., ESPNU
vs. Colorado State Basketball Hall of Fame Classic
L 63–66
6–3
15 – Brooks
6 – Moore
5 – Molinar
Dickies Arena Fort Worth, TX
December 14, 2021 *7:00 p.m., SECN+
Georgia State
W 79–50
7–3
18 – Molinar
9 – Fountain
4 – Molinar
Humphrey Coliseum (5,953)Starkville, MS
December 17, 2021 *6:00 p.m., SECN
Furman
W 69–66
8–3
18 – Brooks
6 – Moore
4 – Moore
Humphrey Coliseum (5,797)Starkville, MS
December 21, 2021 *6:00 p.m.
vs. Winthrop
W 84–63
9–3
22 – Molinar
6 – Matthews
4 – Carter
Mississippi Coliseum (1,474)Jackson, MS
December 29, 2021 4:00 p.m., SECN
Arkansas
W 81–68
10–3 (1–0)
18 – Smith
10 – Brooks
5 –
Humphrey Coliseum (6,629)Starkville, MS
January 5, 2022 8:00 p.m., SECN
at Missouri
Postponed to February 20
Mizzou Arena Columbia, MO
January 8, 2022 7:30 p.m., SECN
at Ole Miss
L 72–82
10–4 (1–1)
16 –
9 – Matthews
4 – Matthews
SJB Pavilion (6,988)Oxford, MS
January 12, 2022 6:00 p.m., SECN
Georgia
W 88–72
11–4 (2–1)
28 – Molinar
6 – Davis
7 – Molinar
Humphrey Coliseum (5,973)Starkville, MS
January 15, 2022 5:00 p.m., SECN
No. 24 Alabama
W 78–76
12–4 (3–1)
24 – Molinar
10 – Brooks
4 – Molinar
Humphrey Coliseum (8,090)Starkville, MS
January 19, 2022 6:30 p.m., SECN
at Florida
L 72–80
12–5 (3–2)
18 – Moore
6 – Smith
5 – Molinar
O'Connell Center (10,008)Gainesville, FL
January 22, 2022 3:00 p.m., ESPNU
Ole Miss
W 78–60
13–5 (4–2)
20 – Molinar
6 – Matthews
7 – Moore
Humphrey Coliseum (9,739)Starkville, MS
January 25, 2022 8:00 p.m., ESPN
at No. 12 Kentucky
L 74–82 OT
13–6 (4–3)
30 – Molinar
8 – Matthews
4 – Moore
Rupp Arena (18,144)Lexington, KY
January 29, 2022 *5:00 p.m., ESPN2
at No. 13 Texas Tech Big 12/SEC Challenge
L 50–76
13–7
12 – Molinar
5 – Garcia
2 – Molinar
United Supermarkets Arena (15,098)Lubbock, TX
February 1, 2022 6:00 p.m., ESPNU
South Carolina
W 78–64
14–7 (5–3)
20 – Molinar
9 – Brooks
5 – Jeffries
Humphrey Coliseum (6,678)Starkville, MS
February 5, 2022 7:30 p.m., SECN
at Arkansas
L 55–63
14–8 (5–4)
19 – Molinar
11 – Brooks
3 –
Bud Walton Arena (19,200)Fayetteville, AR
February 9, 2022 8:00 p.m., ESPN2
No. 19 Tennessee
L 63–72
14–9 (5–5)
16 – Molinar
8 – Brooks
5 – Molinar
Humphrey Coliseum (7,014)Starkville, MS
February 12, 2022 7:00 p.m., ESPN2
at LSU
L 65–69
14–10 (5–6)
26 – Molinar
11 – Brooks
5 – Brooks
Pete Maravich Assembly Center (10,975)Baton Rouge, LA
February 16, 2022 6:00 p.m., ESPN2
at No. 25 Alabama
L 75–80
14–11 (5–7)
22 – Molinar
7 – Matthews
4 – Molinar
Coleman Coliseum (9,192)Tuscaloosa, AL
February 18, 2022 8:30 p.m., SECN
Missouri
W 68–49
15–11 (6–7)
16 – Smith
7 – Brooks
5 – Jefferies
Humphrey Coliseum (6,813)Starkville, MS
February 20, 2022 7:00 p.m., SECN
at Missouri
W 58–56
16–11 (7–7)
16 – Molinar
8 – Smith
2 – Garcia
Mizzou Arena (7,009)Columbia, MO
February 23, 2022 5:30 p.m., SECN
at South Carolina
L 56–66
16–12 (7–8)
21 – Smith
8 – Brooks
3 – Jeffries
Colonial Life Arena (10,129)Columbia, SC
February 26, 2022 12:00 p.m., SECN
Vanderbilt
W 74–69
17–12 (8–8)
22 – Smith
8 – Smith
3 – Brooks
Humphrey Coliseum (6,829)Starkville, MS
March 2, 2022 8:00 p.m., SECN
No. 5 Auburn
L 68–81 OT
17–13 (8–9)
22 – Smith
13 – Garcia
4 – Moore
Humphrey Coliseum (9,637)Starkville, MS
March 5, 2022 7:30 p.m., SECN
at Texas A&M
L 64–67
17–14 (8–10)
18 – Smith
6 –
4 – Molinar
Reed Arena (9,955)College Station, TX
SEC tournament
March 10, 2022 5:00 pm, SECN
(10)
vs. (7) South Carolina Second round
W 73–51
18–14
20 – Smith
14 – Garcia
5 – Moore
Amalie Arena (12,121)Tampa, FL
March 11, 2022 5:00 pm, SECN
(10)
vs. (2) No. 9 Tennessee Quarterfinals
L 59–72
18–15
15 – Moore
6 – Tied
3 – Tied
Amalie Arena (17,132)Tampa, FL
NIT tournament
March 16, 2022 6:00 pm, ESPN2
(3)
at Virginia First Round – Oklahoma Bracket
L 57–60
18–16
16 – Smith
11 – Smith
4 – Molinar
John Paul Jones Arena (5,278)Charlottesville, VA
*Non-conference game.
# Rankings from
AP Poll . (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in
Central Time .
Source[5]
See also
References
Venues Culture & lore People Seasons NCAA Final Four appearance in italics