ROBBY IN NY: MSU Ready for Penn State, Stansbury Talks Howland and Bulldogs

March 26, 2018

NEW YORK (WCBI/MSU Athletics) – Not only does Tuesday mark a school-record 37^th game for Mississippi State, it also means an opportunity to play for a championship with a win against Penn State.

Tip at famed Madison Square Garden is set for approximately 8:30 p.m. CT, with the game televised on ESPN. Bob Wischusen, Fran Fraschilla and Kris Budden will handle the broadcast, while Neil Price and Richard Williams will have the call on the MSU radio network.

The winner will face either Western Kentucky or Utah in the finals on Thursday.

LAST TIME OUT
Mississippi State routed Louisville, 79-56. Quinndary Weatherspoon posted this third double-double of the year with 19 points and 14 rebounds, while Aric Holman added 16 points.

Penn State beat Marquette, 85-80. Lamar Stevens had a game-high 30 points, while Tony Carr added 25.

RECORDS
Mississippi State, 25-11; Penn State, 24-13.

THE SERIES
MSU leads, 1-0.

COACHES
Ben Howland enters his third year at MSU and 22^nd overall. As head coach in four different stops, he is 456-250 with a 55-44 mark with the Bulldogs.

Patrick Chambers is 111-122 in seven years with the Nittany Lions, 154-150 in nine seasons overall.

QUOTABLE
“Very excited about the opportunity to go to New York. Looking forward to the experience of playing in The Garden for our team and our players. I know how special that is having coached there before. Every great player in the history of the game has played in MSG, Madison Square Garden. So, this will be a great experience for our team and our players. Penn State is very good. We have been watching film on them. They are really talented. — MSU coach Ben Howland.

BULLDOG BITES

Mississippi State has now won three-straight postseason games for the first time since 2007 when it also advanced to New York for the semifinals of the NIT.
In its ninth NIT appearance, the Bulldogs are now 10-8 in this event (21-18 overall with NCAAs).
Mississippi State is 4-2 all-time at Madison Square Garden and last played there in November of 2011 when it beat both Arizona and Texas A&M.
MSU is 7-7 against teams from the Big 10, having played 10 of the 14 schools. In the opening round of the NIT, the Bulldogs defeated Nebraska, 66-59.
In three NIT games, MSU is shooting 47.7 percent from the floor and 44.3 percent from 3-point range.
Mississippi State has also dished out 54 assists, blocked 17 shots and collected 19 steals.
The Bulldogs have set school NIT records for assists (24, Baylor) and made 3-pointers (13, Baylor).
MSU has now won back-to-back road games against Power 5 schools for the first time since winning at Arizona and Pittsburgh in 2000 and 2001.
The Penn State game marks the 37th of the year, a school record.
2018 has been one of MSU’s best in terms of offense. The Bulldogs’ 979 made field goals and the 2,098 attempts are the most in school history. In addition, the 245 made 3-pointers are fourth, while the 2,656 points are third.
In MSU’s three NIT games, Xavian Stapleton and Tyson Carter are 7-12 and 7-14 beyond the arc, respectively.
The Bulldogs are seeking 26 wins for the first time since 2004. The record of 27 was set in 2002.
Nick Weatherspoon‘s 20 charges are second only to Alabama’s Herbert Jones (23) in the SEC.
Quinndary Weatherspoon has 1,377 points for his career, now the 17th most in school history.
Aric Holman has 141-career blocked shots, two shy of tying Charles Rhodes for sixth most at MSU. In the last five games, he has 16.
Abdul Ado‘s 67 blocks are tied with Jarvis Varnado for the most by an MSU freshman.
The Bulldogs have shot 50 percent or better from the floor 14 times this year (eight a year ago).
In the postseason, Ben Howland is 23-12 with a 4-2 NIT record.