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Bulldogs Play Host To UMass In Opening Round Of NIT
STARKVILLE – After a one-year absence, Mississippi State finds itself back in the postseason.
Sunday
night, the Bulldogs, seeded 4th, received a bid from the NIT, and they
will play host to No. 5-seed Massachusetts on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in a
game televised by ESPN2.
It will be the first meeting
between the two, while MSU is currently 16-9 against teams that
comprise the Atlantic-10. The last A-10 foe the Bulldogs battled was
St. Bonaventure in December of 2009, a game Mississippi State won
handily, 105-53.
“Naturally, we are disappointed we are
not playing in the NCAA Tournament, but at the same time we are looking
forward to the NIT,” 14th-year MSU coach Rick Stansbury said. “UMass
had a great year and is playing extremely well in a very competitive
conference. They are very talented and the thing that stands out is how
deep they are.”
This is MSU’s 18th post-season berth (10
NCAA and 6 NIT) and 11th with Stansbury at the helm. All-time,
MSU is 18-17 in post-season play, 7-7 in the NIT.
In
Mississippi State’s last NIT run in 2010, MSU knocked off Jackson State
81-67 before losing on a last-second shot to North Carolina, 76-74.
“I’m
thankful for another opportunity, especially after leaving the SEC
Tournament on a sour note,” senior All-SEC guard Dee Bost said. “As a
senior, I’m looking forward to playing at least one more game at the
Hump.”
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