Cupboard growing empty at MSU

Rumors fly, but here’s what we know: Whomever Mississippi State hires to succeed Rick Stansbury as its basketball coach will be rebuilding.

Dee Bost played out his eligibility. Renardo Sidney quit, which, granted, probably amounts to addition by subtraction. True story: My wife, who cares – and knows – nothing about basketball, looked up from her laptop during a late-season State TV game and asked, “Why does that great big (heavy) guy for State keep walking down the court when everybody else runs?”

She was talking, of course, about Sidney. My answer: I guess because he can. But back to the original point. …

Read more: ClarionLedger.com

Bulldogs’ Stricklin has been down road before

STARKVILLE — This is not Scott Stricklin’s first rodeo.

The Mississippi State athletic director is young and, yes, relatively new in his position, but he’s been here before.

Stricklin, 41, entered this week leading the first high-profile coaching search of his career, less than two years after he was promoted to the top spot in MSU’s athletic department.

The task: replacing Rick Stansbury, the winningest basketball coach in MSU history.

Read more: ClarionLedger.com

End of an era: Stansbury steps down at MSU

STARKVILLE — Rick Stansbury said he was tired of lying to his three young boys.

So on Thursday, a tearful Stansbury announced he was stepping down after 14 years as Mississippi State University’s basketball coach, citing a desire to spend more time with his wife and children.

The decision was announced less than 48 hours after MSU lost to Massachussetts in the National Invitation Tournament, ending a season filled with promise on a sour note.

Read More: ClarionLedger.com

What’s next for Bulldogs?

Dee Bost didn’t wait long.

Even before Rick Stansbury announced his retirement at a press conference Thursday afternoon, Bost, Mississippi State’s outgoing and outspoken point guard, began the name game via his Twitter account.

It was time, already, to think of a replacement.

“Coach Stans retired,” Bost wrote. “I think all alumni and fans should try to get Coach Cunningham as coach. #imjustsaying”

Read more: ClarionLedger.com

Dogs complete collapse with loss in NIT opener

STARKVILLE — No one denied it here Tuesday night.

A 101-96 loss in double-overtime to Massachusetts in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament was a disappointing end to a frustrating season for Mississippi State.

“I was awful proud of our guys not laying down and not quitting,” MSU coach Rick Stansbury said. “They kept fighting, they kept fighting and they kept fighting.”

Read more: ClarionLedger

Talking points from Starkville

What’s in Stansbury’s future?

Mississippi State fans are upset. The expectations were high for this team, which easily had the talent to reach the NCAA Tournament.

Still, MSU won a respectable 21 games.

Athletic director Scott Stricklin is remaining mum on Stansbury, the winningest coach in school history, but it’s been hard for fans to root for the players. There has been in-fighting and bad effort from some, and that doesn’t sit well.

Read more: ClarionLedger.com

Where’s the motivation?

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury blames only himself for the Bulldogs’ late-season collapse.

And now he faces one of the toughest challenges of his coaching career:

Rallying a team fraught with disappointment as it enters the first round of the National Invitation Tournament.

Read more: ClarionLedger.com

Bulldogs go flat, bounced from tourney

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3.9.12

Do Dogs have long tourney run in ‘em?

NEW ORLEANS — Mississippi State fans are not the only ones expecting big things from the Bulldogs in the SEC Tournament.

A team on the rise in the non-conference season hit a lull near the tail end of its SEC schedule, but two straight wins have rekindled a belief that these Bulldogs could not only make a run this weekend at New Orleans Arena but also next week in the NCAA Tournament.

That quest begins tonight when State (21-10) plays Georgia (14-16) in the SEC Tournament nightcap (9 p.m., SEC Network).

“They may not be the deepest team in the conference but they might be the second-most talented team when you just start looking at starting five versus starting five,” Georgia coach Mark Fox said. “They have a terrific team.”

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3.8.12

Rick Stansbury: The Overachiever

A quick survey of the interwebs lets me know that many Mississippi State fans, at least the vocal ones, want to see some sort of shake up with the men’s basketball program. I’m here to tell them why they are wrong. I’m here as the voice of what I think is the silent majority. No, it is not time to replace Rick Stansbury. It may be time to change expectations or goals, but it is not time to change the coach.

Reason Number One: Rick Stansbury has overachieved at Mississippi State.

The common phrase everyone likes to use about Rick Stansbury and his basketball program are disappointing or underachieving. I have a question for readers to consider. Why do you say that Stansbury has been an underachiever? By pretty much any measurable statistic, Stansbury has overachieved.

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2.21.12