Mississippi State film breakdown: 5 plays that define the Bulldogs

By Jackson Posey | Sports Writer

Mississippi State is a problem.

Led by head coach Chris Jans, the Bulldogs have run their motion-heavy offense — captained by 5-foot-10 point guard Josh Hubbard and his fleet of screen-setters and snipers — to earn a first-round NCAA Tournament berth. They’ll take on head coach Scott Drew’s Baylor Bears.

“Anytime you play a Coach Jans team, it’s a team that plays really hard, really competes,” Drew said after the NCAA Tournament selection show. “You got to beat them — they’re not going to beat themselves.”

Jans’ offense is built around free-wheeling off-ball movement and a wild array of screens. The Bulldogs frequently run double screens, a rarity among Baylor’s opponents this season, while also deploying intricate perimeter crisscross screens off the ball. It’s a highly technical offense that’s difficult to keep under control.

The Bulldogs have earned their No. 23 offensive rating on KenPom. Despite only two top-100 recruits on the roster, their fluid chemistry and advanced Xs and Os have kept them competitive with other teams’ Jimmies and Joes.

The star of the show is Hubbard (18.7 points, 3.2 assists), a Second Team All-SEC member and one of only two Bulldogs averaging double figures. The other is KeShawn Murphy, who at 6-foot-10 stands a full foot taller than his point guard. Hubbard’s dynamism breaks open the offensive sets at critical times — often for the best.

The Bulldogs shoot an abysmal 31.4% (No. 314 nationally) on 26.8 3-point attempts per game. The off-ball movement and disconcerting screen-setting often leave defenses backpedaling, creating plenty of space for savvy off-ball players.

When it works, it works; when it doesn’t, it’s almost impossible to squeeze out a victory. Mississippi State is 13-1 when it hits at least a third of its 3-pointers, and 8-11 otherwise. Their long-range shooting accuracy could single-handedly determine the game.

The Bulldogs play an unselfish brand of basketball, from the point guard to the center and everywhere in between. The shooting is a massive question mark and the scoring defense (No. 248 nationally) isn’t elite. But they play the game the right way, and the playbook has been bamboozling opponents for months. The size differential makes this a bad matchup for Baylor on paper — but the Bears’ shooting advantage could be just enough.

Tipoff is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. Friday at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C., and will be broadcast on CBS.