For the first time in history, Mississippi State and Ole Miss are projected to be in the NCAA Tournament in both men’s and women’s basketball. Some of the players who have made this feat possible have been awarded for their excellence on the court.
On the men’s side, Mississippi State guard Josh Hubbard held on to the Howell Trophy crown he earned as a freshman last year, staving off efforts by Ole Miss’ Sean Pedulla and Jackson State’s Daeshun Ruffin in the process. As a sophomore, Hubbard has led the Bulldogs (20-11, 8-10 SEC) in scoring with 18.3 points per game, also earning him a spot on the All-SEC roster on the second team.
An integral member of Chris Jans’ team, Hubbard has also helped earn Mississippi State a favorable standing among college basketball experts, landing the maroon and white as a lock to be featured in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Hubbard’s teammate, Cam Matthews, was selected to the SEC’s All-Defensive team for the second straight year.
Mississippi State currently sits at No. 34 in the NCAA NET rankings and is projected to be in the No. 8 seed ballpark. But the Bulldogs can boost their résumé in the SEC Tournament on Wednesday night versus LSU at 7 p.m. If Mississippi State wins, the next opponent will be a rematch versus Missouri on Thursday night.
Pedulla, a runner-up for the Howell Trophy, appeared on the All-SEC squad as a third-team member. The Virginia Tech transfer has been one of the conference’s most efficient players at his position while handling the point for an Ole Miss (21-10, 10-8 SEC) offense that currently ranks third in the NCAA for fewest turnovers per game. He is currently averaging 15.1 points a game.
As for the Rebels, recent March Madness projections have Chris Beard and company in the No. 7 seed range as the team sits at No. 27 in the NET. Ole Miss will return to the hardwood on Thursday in an SEC Tournament matchup against Arkansas or South Carolina — both teams the red and blue defeated earlier in the season.
In women’s hoops, Ole Miss guard Madison Scott was named the Gillom Trophy recipient, besting Mississippi State’s Jerkaila Jordan and Jackson State’s Taleah Dilworth. Averaging 11.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists, Scott has been a reliable asset in head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin’s system. The senior was also listed as a second-team member of the All-SEC squad. Her teammate, Sira Thienou, made the All-Freshman team.
The aforementioned Jordan joined Scott on the conference’s second team. She logged an average of 16.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and two assists per game for Sam Purcell’s Lady Bulldogs.
For Ole Miss, recent NCAA Tournament projections have the Lady Rebels (20-10, 10-6 SEC) hosting as a No. 4 seed by the time Selection Sunday rolls around this weekend. Meanwhile, Mississippi State (21-11, 7-9 SEC), is listed as a No. 9 seed after winning a conference tournament game to essentially seal a spot in March Madness last week.
