One of the hard-luck programs of the SEC has gotten a big break the last two years. Mississippi State has the honor of being the first school in NCAA history to lose two high school recruits to the NBA as first-round draft picks in Jonathan Bender and Travis Outlaw. Last year, in addition to losing Outlaw, Bulldog coach Rick Stansbury also saw junior forward Mario Austin declare for the NBA Draft and a potential impact recruit from Poland opt for a European pro league. In August, Stansbury was faced with the possibility of having only two post players, both of them had yet to show any kind of consistency on his roster. Then a miracle happened for him. The scandal at Baylor caused a mass evacuation of the program's most gifted players, and because of an NCAA ruling, any former Bear could transfer and not have to sit out the season. Lawrence Roberts, who had averaged almost a double-double in two years in the Big 12, could have signed with any team in the country that had a scholarship left over. Arizona was one of the upper-level programs that needed a big man and had a scholarship to offer. But when Roberts visited Starkville, he fell in love with the city and signed with the Bulldogs.

Just like that, Mississippi State was a team that was rejuvenated. A roster that had plenty of solid perimeter players-including Iowa State transfer Shane Power-came together around its new big man and became a force to be reckoned with in the SEC, winning the Western Division and overall conference championship. Roberts became an All-American and most interested observers thought Roberts would use the great season as a stepping stone into the NBA. But unlike Austin, who got some really bad advice about turning pro, Roberts obviously had someone with some good sense advising him to stay for his senior year. When Roberts announced he was returning to Mississippi State for his senior year, Stansbury figured the basketball gods had finally righted the wrongs that had been done to him in their own karmical way. With Roberts in the picture, just like last season, a Bulldogs team that would have been good suddenly has the potential for greatness. And if the NBA leaves the program off of their respective radar, Stansbury and his assistants have Mississippi State working on a streak of three straight NCAA Tournament appearances and are poised to become a perennial power.

The starting five for the Bulldogs this year is one of the stronger squads that they have unleashed on the country in a while. The starting five will consist of Gary Ervin (So.) at point guard, Winsome Frazier (Sr.) at shooting guard, Shane Power (Sr.) at small forward, Roberts at power forward, and Marcus Campbell (Sr.) at the center position. With four seniors in the starting lineup the Bulldog’s are poised to make a strong push at a national championship. With al the veterans on the team they should be able to hit their stride at the right time during the season and hit their hot streak right before the Big Dance starts so they can carry it over into the tournament. With a hot team in the tournament the possibilities are endless for the Bulldogs.