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Mississippi State has been relatively consistent, but this year the Bulldogs have much, much bigger goals. With just about everybody returning, Coach Rick Stansbury hopes to turn his NCAA Tournament team of a year ago into a team that can win the SEC and make a deep tournament run in March.

Key Losses for MSU: F Brian Johnson

Smith might have some trouble finding minutes with Barry Stewart and Phil Turner on the wings. Stewart averaged 12.4 points per game and will now need to become even more of a leader on the floor. Stewart is a prolific outside shooter, but he will also use his 6-3 frame to finish around the basket and that is what makes him such a dangerous scorer. Turner is a good shooter too, but it is his ability to hit the glass that makes him so valuable to this team. He ranked second on the team with 5.5 rebounds per game last year. At 6-7, Ravern Johnson usually manned the four spot on this undersized team. He is an accurate and prolific three-point shooter who needs to be more physical under the basket if this team wants to avoid being outrebounded on a consistent basis.

Ideally, Mississippi State would move Johnson to the wing, but that means they need to find a consistent power forward. If it is not Sidney, it will have to be Kodi Augustus, Romero Osby or Elgin Bailey. Those three all averaged less than 14 minutes per game last year, but Augustus averaged a steady 6.2 points and 3.4 rebounds last year and Bailey has potential if he can overcome a foot injury that sidelined him late last season. But no matter who starts at the four spot, Jarvis Varnardo is the star of the frontcourt and this team. Varnado was known as simply a shot blocker a couple of years ago, but on top of his incredible 4.7 blocks per game last year, he added team highs with 12.9 points and 8.8 rebounds.