Bulldogs return to Alaska hoops tournament.
The Mississippi State men’s basketball team has been slotted to appear in the 2004 Top of the World Classic, hosted by the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. This will be the Bulldogs’ second appearance, following a third place finish in 1997. While that field featured the likes of Gonzaga and Clemson, MSU is clearly the biggest name this year, competing against the teams of Central Florida (25-6), Western Michigan (26-5), Georgia Southern (21-8), Utah State (25-4), New Mexico State (13-14), Portland University (11-17) and host Alaska Fairbanks (23-8). Of that group, only Central Florida and Western Michigan made the NCAA Tournament, as 11 and 14 seeds in the Phoenix and East Rutherford regionals, respectively.
On the one hand, it’s great to get some exposure, and the teams in this field are the kind of mid-majors we should beat regularly, you can’t help but look with sadness at missing out on the Guardian’s Classic, which featured at least three name major conference basketball teams in Notre Dame, Missouri, and Ohio State. Regardless of your political stance on the Confederate flag, as a MSU fan, you have to be a bit disappointed. However, if the games with Arizona and Georgetown come through, along with the regular SEC schedule, a similar campaign to the 2003-2004 season should bring a number one seed to the Bulldogs with relative ease.
