The Bulldogs have been to two NCAA Tournaments under Chris Jans, riding strong defensive performances to March Madness. Now, Mississippi State has more shooting too, after acquiring Kanye Cleary from Penn State and Claudell Harris from Boston College. Both are efficient shooting guards who elevate MSU's offensive profile (33rd in offensive efficiency).

Former Southern Cal coach Andy Enfield’s SMU squad only returns three scholarship players from last season and lost by 11 in its only true test this season (at Butler). While Enfield's Trojans teams were solid offensively, they relied too heavily on mid-range jumpers in favor of close two-pointers. That isn't a sound strategy against a defensive-minded team like MSU (29th in defensive efficiency).