Good morning! With basketball season in full swing, check out some of Bulldog basketball’s mini plans which start at less than $50!

What else did we throw into today’s Bulldog Brew?

🏀 SEC/ACC Challenge previews
🎾 Dawgs in the rankings
🐶 And much, much more!

🎙️ DEAR OL’ STATE

Dear Ol’ State: Catching Up with Konnor Pilkington. Konnor Pilkington helped lead Mississippi State to the 2018 College World Series, and since then, has made it to the big leagues. He's currently working to get back to the MLB stage, and recently, the left-handed pitcher stopped by and visited with Joel Coleman and Logan Lowery for the latest episode of Dear Ol' State.

📈 STOCK UP

🔼 Blackout The Panthers. It will be a Blackout at The Hump tonight as Bulldog men’s basketball takes on No. 18-ranked Pittsburgh in the SEC/ACC Challenge. State enters the game with a 6-1 record, fresh off a strong showing at the Arizona Tipoff where the team went 1-1 with a loss in the championship game to Butler. The contest will feature a pair of teams ranked in the top 30 of KenPom with the Panthers ranked 13th while Mississippi State checks in at No. 28.

🎥 Watch Coach Jans’ latest media session

🔼 Next Challenger. Bulldog women’s basketball will face off in a battle of the unbeaten when the team matches up against Georgia Tech for the 2024 SEC/ACC Challenge. It is the second straight season that State has started 8-0 under head coach Sam Purcell and a 9-0 start would tie the best mark since 2018-19. The Bulldogs lead the all-time series 5-1 and 2-0 at Georgia Tech, and the last time the two played, MSU defeated Georgia Tech in the first round of the inaugural 2024 Women's Basketball Invitational Tournament, 84-47.

🔼 In The Polls. With the men’s tennis fall season wrapped up, the Bulldogs have four singles and two duos ranked in the ITA Post Fall Rankings. Petar Jovanovic, Niccolo Baroni, Mario Martinez Serrano and Benito Sanchez Martinez all placed inside the top 105 with Jovanovic leading the way at No. 45 in the country. Jovanovic and Sanchez Martinez finished as the No. 8 duo in the country.

📊 See where the Bulldogs were ranked in the ITA Post Fall Rankings

On October 5, 1991, sixteen-year-old Robbie Sullivan suffered a life-changing accident while bow hunting alone on family land. After dislocating his shoulder on an old ten-foot deer stand, Robbie passed out from the pain and fell to the ground, crushing his spine around the T-6 vertebrae and leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. Reflecting on the incident, Robbie emphasizes the importance of safe hunting practices, advocating for measures like never hunting alone, wearing a safety harness, using hunter’s orange, and ensuring stands are secure. He regrets not using a safety harness that day, which could have prevented the fall. Despite his injury, Robbie continues to hunt with organizations like Hope Outdoors, which assists individuals with disabilities in enjoying outdoor activities, and credits his family for their unwavering support in helping him rebuild his life. “Just keep living, that’s all you can do,” states Robbie.

Now the Chief Financial Officer and Sports Coordinator for the Metro Area Community Empowerment (MACE), Robbie leads programs that promote physical fitness and recreational opportunities for individuals with spinal cord injuries through wheelchair sports. MACE, a grant recipient of the Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund facilitated by the Office of Special Disabilities Programs under The Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services (MDRS), helps people overcome physical limitations and embrace new opportunities in sports, careers, and social life. Robbie encourages others with similar life-altering injuries to seek support, stay active, and remain hopeful. MDRS has also provided Robbie with vehicle modifications to maintain his independence, enabling him to continue his many extracurricular activities. “I know a lot of people think, especially after they get hurt, that it’s the end of their world. It’s not. If you try to get in touch with anybody, get in touch with MDRS. They have connections with organizations whether it’s jobs, sports, or hunting related. They can connect you with others who have lived through life-altering events and would love to talk with you,” Robbie adds. To learn more about MDRS services, visit www.mdrs.ms.gov or call 1-800-443-1000.

🤔 BULLDOG TRIVIA

No Problem. Today’s trivia question…what is Bulldog women’s basketball’s record in nonconference play under the leadership of Sam Purcell?

Think you got it? Scroll to the bottom of the Bulldog Brew to see if you know your stuff!

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📆 THE WEEK AHEAD

Wednesday, December 4
🏀 Men’s Basketball vs. Georgia Tech @ 6:15 p.m. in Atlanta, GA | Listen
🏀 Women’s Basketball vs. Pittsburgh @ 8:15 p.m. in Starkville, MS | Tickets | SECN | Listen

Thursday, December 5
No scheduled events

Friday, December 6
No scheduled events

🐶 Click here to see the full Mississippi State Athletics Calendar

🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: 36-6!

Mississippi State women’s basketball has won 15 of its last 16 non-conference games dating back to the 2023-24 season and are 36-6 in non-conference games under Purcell.

🐶 Have a great Wednesday, y'all!