Insight and analysis on Ole Miss and MSU sports from Daily Journal beat reporters

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Double Coverage

Double Coverage

#108: Rebels, Bulldogs look to strengthen postseason positions – 05/10/18

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As the baseball regular season nears an end, Ole Miss and Mississippi State are both looking to solidify their postseason positions.

This week, Parrish looks at where the Rebels stand in regards to getting a national seed (2:32). After losing two of three at South Carolina, that’s probably out the window, but hosting an NCAA regional is still very much a possibility. Up next is a series with Auburn, which like Ole Miss is 13-11 in SEC play.

The Rebels are a bit shaky on the mound, with Ryan Rolison struggling at South Carolina (11:53).

MSU is coming off a series win at Alabama (4:48) and, at 11-13 in conference, has improved its odds of making the SEC Tournament field. But there were some issues with pitching in Tuscaloosa, and the Bulldogs are still looking for a reliable Sunday starter.

The guys also take a look at some postseason projections (17:21).

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#107: Rebels in good shape; Bulldogs have work to do – 05/03/18

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Parrish and Logan have a lot of baseball to talk about, as just three SEC weekends remain before the postseason begins.

Ole Miss is in solid position with a 12-9 conference mark, although it’s 5-7 in games decided by two runs or less (2:55). Heading into this week’s road series against South Carolina, the Rebels have seen some encouraging signs from its bullpen (9:55), with former closer Dallas Woolfolk showing recent improvement. Parrish says the hitting lineup has shown some impressive depth.

MSU, meanwhile, is trying to assure itself a spot in the SEC Tournament field (4:34). The Bulldogs travel to last-place Alabama this week and need to do well there, especially considering that the next two series are at Kentucky and home vs. Florida. MSU might go with a different Sunday starter this weekend.

Logan has a basketball update, too. Men’s coach Ben Howland called a press conference this week to express his excitement about next year’s team (18:37). All the players who initially declared for the NBA Draft decided to return to school, and a top-15 signing class is headed to Starkville, which is creating high expectations among national experts.

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#106: Bulldogs heating up; Rebel Road Trip hits Tupelo – 04/26/18

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Mississippi State’s baseball team has been hot of late. On this week’s episode, Logan looks at what went right for the Bulldogs in a series sweep of Arkansas and then a walk-off win versus Ole Miss in the Governor’s Cup (2:10). MSU has revived its NCAA tournament hopes thanks to timely hitting and the improved play of several newcomers.

Ole Miss, meanwhile, saw its bullpen woes continue in that loss to MSU on Tuesday (8:27). Closer Parker Caracci appears to be coming back to Earth, and the Rebels as a whole have been struggling.

Parrish also looks at the Rebel Road Trip’s stop in Tupelo (15:34). He said there was a different feel to this year’s event, which isn’t surprising given all the new faces, including football coach Matt Luke, who wasn’t yet head coach this time last year.

And Logan offers his thoughts on MSU’s spring football game (20:19), which didn’t reveal a lot about the Bulldogs. But he was impressed by several players, including receiver Austin Williams and running back Nick Gibson.

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#105: Bulldogs wind down spring; baseball teams look to rebound – 04/19/18

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Spring football winds down in Starkville this week.

On this episode, Logan checks in on the Bulldogs, who have finished the installation process and are readying for Saturday’s spring game (2:38). New offensive and defensive schemes have been put in place, including a 4-2-5 defense that emphasizes getting speed on the field.

On the baseball diamond, Parrish looks at an Ole Miss team that has cooled off the last couple of weekends (9:44). Bullpen issues have plagued the Rebels of late, in particular the set-up relievers. On a positive note, however, the offense continues to improve behind the hot bat of Ryan Olenek (13:23). Up next is a series against Georgia.

MSU welcomes Arkansas this weekend and hopes to move past a blown opportunity at Auburn (16:40). Reliever Cole Gordon has struggled mightily as the first man out of the bullpen, and Logan wonders if someone else might be better suited for the role. Offensively, the Bulldogs have shown improvement.

The guys also discuss the Rebel Road Trip, which starts next week (21:11), and the Road Dawgs Tour, the details of which have not yet been released (23:03).

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#104: Rebels wrap up spring drills; Bulldogs win rivalry series – 04/12/18

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Spring football is the lead topic on this week’s episode.

Ole Miss just wrapped up spring drills on Saturday (2:01), and Parrish says there are two big questions: Will the Rebels be better in the run game, and will they be better defending the run? The former could depend a lot on how well D’Vaughn Pennamon performs. And as for stopping the run, linebacker Detric Bing-Dukes will be a key there.

Parrish also looked at the wide receivers (11:14), which have been a strength for years and should remain so for the foreseeable future.

MSU held its first spring scrimmage on Saturday (7:55), and Logan said there was more downfield passing and more throws to the tight ends than what was normal under Dan Mullen. With starting quarterback Nick Fitzgerald still coming back from injury, Keytaon Thompson got most of the reps. He looked solid, although he was intercepted three times.

On the baseball diamond, the Bulldogs upset the then-No. 3 Rebels by taking two of three last weekend (14:42). MSU finally got some clutch hits, none bigger than Luke Alexander’s walk-off home run in the series finale. Parrish says the series exposed some of the Rebels’ flaws, such as bullpen depth (18:52).

Also, Logan has a quick basketball update (23:31). MSU recently signed a big-time post player, and Nick Weatherspoon has decided to return to school for his sophomore year.

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#103: MSU women lose heartbreaker; Rebels building RB depth – 04/05/18

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Mississippi State’s women came oh so close to winning the national championship.

On this episode, Logan looks back at the Bulldogs’ last-second loss to Notre Dame in the title game (3:52). He and Parrish discuss the big non-call that didn’t go MSU’s way in the final seconds, and then the game-winning shot that followed. Also, Logan takes a peek at how next year’s team might look after losing four seniors.

The Ole Miss women are looking to get stronger with the hiring of a new coach, Yolett McPhee-McCuin (8:50). She spent the last five years rebuilding the Jacksonville program, with one NCAA tournament appearance. McPhee-McCuin is young and energetic, but will that translate into more wins for the Rebels?

Spring football is in full swing for both schools, with the Grove Bowl coming up Saturday for Ole Miss. Parrish examines the running back position (16:09), which has built some depth this spring with Scottie Phillips and Isaiah Woullard. One big question is whether D’Vaughn Pennamon can establish himself as the lead back now that Jordan Wilkins is gone.

MSU is a few practices in and will hold its first scrimmage on Saturday (21:15). Quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, who badly injured his ankle in the Egg Bowl, looks to be well on the road to recovery, as he’s been running all the plays and moving well in practice.

On the baseball diamond, Ole Miss and MSU meet this weekend. Parrish says this Ole Miss team looks very similar to the 2014 Omaha squad (25:09), and the offense has taken a definite step forward this season. As for the Bulldogs, their biggest struggle continues to be on offense (27:57).

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#102: Bulldogs still hooping; Rebels introduce Davis – 03/23/18

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The basketball season is still going strong for both of Mississippi State’s squads.

On this episode, Logan and Parrish look at the MSU women advancing to the Sweet 16 for the third-straight year (3:34). The Bulldogs struggled a bit against Oklahoma State in the second round, but it was a good test for them heading into the next game with No. 4 seed N.C. State.

State’s men are headed to the NIT Final Four in New York (20:25), where they will face Penn State. If the Bulldogs win, they could face former MSU coach Rick Stansbury and his Western Kentucky team in the final.

As for Ole Miss hoops, new men’s coach Kermit Davis was introduced on Monday (9:44). He got a little blowback for some comments he made about his team respecting the flag and National Anthem, but he also talked about having respect for the game. While not a splashy hire, it seems to be a rather popular one among Ole Miss fans. The challenge now for Davis is to build a roster to his liking, with a focus on high school signees.

On the baseball diamond, MSU is coming off a sweep at the hands of Vanderbilt and will try to get back on track this weekend at Missouri (23:50). Ole Miss, ranked No. 5 in the country, continues to show offensive improvement and won its series opener against Texas A&M on Thursday (26:19).

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#101: Basketball talk – 03/15/18

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We’ve got a lot of basketball to discuss on today’s episode.

Ole Miss officially named Kermit Davis Jr. as its head men’s basketball coach on Thursday (2:24). Parrish and Logan discuss Davis and say that he’s a good hire for Ole Miss. They also note Davis’ past ties to Mississippi State and question how Ole Miss fans will respond to that.

Meanwhile, the Mississippi State men’s basketball team (8:32) advanced through the NIT with a first-round win over Nebraska on Wednesday. Up next, they’ll play at top-seeded Baylor on Sunday. Logan notes that the postseason run is a good sign for a program that hadn’t been to the postseason since 2012.

The Mississippi State women (13:30) were named a top-seed in the Kansas City Regional. Logan notes they got a relatively favorable draw in that they wouldn’t meet many of the “blue bloods” of women’s college basketball before the Final Four. This weekend, they will host Nicholls State, Syracuse and Oklahoma State in first- and second-round action.

And it’s also the beginning of SEC baseball play.

Ole Miss (16:58) enters this weekend’s series against Tennessee on a nine-game winning streak. Parrish said the Rebels’ pitching has been dominant, as expected, but they’ve also seen dramatic offensive improvement.

Mississippi State (20:42) hosts Vanderbilt in the first SEC action for the renovated Dudy Noble Field. Logan notes the Bulldogs have been inconsistent this year, especially on offense.

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#100: Live from St. Louis – 03/08/18

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This week, Logan and Parrish are on location in St. Louis, site of this week’s SEC men’s basketball tournament.

Parrish talks first about the Ole Miss men’s basketball team (2:31), whose season came to an end with an 85-84 loss to South Carolina in Wednesday’s opening round. Parrish notes that interim coach Tony Madlock went 1-4, but he did get the team to play hard at the end. Now, the attention turns to the coaching search (8:55). Although the Rebels are expected to make a run at Florida coach Mike White, Parrish and Logan said it is hard to imagine him coming to Oxford. Instead, signs seem to be pointing to Middle Tennessee State’s Kermit Davis.

Mississippi State (12:10) takes on LSU tonight, and Logan said the Bulldogs will need to get better production from their big men. Logan also notes that the Bulldogs really hurt their NCAA Tournament chances last week and would need a deep run this week if they’re to overcome that hole.

This is the final weekend of baseball before next weekend’s conference openers. Mississippi State (16:37) is playing better under interim coach Gary Henderson. Ole Miss (22:30) is ranked ninth nationally, but Parrish said the Rebels need to hit better against elite pitching.

Parrish and Logan also talk about the new baseball stadium at Mississippi State and what it will mean for Mississippi to have two of the finest college baseball facilities in the nation.

Meanwhile, the Mississippi State women’s basketball team (23:58) suffered its first loss of the season in Sunday’s SEC Tournament championship against South Carolina. Now, the Bulldogs await the announcement of the NCAA Tournament field, where they’re still expected to be a top seed.

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#99: MSU Women begin postseason; Rebels start spring football – 03/01/18

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It’s that time of the year when three sports overlap, and Parrish and Logan talk basketball, baseball and football today.

Up first, its the SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament (1:40). Ole Miss snapped a long losing streak by beating Florida on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Mississippi State begins what is expected to be a deep postseason run.

The guys talk about who the Bulldogs’ primary competition is in the SEC Tournament and then look ahead to the NCAAs, including a possible rematch with UConn.

Parrish talks about the Ole Miss men’s team (7:05), which is racing toward the end of its season. The Rebels’ coaching search (9:53) is heating up with the addition of a new name, former Ohio State coach Thad Matta.

The Mississippi State men’s basketball team (12:22) missed a huge opportunity to bolster its NCAA chances when it lost to Tennessee this week. The Bulldogs appear headed to the NIT, but Logan notes that would still be a step in the right direction for the program.

The Ole Miss baseball team (18:02) hopes to keep its momentum going with a road trip to Long Beach State, and MSU (21:10) tries to break out of its struggles as it prepares to end a 16-day road trip.

Spring football has started at Ole Miss (25:25). One key storyline for the Rebels will be the move of Armani Linton, a formerly highly touted safety out of Walnut, to running back. MSU (27:46) doesn’t start spring football for a couple more weeks, but Logan discusses the impressive coaching staff the Bulldogs have put together.

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