STARKVILLE — Too many times last season, the Bulldgos were the Josh Hubbard show with only Jayden Epps to spell him on occassion.

Hubbard averaged 22.1 points per game, while fellow guard Jayden Epps chipped in another 13.7, combining for nearly 36 points per contest. But it was the Bulldogs lack of consistent production from the rest of the roster that kept the program from a fourth NCAA Tournament appearance under coach Chris Jans.

It was Mississippi State's goal to add depth on the perimeter and potentially gain more physicality in the paint. Jans and his staff added true freshman Tristan Reed, the nation's No. 7 overall center in the 2026 class to go along with veteran center ND Okafor (Washington State).

With the exception of Hubbard, each of member of the Bulldogs backcourt are 6-foot-4 and taller, and have the ability to challenge opposing offenses compared to a year ago.

"Definitely we've made a lot of progress since we started in June," Mississippi State assistant coach Dillon Elder said earlier this week. "The big thing for us coming off of last year was just we wanted to be bigger, we wanted to be more athletic. Like every team you want to shoot it better, so that's another thing offensively we focused on."

"We wanted guys that had the right character, the right fit for our program, and that would buy-in to what we're trying to do as far as just being competitive, playing hard, playing tough, defense, rebounding. And being able to take care of the ball on offense."

Bulldogs Were Looking For More Than Just Size

The Bulldogs weren't necessarily lacking in offensive production from their backcourt last season, but there wasn't much consistency outside of Hubbard and Epps.

Hubbard attempted roughly 18 shots per game, including nine from beyond the arc, while Epps took another 12 attempts per contest. Although the two carried much of the scoring load, they combined to shoot fewer than 34% from three-point range.

That's a number that must improve a few percentage points if they want to move into the upper-half of the SEC and be in contention for another March Madness bid.

The addition of TJ Simpkins (Seton Hall) and RJ Johnson (Kennesaw State) provide the Bulldogs with veteran bodies alongside rising star King Grace to form an underrated backcourt come SEC play.

While the Bulldogs haven't been tested much over the course of the offseason, exhibition play will provide a pair of opportunities against North Carolina State and Memphis that will show coaches where the team is going into the regular season.

"So we've got a good mix of young and old," Elder continued. "We have, I would say, really improved. We've got improvement to go once we get into the games. And we're looking forward to being able to compete against somebody else and see where we're at as we go into the season."

Emphasis on Player Development

While Mississippi State has upgraded its roster in terms of size and athleticism, the overhaul also presents another challenge for Jans, and that's whether or not they can hold up against SEC competition. That could be a major learning curve for a team with so few players with experience in one of the most physical basketball leagues in the country.

Notable non-conference opponents include Xavier, UCF, Wake Forest (Battle 4 Atlantis), Georgia Tech and Marquette. The Knights and Rams being the only two opponents on tap that made the NCAA Tournament last season.

"But we've really placed an emphasis on player development even more than we ever have in the past in the summer," Elder said. "Then as we've gotten into official practices we've really picked up the intensity of how we're practicing and how we're trying to prepare these guys for what we know is coming."

"And with not having as many returners they're not as aware of what is coming with our non-conference slate. And with the SEC being the best league in the country by most accounts. So we're just trying to get them ready for that."

The Bulldogs are a fringe bubble team ahead of tip off of the 2026-27 slate, and will have ample opportunity to show improvement against a loaded SEC schedule. They will host Alabama (Jan. 2), Florida (Jan. 13), and Kentucky (Jan. 20) early in league play, which could all serve as resume builders come tournament play.

If the Bulldogs want to return to the NCAA Tournament, Hubbard can't be expected to carry the offensive load each and every night. That's where Jans' offseason additions will have to make the difference or he could find himself in an uncomfortable spot come March.

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