With its trophy case getting crowded and expectations soaring, Mississippi State faces the difficult task of adding a new piece of hardware for the third consecutive season. That challenge, however, could be more laborious than knocking Kentucky from atop its Southeastern Conference throne. After claiming the SEC Tournament crown in 2002 and the coveted Western Division title last year, the Bulldogs' first order of business heading into the 2003-04 campaign is replacing three starters from a 21-10 team.

Gone are highly touted forwards Mario Austin and Michal Ignerski and explosive guard Derrick Zimmerman. Despite their departure, though, sixth-year coach Rick Stansbury is confident his squad can make a run for a third straight NCAA Tournament appearance.

"We lost some great players, and filling their roles will be difficult, but we will be able to get up and down the court," said Stansbury. "The way you score points is dictated with the personnel you have. I like the players we have coming back, and it's evident we've got to look at different ways to get points."

FRONTCOURT

Last year, MSU depended on Austin for a bulk of its scoring. Obviously, that is no longer an option. The team's performance in the paint will depend largely upon the maturation and improvement of 7-foot junior center Marcus Campbell.

"How good we will be as a team will be determined by how good Marcus Campbell will be," Stansbury said.

The knock on Campbell is his bad hands. But he can score. As a sophomore reserve, he averaged 3.6 points and 2.3 boards in limited duty.

Campbell got some serious help, however, when Lawrence Roberts decided to transfer away from troubled Baylor in the offseason. Roberts, a finalist for the 2003 USA Basketball Pan American Games team, is a hard-nosed rebounder with a nice shooting touch. He has an impressive work ethic, and he continues to improve. Roberts averaged a double-double last season and scored 20 points or more in eight games and grabbed at least 14 rebounds in six contests. His arrival should help ease the pain of Austin's departure.

The Bulldogs also will rely on the experience of 6-foot-9 Lincoln Smith, who drew five starts last year. He averaged only 1.6 points and 1.3 rebounds, but his greatest asset may be his defense.

Adding to the post play is 6-8 Branden Vincent, a former junior college transfer who proved to be a solid addition last year. He has great moves around the basket and possesses the ability to handle the basketball. Like Smith, he's a great defender, but when needed on the offensive end, Vincent can score.

BACKCOURT

Maybe the biggest question for Mississippi State is at the point following the departure of Zimmerman.

It's an undertaking that offers two options for Stansbury. First, he can move the versatile Timmy Bowers from his shooting guard position to the point. Second, he can put control of the offense in the hands of freshman Gary Ervin.

While Ervin is an unproven commodity, Bowers has developed into one of the top guards in the country. "I look for Timmy to step up even more," Stansbury said. "There are no weaknesses in his game. As with any freshman, Gary is going to have to make an adjustment. But he's a guard who can really score."

Bowers averaged 14.6 points last year and led the Bulldogs with 70 3-pointers, shooting 41.2 percent beyond the arc. And when Zimmerman wasn't on the floor, Bowers ran the offense.

"I'm more comfortable at the two, because it's my natural position, but I know I can play the point," said Bowers, who also dished out 94 assists last year.

As for the 2 and 3 slots, MSU is not lacking experience. Returning is junior starter Ontario Harper, along with top reserve Winsome Frazier. Harper averaged 7.4 points, while Frazier sparked the offense with his 6.3 points.

In addition, State welcomes incoming freshman Dietric Slater, a 6-3 standout who averaged more than 30 points in his final year of high school, and Shane Power, a transfer from Iowa State who plays both shooting guard and small forward. Power averaged 13.6 points and 4.5 rebounds as a sophomore at ISU and is likely to play a large role in his first season in Starkville.

FINAL ANALYSIS

The Bulldogs have posted 48 wins the past two years, but with three starters lost, predicting where State will finish in the wide-open SEC West this season is difficult. It may take a while for Stansbury to find a consistent lineup and rotation, but he has a good foundation, starting with Bowers.

And if the Bulldogs can find production at the point and inside -- especially from star transfer Roberts -- and develop the necessary chemistry down the stretch, this is a team that could make some noise when it counts.

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