F -- MICHAEL GHOLAR (6-5, 6.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.8 apg, 0.8 spg, 1.5 tpg, 25.5 minutes, .389 FG, .330 3PT, .710 FT). Gholar is gone, but he won’t be forgotten by State fans. That’s because, with a year of football eligibility coming to him, Gholar decided to try out for the team. Despite not having played in four years, Gholar quickly picked up on coach Jackie Sherrill’s system and earned the No. 2 free safety job after fall practice.

Gholar started all 35 games last year, and he was a sold veteran who did a lot of little things well. Gholar was second on the team in rebounding, one of the team’s better free-throw shooters and made a respectable percentage of his 3-pointers.

Gholar’s steadying presence will be missed.

G -- MARCKELL PATTERSON (6-5, 12.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.2 apg, 28.7 minutes, .482 FG, .330 3PT, .779 FT). Patterson also started all 35 games a year ago and finished second on the team in scoring and assists and third in steals. He topped State regulars in free-throw percentage and knocked down a decent percentage of his 3-pointers.

Patterson was also a slasher who could get to the rim and score, as evidenced by his solid overall shooting percentage.

Patterson, too, will be missed, but Stansbury has several good athletes to make up for his loss.

None.

PG -- DERRICK ZIMMERMAN (6-2, 190 lbs., SR, #22, 9.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 6.0 apg, 2.1 spg, 3.4 tpg, 0.8 bpg, 32.7 minutes, .532 FG, .294 3PT, .576 FT, Wossman HS/Monroe, La.). Zimmerman has a way of filling up a boxscore. Last season, he led State in assists, steals, blocked shots, minutes played and turnovers and was second in field goal percentage and fourth in rebounding.

A great athlete, Zimmerman does a little bit of everything well. The only real knock on his game is free-throw shooting, and he turned it over a bit too often for Stansbury’s liking last season. But 2001-2002 was Zimmerman’s first full season at the point. Stansbury thinks he’ll get better with his decision making.

As a junior, Zimmerman led the SEC in assists (210) and was third in steals (75). And despite all the turnovers, his assists to turnover ratio was a respectable sixth in the conference (1.72).

"Besides being a great athlete he showed he can become a great point guard," Stansbury said. "A lot of that is attributable to him as a person. He trusted us and went to work. He’s very valuable."

Zimmerman has already attracted the attention of NBA scouts.

"A lot of those guys project him as an NBA point guard," said Mississippi State assistant Robert Kirby. "He’s got two things they like. One, he’s one of the better defensive guards in this league. Two, his athleticism is something the NBA loves. I don’t know if there’s a more athletic guard in the league. He does need to work on and improve that shot. But that something he can do."

It’s hard to knock a man for being a poor shooter when he makes 53 percent of his field goals. Zimmerman excelled at staying within his limits last season, launching just 34 3-pointers among his 218 field goal tries. He’s great at blowing past defenders, getting into the lane for short jumpers or finishing on the break. If he ever does develop a 3-point stroke and starts making more free throws, he’ll be a tough guy to slow down.

SG -- TIMMY BOWERS (6-2, 180 lbs., JR, #15, 10.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.4 spg, 1.5 tpg, 0.3 bpg, 25.2 minutes, .424 FG, .368 3PT, .603 FT, Harrison Central HS/Gulfport, Miss.). Mississippi State coaches have loved Bowers since he set foot on campus. Last season, he elevated his game after averaging just 2.5 points the year before. Bowers took over the Bulldogs’ sixth-man role and wound up the team’s third-leading scorer.

Bowers compares favorably with State perimeter players of recent vintage. First and foremost, he’s a big-time athlete who is quick and can really leap. Second, he’s got a sweet stroke from 3-point range. Last season, he was ninth in the SEC in 3-point percentage while leading the Bulldogs with 50 3-pointers.

Bowers racked up 15 double-figure scoring games as a sophomore. He saved his best for one of the ‘Dogs’ biggest games, scoring 24 points (and making four-of-seven 3-pointers) in a late-season home court win over Alabama. Bowers scored 22 points against Tulane and tallied 17 each against LSU and Florida. All of those 17 against the Gators came in the second half of an SEC Tournament victory.

"Timmy Bowers has got a chance to be one of the better players on this team," Stansbury said. "He does a little bit of everything. He’s got a good feel for the game, he can shoot it and pass it and he’s a really good defender."

SF -- ONTARIO HARPER (6-5, 210 lbs., SO, #31, 4.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.7 apg, 0.7 spg, 0.9 tpg, 14.0 minutes, .487 FG, .450 3PT, .391 FT, Winchendon Prep/Winchendon Mass. and Clinton HS/Clinton, Miss.). This spot is up for grabs after the departure of seniors Michael Gholar and Marckell Patterson, but Harper will definitely have a say in who wins the job.

Harper is a third-year sophomore, having received a medical redshirt two seasons ago, and he also spent a postgraduate year at Winchendon. So he’s a mature player who is ready from an experience standpoint to step up his contributions. Last year, Harper wasn’t called on too much because of all the firepower State had at the perimeter spots, but he was ready when needed.

Harper led the Bulldogs in 3-point percentage (18-for-40) and reached double figures four times, including a season-high 16 points (including four-for-four 3-point shooting) against LSU. He scored 11 against Louisiana-Lafayette and 10 each against Arkansas-Little Rock and South Carolina. His 3-pointer with 1:33 to play in the South Carolina game gave the ‘Dogs the lead for good in a hard-fought league road win.

"Ontario Harper is a great competitor, No. 1," Stansbury said. "He can really offensive rebound. And he can score off the dribble or the 3-point shot. He’s a quick, athletic kid, and he’s getting better and better."

PF -- MICHAL IGNERSKI (6-9, 230 lbs., SR, #44, 8.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.2 apg, 0.4 spg, 2.3 tpg, 0.4 bpg, 22.1 minutes, .461 FG, .365 3PT, .705 FT, Eastern Oklahoma State College/Wilburton, Okla. and Lublin, Poland). Ignerski was a great summer time pickup in 2001 who came to Starkville compliments of then-first-year assistant coach Phil Cunningham, who had learned about the player when he was working on the staff at Georgia State.

Though he was slowed early by an ankle injury, Ignerski wound up starting 26 games, including all 16 regular-season SEC games.

"It was an adjustment for him not ever playing at this speed, and the injury slowed him some," Stansbury said. "But as the season went on, he got better and better. And he accepted his role.

"He’s a perfect fit on this team. With Mario down low, he gives us a four guy who can really shoot it deep. He also has the ability to pass it. And he’s a smart player. He’s put on strength and weight, and this year he’s going to be a big part of what we do."

Last season, Ignerski scored in double figures 14 times, with a season-high 19 against Arkansas State. He scored 16 points, including a huge 3-pointer that sent the game into overtime, against Tennessee and 13 in the Bulldogs’ win over Florida in the SEC Tournament.

Ignerski is listed here as the starting power forward, but if Stansbury chooses, he can move Ignerski to small forward and make room for junior college transfer Branden Vincent to play the four-spot.

C -- MARIO AUSTIN (6-9, 255 lbs., JR, #33, 16.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.3 apg, 0.6 spg, 0.7 bpg, 2.0 tpg, 30.1 minutes, .557 FG, .200 3PT .658 FT, Sumter County HS/York, Ala.). Austin gave Stansbury and Mississippi State fans quite a scare in the offseason. After declaring his intentions to stay in school when asked countless times about his future during the SEC Tournament, Austin changed his mind in April and declared for the NBA draft. He even left school.

A week later, Austin was back and had changed his mind yet again. Stansbury was elated. Austin, it seemed, had been misled about his draft chances. When he left school, he thought he would be picked between 15th and 20th in the first round. After some research, Austin found out that projection was high.

"Kids get one side of the information that time of year [from representatives of agents]," Stansbury said. "He’s a smart young man and makes good decisions. All I told him was take [the team] and our fans out of the scenario. I told him, ‘We’d all love you back. But you did what I wanted two years ago. You came to Mississippi State and we won a championship. You owe us nothing. Now evaluate where you’re going [in the draft].' When he took time and gathered the facts, he figured out he probably wouldn’t go [in the first round] where he’d like to go.

"Selfishly speaking, I was elated. But I’m glad for the kid, too. The money will be there for him."

Last season, Austin’s game reached a whole new level, the result of some intense offseason conditioning work that trimmed more than 20 pounds from his massive frame. The weight loss gave Austin greater mobility and stamina. With Austin able to stay on the floor an average of 30 minutes a game, State had a post presence few teams could match.

Austin led the Bulldogs in scoring and rebounding, finishing eighth and fifth in the SEC in those statistics. He was second in the league and 28th nationally in field goal percentage, and his .598 accuracy in SEC games only was tops in the conference. Austin reached double figures in scoring in 31-of-35 games and topped the 20-point barrier 10 times.

His best game turned out to be his coming out party as State upset long-time SEC kingpin Kentucky in an ESPN-televised game that was the league opener for both teams. Austin scored 32 points as the ‘Dogs rallied from 20 points down in the first half to win in overtime. Austin sent the game into the extra period with his first career 3-pointer, then made five free throws in overtime to secure the win. State was on its way.

The emergence of Austin and Mississippi State culminated in the SEC Tournament, when the big man won MVP honors and the Bulldogs won the title.

As much as Austin improved from his freshman season to his sophomore year, Stansbury would like him to continue to refine his game. This season, Stansbury wants Austin to incorporate a consistent perimeter jumper into his arsenal.

"We worked him out with the perimeter people in our spring drills," Stansbury said. "This summer, he worked hard on his shot. We thought the only thing he could improve on offensively was from the paint on out. We knew what he could do in the paint. If my big guys have the ability, I don’t mind that they shoot from the perimeter. That doesn’t mean we’re going to run all 3-point plays for him, but you’ll have to respect him out there."

If Austin becomes a perimeter threat, too, he’ll be tough to handle. As Stansbury said, Austin is already a load in the post. And he’s also an instinctive passer who can make defenses pay for double-teaming him by finding an open man.

"He’s got the package of skills," Stansbury said.

C -- MARCUS CAMPBELL (7-0, 258 lbs., SO, #11, 2.8 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 0.4 bpg, 6.8 minutes, .528 FG, .500 FT, Westover HS/Albany, Ga.). Few teams in the country have the luxury of bringing two decently skilled seven-footers off the bench, but Mississippi State is one of them. In fact, Campbell and redshirt freshman Wesley Morgan are the first two seven-footers in school history.

Campbell proved last year that he can do more than take up space, and he spent the offseason fine-tuning his body so he can earn more playing time.

Campbell, a left-hander, showed considerable promise in shooting a solid percentage from the field (38-of-72) and ranking third on the team in blocked shots (14) despite his limited playing time.

Campbell scored eight points and grabbed seven rebounds in his collegiate debut against Nicholls State. In his next game, Campbell scored a season-high nine points, grabbed five boards and blocked four shots against Florida A&M. Proving he could play against a higher level of competition, Campbell scored six points against Georgia, Tulane and Cincinnati and grabbed a season-high nine rebounds against Auburn.

"Marcus Campbell has made great strides," Stansbury said. "He’s done a great job of getting his body in shape. He came in at 288, and now he’s at 258. We’ve taken it off and built it back with strength.

"He’s not were he needs to be yet, but he’s got some things you like. No. 1, he’s seven feet. He’s long, has great hands, and the strength of his game is he can score. He also has the ability to block some shots."

G -- STEPHEN COWHERD (6-2, 180 lbs., FR, #14, 20.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 6.2 apg, 3.1 spg, Stoneman Douglas HS/Coral Springs, Fla.). Though Cowherd finished as his high school’s all-time leader in scoring (2,190 points) and assists (751), earned the Miami Herald’s 2001-2002 Player-of-the-Year Award and was a consensus Class 6A All-State selection, some people wondered whether he could play at a high level in college. The Mississippi State coaches weren’t among those doubters.

"A lot of people thought he was a good high school player," Kirby said. "But they wondered why we signed him. They didn’t think he was an SEC player. But he is. He’s a good solid point guard. He’s not Allan Iverson. He doesn’t take you to that next level. But he’s very solid. We went into recruiting thinking we needed two good solid players to fit in roles for us. Stephen fits one of those roles. He’ll back up Derrick Zimmerman at the point."

Stansbury likes Cowherd’s attitude.

"He’s got a confident air," Stansbury said. "That’s good, because it’s an adjustment for a freshman to fill the role we need him to play. I think he can handle that role. He shoots it well enough to where you’ve got to guard him. He’s a totally different player than ‘Z.’ He’s not going to beat you with athletic ability, he’s going to beat you with an understanding of the game and the ability to pass and make a shot."

G/F -- WINSOME FRAZIER (6-4, 175 lbs., SO, #23, 3.3 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 8.1 minutes, .455 FG, .321 3PT, .300 FT, Northwestern HS/Miami, Fla.). Frazier might have helped open a pipeline for State into the fertile high school ranks in Miami. He was the Bulldogs’ first signee from that city since Chauncey Robinson in the mid-1980s.

Frazier is a highly skilled athlete who, like so many of his teammates, is quick, runs well and can jump. His perimeter game needs work, but Frazier can get to the basket with anyone. And he also likes to play defense, which endears him to Stansbury.

Frazier’s 3-point percentage was respectable last season, but could use some work if he wants to log major minutes in 2002-2003. A year ago, Frazier scored in double figures three times, including a season-high 13 points in 13 minutes against Louisiana-Monroe. He also scored 11 points against Nicholls State and 10 against Florida A&M.

F -- BRANDEN VINCENT (6-8, 225 lbs., JR, #32, 11.0 ppg, 7.6 rpg, Okaloosa-Walton CC/Niceville, Fla. and John Ehret HS/Marrero, La.). Stansbury has committed to building his program with freshmen, but he doesn’t mind taking the odd junior college player every now and again. State has great luck last season with Michal Ignerski, plugging him into the power forward slot. Stansbury hopes Vincent can make the same sort of impact.

Vincent played on a strong junior college team, but still managed to earn third-team All-America honors from FutureStars and was a first-team All-Panhandle Conference pick. He was chosen the No. 17 JC prospect in the country by PrepStars.

Vincent, another left-handed shooter, has a variety of skills and doesn’t mind performing the blue-collar jobs. Last season he led his team with 66 blocked shots and was second with 47 steals. He grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds against Atlanta Metro.

"He’s just a tough, hard-nosed guy who has the ability to really score on that block," Stansbury said. "He does the dirty work -- he can really defend and rebound as well as score. He’ll accept whatever we need from him."

If Stansbury wants to play a tall lineup, he has the option of moving Ignerski, a good 3-point shooter, to small forward and playing Vincent at power forward.

"He’s capable of starting for us," said Kirby, who recruited Vincent. "He’s a company guy. He’s a team guy. He’s all about winning. It doesn’t matter what capacity you put him, in he’ll do well. He’ll come in and play hard and do whatever role you put him in. He’s just concerned about being on the winning team. He doesn’t care who gets the glory; he just wants to win."

C -- LINCOLN SMITH (6-9, 270 lbs., JR, #34, 2.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 8.5 minutes, .450 FG, .714 FT, Simmons HS/Hollandale, Miss.). On other teams, Smith might have played more than he did a year ago. But Smith has the misfortune of playing behind Mario Austin, and he also has a pair of seven-footers for teammates.

Minutes might be scarce again, but Smith is a fourth-year junior (he redshirted in 2000-2001) who is experienced enough to help.

Smith is massive, but he also has some touch, as his career 70 percent free-throw average suggests. And when he gets time on the floor, he has delivered. Smith scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds in 22 minutes against Louisiana-Monroe, compiled eight points and seven boards against Nicholls State and scored nine against Florida A&M. In SEC play, he scored seven points against Auburn and blocked three shots in a game against Ole Miss.

"Lincoln’s game is the best it’s been since he’s been here," Stansbury said. "He’s a guy who can help you in that role [as a backup post]."

C -- WESLEY MORGAN (7-2, 248 lbs., R-FR, #25, 16.6 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 4.2 bpg, Gallatin HS/Gallatin, Tenn.). When Stansbury signed Morgan, a lot of people around the SEC wondered what he was doing, taking a player out of Tennessee that league rivals Vanderbilt and Tennessee weren’t the least bit interested in recruiting.

But Stansbury had some insider knowledge, having worked on the Austin Peay staff years before with Gallatin coach Bobby Luna.

"Bobby got the job when Wes was a junior," Stansbury said. "He called me and said ‘Hey, Rick, I’ve got a seven-footer, but he’s raw. Let’s talk again midway through his junior year.’ Bobby called me back midway through his junior year and said ‘Look, he’s got a long way to go, but he’s making progress.’

"I came up in March after the season was over and watched Wesley work out in the gym. It didn’t take me but about five minutes to know I wanted him. Most times a coach tells you a kid is 7-2, he’s about 6-9. But this kid was a legit 7-2, and I can see he’s got potential. He’s shooting threes, Bobby’s got him working out, running, doing all kinds of agility drills. The biggest thing about him he was weak. He weighed only 218 pounds."

Morgan redshirted last year and added another 30 pounds of muscle. And Stansbury stills likes him.

"I like where he’s going to be in time," Stansbury said. "He’s 7-2 -- he’s obviously got things you can’t teach. He’s got great skills, including the ability to really shoot it from 18 feet. He needs strength yet. He can get to 275 and carry it easy. When he gets there, he’ll become a player. He’s tough, he’s smart and he’s competitive. And he’s the nicest kid you’ve ever been around."

To think that last year, some preseason publications said Stansbury was on the dreaded "hot seat," his job in jeopardy if Mississippi State didn’t have a great season. Blue Ribbon was not one of those publications. For three years, Stansbury and his staff had been stockpiling talent and watching it mature. A breakout season was imminent, and last year, the Bulldogs’ finally did break out.

As Austin became a star and several other players, notably Zimmerman, matured into their roles, State became a presence in the SEC, finishing second in the tough Western Division, winning the league tournament and advancing to the second round of the NCAA tournament.

The Bulldogs are capable of more this season, and in some ways might even be better than a year ago. This season, Stansbury has recruited a backup point guard so Zimmerman won’t have to play so many minutes. And in junior college recruit Vincent, the ‘Dogs have added another veteran frontcourt player with size, strength and savvy. In a rugged league like the SEC, you can’t have too many players that fit that description.

Mississippi State has all the ingredients to give archrival Alabama fits in the SEC West and is a lock to make a return trip to the NCAAs.