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Tolu Smith suffers foot injury during MSU practice, will miss time
By Ethan Stone
Published:
Tolu Smith, Mississippi State’s standout center and an All-SEC selection in 2022-23, suffered a foot injury in practice this week, according to a statement from Bulldogs HC Chris Jans.
There’s good and bad news for MSU fans on this front: Smith is expected to return for SEC play but will miss the entirety of the Bulldogs’ non-conference slate. In other words, we likely won’t see Smith until at least early January.
Here’s Jans’ statement on the injury:
A statement from Coach Jans. pic.twitter.com/ajqDcsj5Xb
— Mississippi State Men’s Basketball (@HailStateMBK) October 5, 2023
First impression may be that WVU transfer Jimmy Bell will slide in at the center spot, but there’s also a small-ball approach Jans could take to prioritize the strengths of this now-guard heavy lineup down their star center.
Either way you look at it, this is far from the news this Bulldogs program needs. However, it’s not too detrimental, either.
The Bulldogs do not play an overtly strong non-conference schedule this season. There are some good teams sprinkled in (Arizona State, Rutgers, potentially Northwestern at the HOF classic), but none that are expected to be true elites in the 2023-24 season.
We’ll see how Jans and Co. navigate life without Smith in the coming weeks. Mississippi State tips off its season on Nov. 8 against Arizona State. The Bulldogs begin SEC play on Jan 6 against South Carolina in Columbia.
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.