Mississippi State is 2-0 and ranked No. 17 in Ben Howland's fourth season as coach heading into Friday's non-conference home game against Long Beach State.
An 18-point win this early in the season, such as the Bulldogs' 77-59 triumph over visiting Hartford on Sunday, should mean that Howland's team is on the right path.
Howland, though, admitted: "We weren't that happy in the locker room after an 18-point win. It tells you we have high expectations internally."
One stat that stood out was Mississippi State's nine free throw attempts, two less than Hartford. Howland said he believes that is a sign his team is not aggressive enough.