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We continue our season preview coverage with Mississippi State SO SF Robert Woodard II. The Bulldogs had an up and down season last year: after starting 12-1 overall, they began SEC play with a 4-6 record before winning 5 straight conference games in February. They destroyed Texas A&M in their conference tourney opener, then lost by single digits to both Tennessee in the SEC tourney and Liberty in the NCAA tourney. Coach Ben Howland had a very young team last year and returns much of his core (including Robert) in an attempt to give the fans in Starkville 3 straight 23-win seasons for the 1st time in a decade. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Robert about playing in a difficult conference and making the NCAA tourney.
You played for team USA at the 2015 FIBA Americas U16 Championships in Argentina: what did it mean to you to win a gold medal, and which of your teammates impressed you the most (Wendell Carter Jr./Markus Howard/Kevin Knox/other)? It was a great experience that I never expected to have at such a young age. Markus definitely impressed me the most: we bonded and became great friends. He has an amazing work ethic.
You grew up in Mississippi: what made you choose Mississippi State? It was the best fit for me. I saw the kind of players that Coach Ben Howland was bringing in and it was great for me to get some pointers from veterans like Quinndary Weatherspoon.
What makes Howland such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him so far? He knows the game so well and is big on shooting technique to make sure that our form is spot-on. He has great experience with college teams and has gone deep in the NCAA tourney so I really trust him.
Last season you split a pair of games with the Rebels: how do you explain the in-state rivalry to someone who has never witnessed it in person? It is something different. It is so competitive/scrappy and you can feel the energy from the fans in the gym. There is tension for all 40 minutes.
You were 1 of 7 SEC teams who made the NCAA tourney as top-10 seeds last March: where do you think that your conference ranks among the best in the nation? I think that we can possibly be the best conference in the nation. There was so much collective talent on every single team that should carry over into this season.
In the 2019 NCAA tourney you scored 13 PTS/5-7 FG in a 4-PT loss to Liberty: what did you learn from that loss that will help you this year? Just to be prepared at all times. That loss really hit the whole team hard and we did not expect it, but you have to play hard on every possession and give it all that you got on the court.
Your non-conference schedule includes games against Kansas State/Oklahoma and possibly Villanova: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? There is no 1 team that stands out: the biggest test is to just win the next game that we play.
Your father Robert Sr. played basketball for the Bulldogs after setting a Mississippi high school boys basketball career scoring record with 4274 PTS: who is the best athlete in the family? I might have to give it to my dad: I have heard that he was pretty fast and a high flyer!
You turn 20 years old this month: any big plans for the big day? Not really: it is on a Sunday so the plan is to just go to church and then chill out with my family before doing a little homework.
What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? Our team’s goal is to make it as deep as we can in the NCAA tourney and win the SEC. We need to play together, keep our heads on straight, and act as 1 unit.