Jackson Free Press

Today marks the first day of the 2016 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, but viewers won’t find any teams from our state in the Big Dance. That wasn’t the case 20 years ago.

The state of Mississippi went on a magical ride two decades ago as the Mississippi State University Bulldogs made an improbable run to the Final Four. That 1995-1996 team was the first and last time a team from our state made the Final Four.

If you look back at Mississippi State’s team that year, you may remember that it had three main stars: guard Darryl Wilson out of Alabama, forward Dontae Jones out of Tennessee and center Erick Dampier from Lawrence County High School in Monticello, Miss.

Out of the three frontrunners on that great MSU team, Dampier was the only one to go on to a fruitful NBA career. The New York Knicks drafted Jones and later traded him to the Boston Celtics, but his NBA career never panned out. Wilson went on to play overseas for several years.

On that Final Four MSU team, Wilson took top marks with his shooting, Jones could make highlight play after highlight play, and Dampier was the defensive force in the middle. Another star of that Bulldog team was guard Marcus Bullard, who couldn’t escape a past riddled with substance abuse. Police arrested him in 1998 for crack cocaine possession, a short time later for pistol-whipping another college student, and again for cocaine and ecstasy in 2004, for which he served jail time. In 2013, police arrested Bullard for a drive-by shooting in Gulfport, Miss., and possession of synthetic marijuana with the intent to sell.

Wilson, Bullard, Jones and Dampier averaged double-digit points during that '95-'96 season. In nonconference play, the Bulldogs went 10-1, but they hit a slump at the start of SEC play.

MSU lost four of its first seven SEC games before righting the ship and winning eight of its last 10 conference games. The Bulldogs stayed on their hot streak and won three straight games, including an upset of eventual national champion the University of Kentucky in the SEC Tournament.

Dampier was a major part of the Bulldogs' build up to their Final Four season. He was named First-Team All-Freshman during his first year on campus. The shot-blocking center received an honorable mention for Associated Press All-American, SEC Coaches and AP All-SEC First-Team, and the Mississippi Sports Writers Association named him College Player of the Year during his sophomore season.

The Bulldogs made the NIT in Dampier’s freshman season as MSU made the postseason for the first time since the 1990-1991 season. Dampier helped lead the team to the Sweet 16 in his sophomore season, though the Bulldogs lost to eventual champion University of California, Los Angeles.

In the NCAA Tournament, the Bulldogs were given the fifth seed in the Southeast Region. They opened the tournament with a win over Virginia Commonwealth University. MSU faced Princeton University in the second round after the Tigers upset UCLA in the first round.

MSU had little trouble with Princeton, but a date with No. 1 seed University of Connecticut awaited the Bulldogs in the Sweet 16. The Bulldogs upset the Ray Allen-led Huskies, with Dampier adding 15 points to the win.

Mississippi State met Cincinnati in the regional final and, with the easy win, cruised into the Final Four. Dampier only scored nine points in the Elite Eight game, as he was in trouble with four fouls in the game.

The Bulldogs' amazing run ended in the Final Four against Syracuse University. MSU looked lost as the team had 21 turnovers against the Orangemen's zone defense.

After the season ended, Dampier and Jones declared their intent to enter the NBA Draft, and Wilson had finished his college eligibility.

Dampier finished his final season at MSU with the AP and SEC naming him Honorable Mention All-American, and AP All-SEC First-Team and Academic Honor Roll. He set a school record for blocked shots (106) in his senior season with the Bulldogs.

The 6-foot, 11-inch, 265-pound center started in 93 games and only missed four starts during his time at MSU. He finished his career with the Bulldogs with 78 straight starts, 1,231 points, 859 rebounds, 249 blocked shots, 128 assists and 58 steals.

In the 1996 NBA Draft, the Indiana Pacers selected Dampier 10th overall. He spent one year with the Pacers before the team traded him to the Golden State Warriors.

Dampier spent the next seven seasons with Golden State but never reached the playoffs. That team traded him to the Dallas Mavericks in 2004, and he spent the next six seasons in Dallas, where he was a part of six playoff teams.

The former MSU star was also a part of the Dallas team that reached the 2006 NBA Finals but lost to the Miami Heat, Dampier’s next stop. He spent one season with the Heat that ended in the 2011 NBA Finals with a loss to the Mavericks.

Dampier played his final NBA season for the Atlanta Hawks. He finished his NBA Career with 7,309 points, 7,005 rebounds, 1,398 blocks, 817 assists and 330 steals.

Mississippi State named Dampier to its 2015 Mississippi State Sports Hall of Fame Class. He is also almost certain to be named to the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame when he is eligible.

The Bulldogs have not reached the Final Four since Wilson, Jones and Dampier left MSU. In fact, the team hasn’t made it past the second round since its only Final Four run.

The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum will honor the 1995-1996 Mississippi State Bulldogs on March 31, just before this year’s Final Four, with a reception at 5:30 p.m., and a dinner and program following at 7 p.m.

For tickets or more information, call 601-982-8264.