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WHAT'S MY NAME? WORDS. Daniel Marks PHOTO. MSU Media Relations Arnett Moultrie In the spring of 2010, Arnett Moultrie seemed to have it all at UTEP. He had just helped the Miners make the NCAA Tournament, and with junior Derrick Caracter leaving early for the NBA Draft, he would become a focal point of the offense the following season. Ten his coach, Tony Barbee, left for Auburn, and Moultrie followed suit. "After Coach Barbee took the Auburn job, Tim Floyd was hired," says Moultrie. "When he arrived we had a little disagreement, and I thought it would be too big of a risk for me going forward and for my future to stay at UTEP, so I decided to transfer." Around the time of his decision to transfer, Moultrie's grandmother developed a heart condition that convinced him he had to play closer to his home in Memphis. That factor helped lead him to Mis- sissippi State – Starkville is located only three hours from Memphis – a school that had heavily recruited him out of high school and was re-recruiting him now. The combination of being closer to his family, going somewhere familiar and playing for a high-profile program was too good for Moultrie to pass up. Upon arriving at Mississippi State, Moultrie applied for a hardship exception because of his grandmother's illness and the uncertainty of her health going forward in order to play right away. Unfortu- nately for him, the waiver was denied and he had to sit on the sidelines for the entire 2010-11 season – not an easy experience for someone used to shining in the big moments. "It was real frustrating," says Moultrie, who during his two years with the Miners appeared in 70 games and drew 67 starts, averaging 9.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. "I just had to stay positive, stay focused and stay humble, but it was definitely hard to not play when I felt like I could be helping the team out." While it was frustrating for Moultrie to sit out for a season, it al- lowed him to focus on parts of his game that he otherwise would not have been able to. He was in the gym all the time putting up jump shots to improve his range and consistency, while also putting in work in the weight room, adding around 20 pounds of muscle. Those two things have been big additions to Moultrie's game, previ- ously defined by athleticism and quickness. At 6-11 and 230 pounds, Moultrie possesses a rare blend of big man size paired with a guard's athleticism. He runs the floor very well and is a lethal finisher on the break. His quickness is also a big advantage when it comes to matching up on the defensive end, as few power forwards in the NCAA can stay in front of him for an entire game. The biggest asset Moultrie possesses though is the active way in which he plays: constantly getting after it on both ends of the floor, playing with an intensity few can match. And playing alongside Renardo Sidney, his skill set gives Missis- sippi State one of the deepest and most powerful frontcourts in the country. "I think Renardo and I mesh really well," says Moultrie. "He is more of a power guy, bigger and bulkier than I am, who pushes people around. I'm more of a guy who uses quickness, so I get by people while he overpowers them. It works pretty well." Bulldog fans have had a great season with Moultrie now eligible, especially after star players Sidney, Dee Bost and Ravern Johnson (who has since graduated) were all suspended at certain points during last year. With that tumultuous season behind them, and highly-touted swingman Rodney Hood coming in as a freshman, this season could end up being a historic one in Starkville. "We are pretty good," says Moultrie. "We compete every day in practice, and I think we have enough talent where we can make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. I have big expectations for us." Those expectations are already starting to come to fruition. After a bad loss to Akron in their second game of the season, Mississippi State rebounded to win their next six games including wins over Texas A&M; and Arizona in New York during the 2K Sports Classic. Those two victories came when both programs were ranked in the top 20, and Moultrie took home the MVP trophy after his 19-point, 10-rebound performance against the Wildcats in the championship game – on his 21st birthday no less. After that tournament, Moultrie and the Bulldogs have positioned themselves as one of the teams with the potential to dethrone Kentucky atop the SEC's perch. At press, Moultrie was averaging 16.8 points and 11.3 rebounds per game, as his length, athleticism and relentless approach to the game have confounded his opponents. With 13 double-doubles through the end of January, that deep run Moultrie predicted is very much within grasp for the Bulldogs. 20