STARKVILLE - During his quarterbacking days in high school, Dee Bost knew how to spread the ball around and keep his receivers happy. He's doing pretty much the same thing now, and at just as high a comfort level.

These days, of course, Bost is distributing the basketball as Mississippi State's point guard. The 6-foot-2, 170-pound sophomore has an unenviable task: Spread the ball in a lineup that's chock full of scorers.

Bost has become more adept in that role every game, and he'll need to be especially sharp today when MSU (4-2) faces St. Bonaventure (4-2). The Bonnies are shooting 55.1 percent from the field, best in the nation.

All five Bulldog starters are averaging in double figures. Bost is scoring 12.8 points per game, second on the team, and averages 4.2 assists.

"So far, everybody's happy," Bost said. "They know that I'm looking for them."

Bost was not a point guard until MSU coach Rick Stansbury recruited him to play the position. He started all 36 games as a freshman, averaging 10.9 points and 4.3 assists per game.

He had his learning moments, and he still has them.

"Dee, when things don't go well, sometimes he may try to make a play. And sometimes you get yourself in trouble trying to make a play," Stansbury said.

But Bost said he feels much more comfortable in his role now, and he's letting the game come to him.

"He's seeing the floor, he's more mature, and he's getting guys where they need to be," said senior center Jarvis Varnado, who leads MSU with 14.5 points per game and will be playing today with a dislocated pinkie.

When reflecting on his time as a quarterback, Bost talked about always having a "go-to" guy. For MSU, that's Varnado, who's shooting 66.7 percent from the floor but averaging eight shots a game, fourth-most on the team.

"We're trying to look for him, get him the ball so we can see what happens in there," Bost said. "He's kind of our go-to guy."

Bost has taken more shots than Varnado this season, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Taking his shots

In MSU's last game, a week ago, Bost made 6 of 9 from 3-point range and tied his career high with 25 points, as MSU beat Old Dominion, 69-55.

He wasn't forcing shots, something he did at times last season, so Stansbury had no problem with his point guard returning to his shooting guard roots for a night.

Besides, he still had four assists.

Through the first six games, Bost has made 16 of 33 - or 48.5 percent - of his 3-point shots.

"It seems like our offense is kind of stagnant; we're just standing around," Bost said. "I just try to, when the shot clock gets low, go make plays."

And that's Bost's role: To find that balance between dishing and shooting, making plays either way.

"From last year to this year, he's made improvement in that," senior guard Barry Stewart said. "That's important for a point guard, because if he shoots too much, it can cause some disruption in the team, but he also needs to be a threat out there."

Contact Brad Locke at 678-1571 or brad.locke@djournal.com.