Bulldogs look to McNair’s NCAA experience

There is one player the Mississippi State Bulldogs can go to if they want to know what playing in the NCAA Tournament is like.

During his time at New Mexico State with coach Chris Jans in 2019-20 and 2021-22, Will McNair Jr. was a member of two Western Athletic Conference championships teams and started in the NCAA Tournament last season.

McNair was a part of the first NCAA Tournament win for the Aggies since 1993 when they knocked off No. 5 seed Connecticut 7063. He scored six points and grabbed seven rebounds in New Mexico State's second round loss to Arkansas.

After transferring to MSU when Jans took the head coaching job in Starkville, McNair has been a valuable resource to his teammates.

The Bulldogs found out Sunday that they would be going to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019 and they immediately looked to McNair for advice on how to handle the opportunity since he had been to the Big Dance before.

“Will is like another coach, an encyclopedia, always has the fun facts and always knows everything,” MSU All-Southeastern Conference first team forward Tolu Smith said. “He has a lot of knowledge of the game. He's been in the tournament so having that extra experience and a coaching staff that has been in the tournament is really helpful for us.”

McNair has played in 33 games in his redshirt senior season with the Bulldogs with

Mississippi State forward Will McNair Jr. goes up for a rebound against Alabama in last week’s Southeastern Conference Tournament in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Mike Mattina, MSU Athletic, for Starkville Daily News)

one start. He averages 3.3 points and 3.2 points in 12.7 minutes per game.

Even though McNair has not been a significant contributor on the court, Jans said his role is very important.

“I don't think I'll have to say anything to Will,” Jans said. “He fashions himself as one of

the leaders and I'm sure he will talk about the experience that he's had with us. I'm sure for some of the guys, it's something they will lean on a little bit.”

MSU was scheduled to play Pitt in a late tip on Tues

day night in Dayton, Ohio, to open the NCAA Tournament. If MSU advances, it would play Iowa State in Greensboro, North Carolina, on Friday.

Editor’s Note: With the

late tip of Tuesday’s NCAA Tournament game for Mississippi State against Pitt, the results were not available for publication in the midweek edition of The Daily Times Leader.

A brief report on the game, will appear in the weekend edition and if the Bulldogs advance, a recap of Tuesday and Friday will be published on the weekend.