MEN Jans hopes Bulldogs have learned in non-conference
Just because the Mississippi State Bulldogs had been undefeated after 11 basketball games and was ranked 17th in The Associated Press Top 25 didn't mean everything was perfect.
Going into Southeastern Conference play this week, MSU head men's coach Chris Jans still sees plenty for his team to work on.
The Bulldogs won their first 11 games of the season but lost a 58-52 decision to Drake last
Tuesday. They played their first SEC game at home Wednesday night against Alabama.
MSU was pushed to the limit at home by Nicholls last Saturday before holding on for a 68-66 victory. Jans hopes games against Nicholls, Marquette, Utah, Minnesota and Drake will be a beneficial experience for the Bulldogs.
“We'll find out how many lessons we've learned in SEC play,” Jans said. “If we learn from these lessons, we'll know when we get in these situations and the decisions that we make. Just because we make silly plays, it doesn't mean you are going to learn from it. You can do it again. It's my job to get them to remember that. I'll talk about that in huddles. We will draw upon those experiences to the best of my memory to try and help us in these situations in the future.
“I'd much rather grow and learn while you win rather than tough lessons when you lose. We are not playing as well as we were a week or two ago, but over the course of the season.”
Going into the Alabama game, MSU was ranked No. 21 by The Associated Press Top 25.
Jans doesn't know if the Bulldogs are paying any attention to polls or being patted on the back, but said improvements have to be made. “We've got to get a lot better,” Jans said. “I'm not with them 24/7. I don't know if they are reading the headlines and how they are feeling. We talk about it and we address it. We have to play the way we have to play to be good. If we don't play that style, don't rely on our defense, don't turn people over and we are not locked in every single time, we are not going to be very good. We struggle on offense at times. What I've learned and knew it from the jump, and I hope they are learning, is we've got to do what we do and not try to experiment.”
MSU has a mix of veterans of younger talent on the roster. The Bulldogs are led by senior post player Tolu Smith, who made first team on the All-SEC Preseason Team.
Smith has started each game along with fellow senior D.J. Jeffries. They were joined by Cameron Matthews, Deshawn Davis, and Eric Reed Jr. to begin the Nicholls game.
For local talent Tyler Stevenson from Columbus, he saw a chemistry developing over the course of the last two months.
“I think our confidence level was pretty good back in October in the fall when we first started,” Stevenson said. “To me, we all jelled together and we hang out outside of basketball, so that does a lot too for the confidence level for all of us.”