Smith becomes ‘anchor’ to help Bulldogs to a successful season
Mississippi State head men's basketball coach Chris Jans knew he had someone to build a team around once Tolu Smith committed to remain with the program in the offseason.
Smith had been around the block a few times in the Southeastern Conference and having that experience was something Jans wanted to have.
When the Bulldogs host the South Carolina Gamecocks tonight, Smith and the other members of the senior class will be recognized prior to the 8 p.m. tip.
Jans said Smith has been very valuable for MSU to reach its record of 19-10 and in the conversation of an NCAA Tournament bid.
“I felt at that point that we were going to have a chance,” Jans said about what he thought when Smith decided to return. “We had an anchor to our basketball team. We had someone who has been there and done that in this league. Especially to our staff and our style, he would fit it like a perfect glove because of the mantra of playing insideout with the right personnel, so we felt really good once he made that decision.”
Smith has not disappointed this season.
He leads MSU in scoring at 15 points per game, rebounding with 8.3 boards per outing and blocked shots with 22 for the season.
There are eight Bulldogs listed on the roster as either seniors or graduates. They are Smith, D.J. Jeffries, Dashawn Davis, Eric Reed Jr., Will Mcnair Jr., Tyler Stevenson, Justin Rumph and Isaac Stansbury.
As with most coaches, senior nights make Jans feel a little uneasy.
On one hand, seniors are supposed to take a bow for their contribution to the program, but it can also come with a little bit of distraction and take away from the task at hand.
The Bulldogs are trying to get to the 20-win mark and add to their postseason resume with a victory over the Gamecocks tonight.
“It's a great way to celebrate the families, the players, their accomplishments and that's the awesome part of it,” Jans said about senior night. “I'm looking forward to being a small part of it. It's not like I've been with any of these players very long, but looking forward to it.
“At the same time, I've seen a lot of crazy stuff happen on senior night with emotions running wild and focus being off. As the head coach, I've certainly got to talk about that and make sure we are all on the same page in terms of what's most important about (tonight). For me, celebrating these kids that will eventually
be done playing here, I'd much rather do it when the season is complete and we don't have to play the game following the reading of their accomplishments and having pictures with their families. Obviously, that's a big part of it. I understand that and get that. At the same time, there is a lot of basketball left to be played.”
Tonight's game will be televised by SEC Network.