How High Should The Expectations Be For Mississippi State Men's Basketball in 2023?

Under the leadership of head coach Chris Jans, the expectations for Mississippi State men's basketball should be high in 2023.

A new spark entered “The Hump” when Chris Jans arrived -- there's no question about that much.

 His first season as head coach of the Mississippi State men’s basketball team was exciting and energizing for a team that was becoming stagnant.

With his arrival, a new edge was given to the team as the Bulldogs became one of the best defensive teams in the nation. Holding teams to 61 points per game during the season is the lowest point total since the 2002-2003 season under long-tenured coach Rick Stansbury. The added intensity helped the Bulldogs also reach their first NCAA Basketball Tournament appearance since the 2018-2019 season.

While having a top-ranked defense is a great start, one of the main issues that kept the Bulldogs from winning more games was shooting. From averaging 70 points per game in the previous season to 65.7 points, scoring and shooting became a nagging issue throughout the season. Tolu Smith, as dominating as he is on the glass and scoring for the team, lacks a consistent free throw shot. With those missed shots and inconsistent three-point shooting from the rest of the team, wins are left on the table.

Shooting 27% from the three-point line will not win you games but can also lose you some as well and that was an issue addressed during this offseason. With the influence of Jans, Mississippi State has become an attractive target for transfers and recruits. One of those new transfers is former Marshall guard Andrew Taylor. The first-team All-Sun Belt player averaged 20-5-5 with 2 steals. Adding the super senior to the team will boost the offensive productivity as well as add an extra defender that Jans can move around.

Another player who has been affected by Jans's influence is the No. 1 high school player in Mississippi, Josh Hubbard. Hubbard decided to take his talents to Starkville by decommitting from Ole Miss in early March of this year. The all-time Mississippi high school scorer will add his versatility with his shooting and explosiveness in his first year playing with the school.

With the new moves in adding scorers to the roster and a returning Smith, Mississippi State’s expectations should be high. 

After a successful first year under coach Jans, this next year should be exciting. Expect the same intense defense that took the nation by storm while also looking for improved scoring and an increase in three-point percentage. Now that this team has a sought-after identity, the sky is the limit for what could be a special and electric season. 

A long SEC Tournament appearance and reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament will be a success for this season and will put more eyes on this bubbling basketball program.