Mississippi State names new men’s HEA basketball coach

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WMC) - New Mexico State’s loss in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Arkansas Saturday ends up being a win for Mississippi State, quickly naming Chris Jans to be bench boss in Starkville.

The Bulldogs grabbed him to be their next head coach replacing Ben Howland, who mutually agreed to depart the school last week.

Jans spent five seasons at New Mexico State, posting an impressive 122-32 record, with three NCAA Tournament appearances.

It would have been four had the 2020 tourney not been canceled due to COVID-19.

The Lobos’ second-round NCAA appearance was the first in his tenure at New Mexico State.

He now takes on a Bulldogs job with very little.

“I ain’t got my head around all that yet, fortunately, I’ve gone through this a few times of being a new head coach at different levels, it’s going to be fast furious here for a while, it won’t be the offseason that we could’ve had if we didn’t take this opportunity, but just a lot to do, got to get our team put together, get our coaching staff put together, get a lay of the land, in terms of big picture, I’ve got a lot to learn about Starkville and Mississippi State and we’re going to start immediately,” said Jans.

Jan’s Lobos battled Arkansas to the wire in NCAA second-round action Saturday night before falling 53-48.

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