Like seeing an old friend for the first time in years, Mississippi State Basketball is back and prepared for year two under Coach Jans with a pack of Bulldogs chomping to show the country what Mississippi State Basketball is all about. The talking season begins Wednesday for the Bulldogs as they load up, making the short drive to Birmingham for the 2023 SEC Tip-Off.

Despite losing standout forward Tolu Smith to the injury bug, Mississippi State has the potential on the roster to continue marching to the drum of Mississippi State Basketball. Before the injury, Mississippi State planned on sending Tolu Smith to represent the program on Wednesday at the 2023 SEC Men’s Basketball Tip-Off event in Birmingham, Alabama. Tolu Smith will likely return to the team ready to go before Southeastern Conference play begins on January 6th with a road game at South Carolina.

With Tolu Smith missing the trip on Wednesday, Mississippi State will send Coach Chris Jans, Cameron Matthews, and Shakeel Moore to Birmingham to represent the Bulldogs during the 2023 SEC Basketball Tip-Off.

Cameron Matthews and Shakeel Moore played huge roles for the Bulldogs last season, with the extra layer of talent that Mississippi State needed to finish the 2022-2023 season on the right foot. Shakeel Moore finished the season averaging 9.8 points per game, three rebounds, and 2.8 assists. Cameron Matthews finished the season averaging 6.9 points per game, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. Mississippi State will turn to the leadership from Moore and Mattews to help the newcomers get warmed up to playing to the standard of Mississippi State Basketball.

As far as Wednesday of the 2023 SEC Tip-Off goes, Mississippi State fans will likely hear Coach Jans talk about sustaining the success from last season, turning that into success in year two of the Chris Jans era in Starkville. Coach Jans will also be asked about replacing Tolu Smith, to which he will bring up the West Virginia transfer, Jimmy Bell Jr, to be the guy to come in and carry the Mississippi State frontcourt into Southeastern Conference play. Lastly, Coach Jans will have the chance to describe in detail the highly anticipated renovations to the Hump that Mississippi State will begin to enjoy during the 2023-2024 season.

Coach Jans will have his time at the podium at 5:40 on the SEC Network+ with interviews with the Mississippi State student-athletes throughout the day on the SEC Network starting at 10:30.

Mississippi State will open its season on November 8th at the Barstool Invitational in Chicago, Illinois, against Arizona State.