Mississippi State went on a ride of a lifetime this weekend in Nashville, ending with something no Mississippi State Basketball team has done since the 2010 Southeastern Conference Tournament: reaching the Southeastern Conference Tournament Final Four. It might not have gone exactly how Chris Jans and his Mississippi State Bulldogs had hoped. Still, the learning experience over the weekend is something Mississippi State can take with them to the next step in the NCAA Tournament.

In two seasons as Head Coach of the Mississippi State Bulldogs, Chris Jans has taken the program to heights not seen in over a decade. Mississippi State Basketball is fun again, and as the Bulldogs approach another NCAA Tournament, the expectations and excitement continue to grow with this program.

Sure, the guys were disappointed after the loss to Auburn on Saturday, but there was a spark that gave the feeling of excitement for the postseason for Mississippi State. Coming into the 2024 Southeastern Conference Tournament, Mississippi State had lost four straight and struggled with the program’s identity. However, reaching the 2024 Southeastern Conference Tournament Final Four and beating Tennessee the way they did did wonders for the Bulldogs ahead of what’s next for them in March Madness.

During that stretch of a four-game losing streak for Mississippi State, the Bulldogs seemed defeated but have since found their spark again. At this point, it’s win or go home, and the Bulldogs proved this weekend they can play and beat the best teams in the country while sticking to the Mississippi State standard. One thing that stood out to the media following the Auburn loss was how the guys seemed hungry to succeed during the next round of postseason basketball. Instead of focusing on the negatives, Coach Jans, DJ Jeffries, and Josh Hubbard were optimistic and excited about the next stop in their March Madness journey.

Mississippi State will find out where their NCAA Tournament will take them on Sunday afternoon at 5:00 on the Selection Show on CBS.