Men’s Hoops Lands Jimmy Bell Jr. To ASA
May 11, 2023 | Men's Basketball
by Matt Dunaway, Director/Communications
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State men's basketball coach Chris Jans has announced the signing of Jimmy Bell Jr. to an Athletic Scholarship Announcement (ASA) to continue his career with the Bulldogs on Thursday.
Bell Jr., a 6-10 forward from Saginaw, Michigan, started all 34 games in 2022-23 for West Virginia's NCAA Tournament squad. He has one year of college eligibility remaining and has registered 98 starts over 115 career games between his stops at West Virginia, Saint Louis and Moberly Area Community College.
"Jimmy will bring a vast amount of experience, toughness and ability to our basketball program," Jans said. "Jimmy is a very good player, but his intangibles are what sets him apart. He has developed a strong work ethic, leadership skills and is a great teammate. We are thrilled Jimmy has chosen to finish his collegiate career as a Bulldog."
Bell Jr. connected on 54.9 percent of his field goal attempts for the Mountaineers. He came away with a pair of double-doubles and provided 10-plus points on five occasions. His 15.8 offensive rebounding percentage was third among Power 5 players and 11th nationally.
Two of Bell. Jr's top three scoring performances sparked wins over top 15 competition. He racked up 15 points and a season's best 12 rebounds versus No. 14 TCU and secured another 15-point effort with seven rebounds against No. 15 Auburn.
Bell Jr. attended Moberly Area Community College in Moberly, Missouri where he averaged 9.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game during the 2021-22 season. He shot 59.1 percent from the floor and 67.5 percent at the foul line.
Bell Jr.'s 146 offensive rebounds were third nationally, while he checked in 11th nationally with 317 total rebounds. His team amassed 28 victories and advanced to the second round of the NJCAA Championship.
Bell Jr. spent his first two seasons at Saint Louis. In 2020-21, he appeared in 19 games and was inserted into the starting five in the last five games. Bell shot 53.8 percent from the field and was named to the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll.
As a freshman in 2019-20, he started every game for the Billikens except for Senior Night. Bell Jr. shot 49.1 percent from the field during conference play and 70 percent from the free throw line. He scored a season-high 12 points at Rhode Island.
Bell Jr. prepped at Arthur Hill High School in Saginaw, Michigan before spending his last two seasons at Bella Vista College Preparatory School in Scottsdale, Arizona to focus solely on basketball. He averaged 11 points and 10 rebounds during his senior season.
Mississippi State is now accepting new season ticket deposits for the 2023-24 season. Seat locations will be picked during a full reseat this September based on Bulldog Club ranking. More information on the seat selection process will be available at a later date. Visit HailState.com/Tickets to make your deposit.
Humphrey Coliseum will become one of the premier arenas in the nation as major renovations continue ahead of the upcoming season. If interested in making contributions to Humphrey Coliseum, please contact the Bulldog Club at 662-325-3074.
Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the men's basketball program. Fans also can follow the program on its social media outlets by searching 'HailStateMBK' on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State men's basketball coach Chris Jans has announced the signing of Jimmy Bell Jr. to an Athletic Scholarship Announcement (ASA) to continue his career with the Bulldogs on Thursday.
Bell Jr., a 6-10 forward from Saginaw, Michigan, started all 34 games in 2022-23 for West Virginia's NCAA Tournament squad. He has one year of college eligibility remaining and has registered 98 starts over 115 career games between his stops at West Virginia, Saint Louis and Moberly Area Community College.
"Jimmy will bring a vast amount of experience, toughness and ability to our basketball program," Jans said. "Jimmy is a very good player, but his intangibles are what sets him apart. He has developed a strong work ethic, leadership skills and is a great teammate. We are thrilled Jimmy has chosen to finish his collegiate career as a Bulldog."
Bell Jr. connected on 54.9 percent of his field goal attempts for the Mountaineers. He came away with a pair of double-doubles and provided 10-plus points on five occasions. His 15.8 offensive rebounding percentage was third among Power 5 players and 11th nationally.
Two of Bell. Jr's top three scoring performances sparked wins over top 15 competition. He racked up 15 points and a season's best 12 rebounds versus No. 14 TCU and secured another 15-point effort with seven rebounds against No. 15 Auburn.
Bell Jr. attended Moberly Area Community College in Moberly, Missouri where he averaged 9.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game during the 2021-22 season. He shot 59.1 percent from the floor and 67.5 percent at the foul line.
Bell Jr.'s 146 offensive rebounds were third nationally, while he checked in 11th nationally with 317 total rebounds. His team amassed 28 victories and advanced to the second round of the NJCAA Championship.
Bell Jr. spent his first two seasons at Saint Louis. In 2020-21, he appeared in 19 games and was inserted into the starting five in the last five games. Bell shot 53.8 percent from the field and was named to the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll.
As a freshman in 2019-20, he started every game for the Billikens except for Senior Night. Bell Jr. shot 49.1 percent from the field during conference play and 70 percent from the free throw line. He scored a season-high 12 points at Rhode Island.
Bell Jr. prepped at Arthur Hill High School in Saginaw, Michigan before spending his last two seasons at Bella Vista College Preparatory School in Scottsdale, Arizona to focus solely on basketball. He averaged 11 points and 10 rebounds during his senior season.
Mississippi State is now accepting new season ticket deposits for the 2023-24 season. Seat locations will be picked during a full reseat this September based on Bulldog Club ranking. More information on the seat selection process will be available at a later date. Visit HailState.com/Tickets to make your deposit.
Humphrey Coliseum will become one of the premier arenas in the nation as major renovations continue ahead of the upcoming season. If interested in making contributions to Humphrey Coliseum, please contact the Bulldog Club at 662-325-3074.
Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the men's basketball program. Fans also can follow the program on its social media outlets by searching 'HailStateMBK' on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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