Wings, Nerves And A Chance To Dance Again
March 17, 2024 | Men's Basketball, Joel Coleman
Bulldogs celebrate another NCAA Tourney berth and have sights set on painting March maroon.
STARKVILLE – D.J. Jeffries didn't mind admitting he was getting a little anxious.
Mississippi State's graduate forward, along with his teammates, sat at tables at Two Brothers Smoked Meats over smoked wings and more in Starkville's Cotton District on Sunday evening. The Bulldogs had gathered for an NCAA Tournament Selection Show party, but there was just one problem.
It was late in the show and MSU still hadn't heard its name called.
"I was nervous for a minute," Jeffries said with a big grin. "I thought they weren't going to select us. But then I had a sigh of relief."
The exhale came as Mississippi State learned its fate. The Bulldogs will be an eight seed in the big dance, taking on ninth-seeded Michigan State in Charlotte, North Carolina. The two MSUs will tip off at 11:15 a.m. CT on Thursday.
Despite Jeffries' nerves, Sunday's news was a widely expected outcome. It was the culmination of a fantastic four months of basketball in which the Bulldogs navigated one of the toughest schedules in the country, earned three Associated Press Top-10 wins, got all the way to the Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinals and rubber stamped a resume the NCAA selection committee had no choice but to reward.
And make no mistake, Sunday was indeed a reward. Head coach Chris Jans was standing inside the restaurant looking up at one screen when he realized, if he turned around and looked at another, he'd have the chance to watch his players' reactions when and if the Bulldogs were announced. They of course were, and Jans had the opportunity to see his players' eyes light up like kids on Christmas morning.
"It was cool, and it was fun," Jans said. "It's one of those moments you never forget when you see their joyful reaction. For some of them, it's a dream come true since they started playing this game. It was nice to see them celebrate and enjoy it and I'm gonna let them do that the rest of [Sunday] evening."
Of course, Sunday eventually gives way to Monday, and it'll be right back to business for Mississippi State. These Dawgs are cool with that, too, because they all mean business. They're determined to do all they can to paint March maroon. There are different motivations and different logs on each fire, but every Dawg is laser-focused headed into the dance.
For Jeffries and several others, it's a chance to put an exclamation point at the end of their Mississippi State careers.
"I'm more driven than ever," Jeffries said. "This is my last go-around, so there's no turning back for me. I'm going to go out there every game and play it like it's my last. Hopefully, we can make a deep run and go win a championship or something. You never know what might happen."
For senior guard Shakeel Moore, the NCAA Tourney berth gives him a chance to put the pain of last year totally in the past. Moore's potential game-winning shot didn't fall in the first round of the event last March as the Bulldogs fell in Dayton, Ohio.
Moore has carried that disappointment with him since but indicated Sunday's announcement has given him new life.
"I'm definitely super hungry," Moore said. "I slept on [last year's ending] every night. I'm coming to make a big statement this tournament."
Then there's the youngster, Josh Hubbard. This marks the All-SEC Freshman guard's first-ever appearance on college basketball's biggest stage. In a season full of can't-believe-it moments, he's now added another.
"As a little kid, everybody dreams of playing in March Madness, seeing the craziness happen," Hubbard said. "This is definitely a blessing for sure."
With Sunday's selection, Jans has now led Mississippi State to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time since the Bulldogs made the tourney in both 2008 and 2009. Jans is one of only three second-year head coaches nationally to take their teams to the NCAA Tournament in both 2023 and 2024.
And even though many members of Jans' squad had the pleasure of going through a similar experience to Sunday's a year ago, the leader of the Dawgs said the two selection celebrations were a good bit different.
"It was bigger this year," Jans said. "It was better. I guess they're more experienced now knowing how they need to react when they hear their name called."
Yet for as fun as Sunday was for everyone, the real fun now awaits. There's no need for Jeffries or anyone else to worry any longer.
It's time to get focused. It's time to lock in and see if Mississippi State can make magic happen. Once again, it's time to dance, and the Bulldogs aren't taking the opportunity for granted.
"It was just a blessing and an honor to see Mississippi State up there on the screen," Hubbard said.
