Bell An Unsung Hero Of Bulldogs’ Success
March 20, 2024 | Men's Basketball, Joel Coleman
State big man was instrumental in leading MSU back to the big dance.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – There'll come a day when Mississippi State's Jimmy Bell Jr. will have the chance to fully reflect on what the last year has been like for him. Time always provides clarity.
But already, the graduate center doesn't have to ponder long on the success of his choice to transfer from West Virginia to Starkville prior to this season to play for head coach Chris Jans' Bulldogs. Bell's feelings on that are already solidified.
"I think it's one of the best decisions I've ever made for sure," Bell said on Wednesday only moments before MSU had its shootaround at the Spectrum Center preparing for Thursday's NCAA Tournament game versus Michigan State.
For the Bulldogs, the feeling is completely mutual. Deciding to pursue Bell has helped Mississippi State paint March maroon once again. And make no mistake, the Dawgs likely wouldn't be participating in this month's madness without all of Bell's contributions.
Rewind back to October. That's when State announced Tolu Smith III would be out indefinitely with a foot injury sustained in practice. Smith was going to miss most, if not all, of the nonconference schedule.
It had the potential to be disastrous for State. With the grueling SEC schedule to come, the Dawgs couldn't afford a rocky November and December.
But how would they survive without their All-Southeastern Conference center? Enter Bell, who made sure the Bulldogs didn't just survive. They thrived.
"Jimmy and the work he put in as a starter before Tolu returned, I'm not sure if [without Bell] we would have been able to handle some of those [nonconference opponents] like we did," Jans said.
MSU compiled an 11-2 mark over the season's first two months with Bell serving as the starting big. In that span, Bell averaged nearly a double-double – 9.3 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.
He scored in double figures six times over that stretch and got 10 or more boards in six contests as well. Bell made sure the Bulldogs didn't miss a beat while they eagerly awaited Smith's comeback.
It was a situation Bell never expected to be in for Jans and company. But the seasoned college basketball veteran's pulse didn't rise one bit when he was forced into his expanded responsibility.
"When I came, I knew I wasn't going to be the starting big," Bell explained. "I came to play a role. It just happened [Smith] got hurt at the beginning of the year, and it was my chance to step up and help the team win until he got back. I feel like I did a good job of doing that.
"I'm a veteran guy, so I wasn't nervous. I wasn't scared. I came prepared coming into this year regardless of what position or what role I was going to play. I just happened to be a starter for a little bit and helped the team win."
Team-first guys are invaluable in sports. Upon Smith's return, Bell solidified that's exactly what he is and how his only concern all along for State has been wrapping games in Maroon and White.
Smith got back in the starting lineup for MSU on January 10. That pushed Bell back to the bench. Bell's playing time decreased from there, but his mentality always remained the same. He became one of Smith's biggest fans, while at the same time, stayed committed to doing whatever he needed to do to help the Dawgs win again and again.
"Coming into this situation, I knew what it was," Bell said. "When [Smith] came back, it was my time to play the role I came here to do. Me and him have a good relationship. Me and the coaching staff have a good relationship. So, it never was a problem."
The end result has Mississippi State tipping off with Michigan State on Thursday at 11:15 a.m. CT in NCAA Tourney action. It's a matchup that is seemingly the universe's way of giving a wink to Bell and the decision he made to become a Bulldog.
That's because Bell is a Saginaw, Michigan, native. Many, many of his family members have always been Michigan State fans.
So, an already special season just keeps getting even more special for Bell.
"For me, it's more than just trying to get this win," Bell said. "I'm looking forward to it."
