Time Running Out as Mississippi State Faces Must-Win Stretch in SEC Play

With eight games left, Mississippi State is running out of time to revive its NCAA Tournament hopes as Chris Jans reflects on a season that hasn't gone as planned.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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Mississippi State's men's basketball team is struggling with an 11-12 overall record and a 3-7 record in SEC play, putting their NCAA Tournament hopes in jeopardy. Head coach Chris Jans acknowledged the team is not where they expected to be at this point in the season, citing issues in non-conference play that put them in a hole going into SEC competition. The Bulldogs have lost seven of their last eight games, including several blowout defeats, and Jans emphasized the importance of taking care of the ball and limiting turnovers against top opponents like Arkansas.

Why it matters

Mississippi State's disappointing season puts their chances of making the NCAA Tournament in serious doubt, with only eight games remaining in the regular season. The Bulldogs' struggles highlight the challenges of rebuilding a program and the fine line between success and failure in major college basketball.

The details

Mississippi State entered the season with high hopes after making the NCAA Tournament the previous three years. However, an 8-5 non-conference record, including losses to SMU and San Francisco, put the Bulldogs in a hole. They started SEC play 2-0 but have since gone 1-7, including three losses by 20 points or more. Coach Chris Jans pointed to costly turnovers and poor execution as key factors in the team's recent defeats.

  • With eight games left in the regular season, time is running out on Mississippi State to put itself in position to be in contention for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
  • The Bulldogs started SEC play 2-0 but have since gone 1-7 in conference games.

The players

Chris Jans

The head coach of the Mississippi State men's basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“We're not where we thought we'd be. Not just in the SEC, but overall. We didn't have a stellar non-conference portion of the season.”

— Chris Jans, Head Coach (si.com)

“What we did in non-league play those three years was the special sauce for making the tournament and earning the seeds we did. This year, we put ourselves in a hole going into SEC play.”

— Chris Jans, Head Coach (si.com)

“We had that mini-run at the start where it felt like we could fight our way back, but then it went the wrong direction, and it's been a struggle since.”

— Chris Jans, Head Coach (si.com)

“We had too many costly turnovers in the first half that led to Arkansas runouts. We talked a lot about taking care of the ball going into that game. There's an old saying that a bad shot is just like a turnover, and in this league, live-ball turnovers usually cost you. Against a team like Arkansas, you pay dearly.”

— Chris Jans, Head Coach (si.com)

What’s next

The Bulldogs will host the Tennessee Volunteers on Wednesday, February 15th at 8 p.m. in a must-win game for their NCAA Tournament hopes.

The takeaway

Mississippi State's disappointing season has put their NCAA Tournament aspirations in serious jeopardy, highlighting the challenges of rebuilding a program and the fine line between success and failure in major college basketball. The Bulldogs must find a way to turn things around quickly in their remaining eight games to keep their postseason dreams alive.