Chris Jans on his "cringe-worthy" dancing, Mississippi State's win streak
Tomorrow night, Kentucky faces a Mississippi State team that started SEC play 1-7 but has now won five straight. Over the past two weeks, the Bulldogs beat then-No. 11 TCU, South Carolina, Missouri, LSU, and Arkansas. That last victory came on the road and is one of three Quad 1 wins for the Bulldogs. If Kentucky is trending down, Mississippi State is trending up heading into tomorrow night’s bubble team battle in Starkville.
On Monday, Chris Jans — Mississippi State’s new coach — shared the message he gave his players prior to their big win over Arkansas.
“I told them that leading up to the game, which is really not the norm for me 3-4 hours before a game, to tell the team how good I felt about where we were at. You could feel the energy in the room uplift a little bit. I said, ‘Who knows what the outcome of tonight’s game will be but I feel really good about where you are at and how the group has come together, and the vibe that we have.’
“I felt like because of the work, they deserved to win. Now will they? Who knows how the game will unfold and that was a constant theme in the majority of our timeouts. That was kind of our rallying cry, to believe and the confidence we had in each other.”
It worked. Mississippi State pulled off the 70-64 upset of the Razorbacks thanks to a balanced attack. Four Bulldogs finished in double figures, led by senior guard Dashawn Davis with 17. Senior forward Tolu Smith, an All-SEC Preseason First Team selection and two-time SEC Player of the Week, finished with 11 points and 8 rebounds. (Circle him on your scouting report.) Mississippi State’s bench combined for 16 points and the Bulldogs shot 47.4% from the field, including 60% (6-10) from the three-point line.
“It feels good,” Jans said of his team’s work ethic and attitude. “I think every coach in America will tell you that one of the most rewarding things is your team continues to work even when things are not going your way and they have the right mental approach every single day. I’ve complimented this group numerous times throughout the year of their approach.”
Chris Jans admits he needs dancing lessons
After the game, a clip of Jans dancing with his team in the locker room made the rounds on social media. Before leading his players in an “If you ain’t a dog, you’re dog food” chant, Jans danced like nobody was watching. After reviewing the tape, he admits he could use some lessons.
“Obviously, I am lacking in that area in a big way,” he said laughing. “I need to get some guys to give me a lesson or two. I am sure my wife would love for me to say, ‘Hey, let’s go take some dancing lessons.’ I definitely need them.”
“You work so hard, I think you need to celebrate like that with your team because of what goes into playing a 40-minute game,” he added. “Our kids continue to get better at it, continue to understand the importance of it. But one of my best friends, who is not in coaching anymore, said it is cringe-worthy for him at times to watch me in there. That wasn’t a lot of fun to hear but it is what it is.
You know, I could make fun of him but considering where Kentucky’s at right now and my own poor dancing skills, I’ll sit this one out. Good on him for celebrating a huge win in his first year at a Power 5 school. I remember when we used to have moments like that.
Here’s hoping the Cats don’t give the Bulldogs another reason to dance tomorrow night.
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