Mississippi Today

Bulldogs’ NCAA loss was microcosm of Chris Jans’ first season at State

Published

2 years ago

March 15, 2023

Bulldogs’ NCAA loss was microcosm of Chris Jans’ first season at State

by Rick Cleveland, Mississippi Today
March 15, 2023

If ever one basketball game encapsulated an entire season, it was Mississippi State’s excruciatingly painful 60-59 defeat to Pittsburgh at Dayton in Tuesday’s First Four of the NCAA Tournament.

Here’s what I mean:

State fought doggedly throughout, especially on defense and on the boards. The Bulldogs held Pitt nearly 16 points under its scoring average. They out-muscled and out-rebounded the Panthers 49-28 on the boards. But they lost because they could not make a shot when it mattered most.

With just over a second to play, lefty Shakeel Moore launched a wide-open 3-point shot from just beyond the arc. No Panther was in the same zip code. Moore’s shot bounded off the rim. State’s D.J. Jeffries rose high above the goal and still had a chance for the tip-in before the buzzer. His his slap missed its mark, too.

“There was no doubt in our minds we’d fight and claw and we did,” MSU coach Chris Jans said. “We had a couple chances there at the end to win the game, but it didn’t happen.”

Of State’s final possession, Jans said, “It was a heck of a look … It’s all you can ask for, a chance — the ball is in the air, to win an NCAA Tournament game and still have enough time to get a put-back.”

The Bulldogs did everything you are supposed to do except make the shot. Or the put-back.

And that will be the way Jans’ first Bulldogs team is remembered. They were a team that performed so many facets of the game just the way you draw it up. They played hard and with passion. They defended doggedly. Indeed, they finished 10th in all the NCAA in scoring defense, second in the SEC. They rebounded well, finishing 16th in the land in offensive rebounds, third in the SEC.

They shared the basketball, worked for good shots. They just did not make enough of those, especially from the perimeter. Against Pitt, State took 23 three-point shots and made only six. Pitt made nine of 19. There’s your difference and then some. State, despite taking four more treys, scored nine fewer points from beyond the arc.

And this was nothing new. There are 363 Division I-playing basketball teams in the NCAA. The Bulldogs finished 363rd in three-point shooting percentage at 26.6 percent. And yet, they won 23 games and made the NCAA Tournament. They played the team tied with the second best record in the powerful Atlantic Coast Conference to the wire.

“I’ll always remember this group for their belief, for their buy-in and for their coachability,” Jans said afterward. “I’ve told them that many times throughout the year. I reiterated it in the locker room just now because it’ll be my first group at Mississippi State. We’re proud of our accomplishments this year. Certainly, we want more. We want to be playing on Friday, but it’s not meant to be.”

Pitt, like State, an 11-seed, goes on to face 6-seed Iowa State Friday afternoon at Greensboro, N.C. State returns to Starkville, where Jans must revamp his roster and get ready for the 2023-24 season. The Bulldogs lose three of their top four scorers and two of their top three rebounders. The biggest loss is obvious: Tolu Smith, deservedly the Bailey Howell Trophy winner, led the Bulldogs in scoring, rebounding, field goal shooting and blocked shots. He will be extremely difficult to replace.

The good news for State – and for Jans – is that in college basketball today you can change a roster extremely fast. Expect the Bulldogs to be active in the portal. “That’s already begun,” Jans said. “That never ends. Recruiting never ends whether you are playing or not.”

It will be difficult, indeed, for State to find another force in the paint like Tolu Smith. But you can bet your cowbell on this: Jans also will be looking for some shooters, guys who can put the ball in the basket – especially from the perimeter.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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Mississippi Today

UMMC holds free cancer screenings

Published

1 day ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @EricJShelton – 2025-04-30 12:00:00

by Eric J. Shelton, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Resident physician Claire Babin, right, performs an oral cancer screening on Ella Holmes during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Physicians prepare for oral, head and neck cancer screenings during a free screening event at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, screens Diane Carter for oral cancer as medical students Mason Nodurft, left, and Eva Kiparizoska observe during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Educational giveaways advocating against smoking are available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Sharon Terry, senior tobacco treatment specialist, waits for patients during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Skylar Robinson, medical office assistant, left, and Kiandria Bruce, registered nurse, review materials at the patient sign-in table during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Head and neck cancer literature is available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Dr. Alex Brooks and registered nurse Angela Noble talk during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Nina Brown, clinical manager, helps Ned Bostic with paperwork during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin performs an oral cancer screening on Ned Bostic at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Ned Bostic receives a neck cancer screening during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, and medical student Hanna Watson examine Ned Bostic during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery hosted a free oral, head, and neck cancer screening Wednesday at the Jackson Medical Mall as part of Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week.

The event featured quick, noninvasive screenings aimed at catching cancer early — when treatment is most effective. Onyx Care provided free HPV vaccinations, while the ACT Center for Tobacco Treatment, Education, and Research offered resources on smoking cessation and free services.

“These screenings take about 10 minutes and can save lives,” said Dr. Gina Jefferson, head and neck surgical oncologist at UMMC. “The earlier a cancer is diagnosed, the better chance we have of curing it.”

Tobacco and alcohol use remain major risk factors for these cancers. However, physicians say an increasing number of cases are linked to HPV, especially among younger adults with no history of smoking or drinking. Dentists are often the first to spot early signs, which can include persistent sores, lumps in the neck, or difficulty swallowing.

Oral, head and neck cancers are among the most common globally. When found early, survival rates can exceed 80 percent.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post UMMC holds free cancer screenings appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article presents factual information about a free cancer screening event without showing a clear ideological stance. It primarily focuses on the health benefits of early cancer detection and the availability of free resources, such as HPV vaccinations and smoking cessation support. The language used is neutral and the content is centered around public health education rather than promoting a political viewpoint. The inclusion of factual statistics, such as survival rates and risk factors, adds to its informative and objective tone. There are no signs of bias or advocacy for a particular political agenda, making this a centrist piece.

Crooked Letter Sports Podcast

Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball?

Published

1 day ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @rick_cleveland – 2025-04-30 10:46:00

by Rick Cleveland and Tyler Cleveland, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi State didn’t even wait until the end of the season to fire Chris Lemonis, who brought the national championship to Starkville not quite four years ago. Where do the Bulldogs go from here. Robbie Faulk who covers the Bulldogs more closely than anyone else joins the podcast to discuss the situation.

Stream all episodes here.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball? appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Mississippi Today

Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you

Published

1 day ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @MSTODAYnews – 2025-04-30 10:21:00

by Mississippi Today, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi Today is looking to speak with current and former mobile sports betting users. We’d like to speak with people who spend considerable amounts of time and money betting on sports through online gambling sites.

We’re interested in hearing the experience of people who have suffered from gambling addiction or problems, or friends and family members of people who have. We also would like to talk with people who believe legalizing mobile sports betting would benefit Mississippi and its residents.

We want to hear from you. Please take the survey below or contact Political Reporter Michael Goldberg by email at mgoldberg@mississippitoday.org

TAKE THE SURVEY:

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This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article from Mississippi Today appears to present a neutral stance, focusing on gathering input from various groups of mobile sports betting users, including those who may have experienced addiction issues. The content does not advocate for or against the legalization of mobile sports betting but instead seeks to gather diverse perspectives, including those of individuals who may support or oppose it. The language used is objective and does not suggest a particular ideological perspective, allowing for a balanced exploration of the issue at hand.