Ben Howland out as males’s basketball coach at Mississippi State

Ben Howland is out as males’s basketball coach at Mississippi State, the college introduced Thursday, ending his seven-year stint on the faculty with out an NCAA event victory.

Howland, 64, reached three Ultimate Fours whereas teaching UCLA from 2003 to 2013. He may by no means recapture any of that magic in Starkville, nonetheless, as his lone journey to the NCAA event with the Bulldogs ended with an upset loss to No. 12 seed Liberty in 2019.

Howland finishes his tenure at Mississippi State with a 134-98 general document and a 59-67 document within the SEC. The Bulldogs failed to complete greater than fourth within the SEC throughout his seven seasons.

“We’re appreciative of the effort and time Coach Howland devoted in main our males’s basketball program,” athletic director John Cohen stated in a press release. “We thank him for his funding within the lives of our student-athletes and pouring his coronary heart and soul into our program from the day he arrived in Starkville. There is not any query he left our program higher than he discovered it. MSU owes a debt of gratitude to Coach Howland, and we now have the utmost respect for him as a coach and particular person.”

Along with Mississippi State and UCLA, Howland additionally guided Northern Arizona and Pittsburgh to NCAA event berths over a 26-year profession that features 533 wins.

Mississippi State entered this season with excessive expectations because of a flurry of high-profile transfers, which included Garrison Brooks and D.J. Jeffries. The Bulldogs, nonetheless, by no means discovered traction as early losses to Louisville, Minnesota and Colorado State set a course for a mediocre 18-16 season that ended with an NIT loss at Virginia on Wednesday night time.

Howland’s defense-first instincts and State’s gradual type of play have dragged on curiosity and attendance, with the Bulldogs rating No. 258 in adjusted tempo this season.

Howland had one yr remaining on his contract with the college and is anticipated to be owed $833,000. He may very well be owed extra via a take care of the Bulldog Membership, as is frequent with Mississippi State contracts.

Cohen stated Mississippi State has began its seek for Howland’s successor.