Mississippi State hires Chris Jans as new head coach

Mississippi State is hiring New Mexico State's Chris Jans as the program's next head coach, the team announced Sunday.

Jans led the Aggies to the NCAA Tournament's Round of 32 before falling to Arkansas on Saturday.

New Mexico State earned a March Madness bid in three of the four tourneys across Jans' five years at the helm. He joined the program following multiple stints as an assistant at Wichita State and one season as Bowling Green's head coach.

"Throughout our thorough research, what stood out about coach Jans was his culture of accountability, hard-working mentality, emphasis on player development, and vision for the future. Coach Jans is a proven leader and winner who is considered by many to be one of the top coaches in the game," Bulldogs athletic director John Cohen said in a statement.

Mississippi State's head coaching position opened after the program parted ways with Ben Howland on Thursday following seven seasons together. The Bulldogs posted an 18-16 record this campaign.

The Bulldogs have made just one NCAA Tournament since the 2008-09 season.