COLUMBIA, Mo. — There was a time when Ben Howland made it known he wanted the Missouri basketball coaching job. On Saturday, now in his fifth year at Mississippi State, Howland sounded more like a Mizzou public relations flack. After his team held off the Tigers 67-63, Howland spent most of his postgame press conference building a case for Mizzou as a team to watch in 2021.
“I told my staff this before the game, they’ll be in the NCAA Tournament next year,” Howland said “They got everybody back but Reed (Nikko). They’re really tough, talented.”
The skeptics in black and gold surely rolled their eyes at the bluster, reminded of all those verbal bouquets SEC peers tossed at former coach Kim Anderson right after they kicked in the Tigers’ teeth.