So, things happened kind of fast for Ben Howland. On January 3, his team opened SEC play by losing by 10 points to Alabama at home. Then, in a span of three days, his Mississippi State team scored 179 points in two games, beating LSU and Arkansas both on the road by a combined 23 points. One week, January 3-10, separated the beginning and end of that three-game stretch, but to watch them play, it‘s as if years have gone by. Or months, at least.
Credit the players for their resiliency and talent, then credit Howland for avoiding the stubbornness that can often plague head coaches in any sport.