Mississippi State Women's Basketball: Has Novak Proven That He Belongs as HC?
Mississippi State's women's basketball team has faced a lot of adversity this season, and it began with an abrupt coaching change at the beginning of the season.
Former head coach Nikki McCray-Penson had to step down from her position with the team due to health issues only a few weeks before the season began. Assistant Doug Novak was named the interim head coach on very short notice. Yet, despite being thrown into such a vital position with little time to prepare, Novak has been a good fit for the Bulldogs.
Since his hiring, Novak has faced more challenges than most other coaches in the SEC. He could have given up at any point, but he has handled every adversity that the team has faced well. When the Bulldogs were short-handed due to a coronavirus outbreak, he adjusted around the absences of his players. When star player Rickea Jackson unexpectedly entered the transfer portal last month, he rallied his team and helped lead them to success without her. None of these difficulties have affected Novak-- at least not in a way that anybody can see.
With that being said, does Novak deserve to be considered for the permanent head coaching position? First, let's look at his success on the court with the Bulldogs. He inherited a team that was coming off of a 10-9 season and had no postseason appearance. Now, Mississippi State has a 14-7 record and is on a three-game winning streak-- second-best in the conference only behind No. 1-ranked South Carolina. Charlie Creme's NCAA Tournament projections have the Bulldogs among the last four in. A year ago, that wouldn't have seemed possible.
Novak also seems to bring out the best in his players. They respond to him well and have shown that they enjoy playing for him. His coaching style is one of tough love, which is what the Bulldogs need. If the team and coach have already formed a bond, then there is no reason to break it and bring somebody else in.
These next seven games will prove a lot about Novak. Mississippi State will face some extremely tough completion over the coming weeks-- arguably the most difficult stretch of games they have had all season. The team's next game is against No. 19 Florida, a team that has gotten hot over the past few weeks. They will then face in-state rival Ole Miss, who the Bulldogs lost to earlier in the season. MSU will also face two more ranked opponents-- No. 13 Tennessee and No. 14 LSU-- and hope to pull off big upsets. Other games played will be against Kentucky, Missouri and Arkansas.
If Novak can lead his team through the next stretch of games and into the postseason, then there's no reason why he shouldn't be named a full-time head coach for the Bulldogs. Even if he doesn't then he still deserves consideration. Novak has already done much better than most expected him to, and he has the potential to turn Mississippi State into an NCAA Tournament team once again. Hopefully, a final decision will be made in the coming weeks for the sake of the players, fans and Novak himself.
