Ben Howland Named Mississippi State Basketball Head Coach

After a two-year hiatus, Ben Howland is returning to college basketball sidelines. On Monday, Howland and Mississippi State agreed to a contract that will bring the former Naismith Coach of the Year to Starkville, replacing the recently fired Rick Ray.  

The team's Twitter account confirmed the news: 

The team provided video from Howland's introductory press conference, as well as comments from Howland:

Michael Bonner and Hugh Kellenberger of The Clarion-Ledger provided more comments from the new head coach:

Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com reported on one coach who Howland will likely add to his staff: 

Howland, 57, sat out the last two seasons after being fired by UCLA in 2013. He took the Bruins to the NCAA tournament in seven of his 10 seasons, including three straight Final Four runs from 2006 to 2008. The program struggled following that run, with UCLA missing the tournament twice and failing to reach the second weekend in any of his final five years.

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

Howland takes over a Mississippi State program that's struggled to hold its weight in the SEC. Ray went 37-60 in his three seasons, including a 13-19 mark in 2014-15. The Bulldogs have not made the NCAA tournament since 2009 and have not made a Sweet 16 run since their Final Four trip in 1996.

Evan Daniels of Fox Sports reported that the machinations of this hire have been in place for months. In Howland, Mississippi State lands a coach with a winning resume. Despite his downturn in Westwood, Howland's had success at every stop as a head coach and has five Sweet 16 runs under his belt. 

In Mississippi State, Howland gets a reclamation project where the leash should be long. The Bulldogs aren't in a position to compete next season, and it'll probably take a few years before Howland has the opportunity to change the culture. Time is not something typically given in major-conference hires, so this looks like a perfect fit for both sides.

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter.