Ben Howland will become the next head coach of the men’s basketball team at Mississippi State University which changes everything for MSU.
Adding Ben Howland will make MSU instantly relevant again for the first time in possibly half a decade. His credentials speak for themselves. 
Howland went to three straight Final Fours at UCLA and was named the AP National Coach of the Year when he was the coach at Pittsburgh. 
The Mississippi State basketball program will immediately be in the mix in the wide-open SEC with the addition of Howland. From general obscurity to the national spotlight once again.
On the “Eye on College Basketball” podcast Gary Parrish said Athletic Director Scott Strickin had this deal in place before he let Rick Ray go Saturday morning. This is not totally surprising when you think about it. How would Stricklin be able to go from firing a coach to hiring the biggest free agent name in the coaching carosuel in less than 36 hours? Stricklin and Howland had conversations about the job  and were brought together by the people at Adidas.
Did Stricklin do Ray a disservice by talking to another head coach while he was under contract?
Of course not, as slimy it can appear on the surface this is just the name of the game. SEC Commissioner Mike Slive told the SEC athletic directors this past summer men’s basketball needed to become more of a priority. If the right guy is not in place, get someone who is, was the basic message of the meeting.
Howland will be that guy. He has been to two more Final Fours than MSU has in the school’s history for crying out loud.  MSU has finally found the right guy for the program.