Mississippi State University announced this week that it has added three experienced assistants to its men’s basketball coaching staff, enlisting Corey Barker, Alex Barlow and Shunn Buchanan to work under head coach Chris Jans.
A New Coaching Era
Barker arrives after a stint that included two years at New Mexico State, where his teams captured three straight Western Athletic Conference regular‑season titles and flirted with an NCAA Tournament berth in 2019‑20. He also guided Bowling Green to a 21‑win season and a College Insider Tournament appearance, and earlier in his career he led Louisiana Tech and Texas Christian University to multiple twenty‑plus win campaigns.
Barlow brings eight seasons within the Boston Celtics organization and three years as an assistant at Butler University, where he helped the program secure postseason berths and contributed to player development, recruiting and scouting. His G League experience with the Maine Celtics culminated in a 30‑win season and a playoff berth, underscoring his ability to nurture talent at the professional level.
Buchanan, who recently coached at New Mexico State, helped the Aggies to back‑to‑back NCAA Tournament appearances and 21‑win seasons, while also posting a 17‑13 record at Navarro College and honing the skills of guard‑type players. He previously played under Jans at New Mexico State, winning 83 games and experiencing consecutive tournament trips.
The additions come as Jans, who has steered the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament in three of his first four seasons, looks to maintain momentum heading into the 2026‑27 campaign. The team is slated to open its schedule on November 2 against Tennessee Tech at Humphrey Coliseum, a game that will serve as the first test of the new coaching trio.
Athletic director Jamie Dixon praised the hires, noting that the blend of conference‑level success and NBA‑affiliated experience should elevate the program’s competitiveness. With the new staff in place, Mississippi State hopes to translate its early‑season promise into a deep postseason run.