STARKVILLE — Mississippi State athletics director John Cohen considers interim women’s basketball coach Doug Novak a candidate for the full-time head coaching position, he told the Clarion Ledger, although all options are still open as the season winds down.

The Bulldogs have dealt with plenty of uncertainty since coach Nikki McCray-Penson resigned a month before the season began. Now, Mississippi State finds itself in contention for an NCAA Tournament bid despite an interim coach and a depleted roster.

Novak has received fan support due to strong Mississippi State (15-8, 6-5 SEC) performances this season, considering the circumstances, including Sunday’s win against Ole Miss.

“There isn’t an option that isn’t still on the table,” Cohen said. “Certainly, I think that Doug deserves consideration. But we’re also a national program. And we’re a program that’s going to attract some real coaching talent out there. So, yeah, we have time. We’re going to continue to evaluate all phases. And Doug certainly deserves consideration.”

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McCray-Penson resigned in October to focus on her health, leaving Novak to lead the program. Cohen said the decision to stick with Novak this season came down to several factors.

First, Novak was hired in September by McCray-Penson as her associate head coach, making him second in command. And Novak already had head coaching experience at Anderson University (1999-2006) and Bethel University (2013-21).

“Now, of course, that head coaching experience was on the men’s side,” Cohen said. “But again, I think that’s something else, he has made a great adjustment to that.”

Cohen credits Novak and his staff with helping to stabilize the program, although there have been tremors throughout the year.

Assistant coach Malikah Willis has been absent since December following a rift between she and Novak. Forward Rickea Jackson, the team’s top scorer, entered the transfer portal in January — one of three players to transfer. Forward Raven Farley has missed extended time for non-injury related reasons, and forward Jessika Carter is ineligible after an arrest and mental health struggles.

Still, Mississippi State is considered a bubble team for the NCAA Tournament, although this week — with three games in six days, beginning against Kentucky on Tuesday (5 p.m., SEC Network+) — could make or break those hopes.

“I really have enjoyed watching our kids compete, and sometimes some tough things happen early on in a season, and your kids are resilient and they respond to the challenge,” Cohen said. “And I think that, at least so far, is what’s happened."

It could be enough to convince Cohen and Mississippi State to stay within the program to find their next permanent coach.

“It just feels good to have a coach that won’t give up on you,” guard Anastasia Hayes said. “When you have a coach like that, it’s very inspiring. You can’t do anything but trust him. He wants the best for each and every one of us, and props to him, coming into everything that he had to come into, all you can do is trust him and buy into everything he says.”

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: What John Cohen said about Doug Novak, MSU basketball coaching search