Photo by: Blake Williams/MSU Athletics
Opening Act Closing In for No. 18 Men’s Hoops
November 07, 2018 | Men's Basketball
by Matt Dunaway, Associate Director/Communications
STARKVILLE – With the 2018-19 season opener closing in on 48 hours away, head coach Ben Howland along with Tyson Carter and Aric Holman met with the media on Wednesday prior to practice.
No. 18 Mississippi State takes on Austin Peay to open a three-game homestand. Friday's tip time is on-tap for 6:30 p.m. CT from Humphrey Coliseum and will be streamed online courtesy of SEC Network + and the WatchESPN app.
The Mississippi State Athletics Ticket Office is selling season tickets for as low as $199. Fans can purchase tickets online at www.HailState.com/Hoops, in person at the MSU Athletics Ticket Office located at the Bryan Athletic Building or via the phone at (662) 325-2600. Information on single-game tickets and mini plans will be announced at a later date by the ticket office.
Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the men's basketball program. Fans also can follow the program on its social media outlets by searching 'HailStateMBK' on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Below is a transcript of Wednesday's media session.
Mississippi State Men's Basketball Media Session
November 7, 2018 – Mize Pavilion
Head Coach Ben Howland
Opening Statement
BH: "I'm excited. We're getting started here in a next couple days, and I know the players are excited. Now begins a bunch of games in a row, five games in 13 days. Austin Peay, in evaluating them and watching them, they have a very good team. They have a kid inside, [Terry] Taylor, that returns and had an outstanding freshman year. He was freshman of the year in the OVC [Ohio Valley Conference]. He's 6 feet, 7 inches tall and 225 pounds. He can step out and shoot three's as well as score around the basket. He has excellent hands and is a high-level player. They have some experienced guards and five seniors in their program. They're a very experienced team that has some veterans. Last year was the first year of a new regime under the coach that I mentioned that came from South Carolina [Matt Figger]. He's done a great job. They were picked last in the league last year and finished third. He was [OVC] coach of the year and did a great job. They play extremely hard, are very physical and are very tough. They have a number of young, big kids in their program that they brought in. They have a 7-footer [Matheaus Silveira] who is a freshman. They have another kid 7 feet tall [Ivan Cucak] that played in their game last night. This will be a tough challenge right out of the gate. On our injury front, Q [Quinndary Weatherspoon] was back yesterday for his first practice after injuring his MCL a week earlier, and he looked good. Generally, he had no pain afterwards and was feeling good this morning. Nick [Weatherspoon] has been back for a week after being out those 17 days from his sprained ankle he sustained in our scrimmage back on the [October] 13. Both of those guys are rounding back to form right now."
Q: Austin Peay was a very good offensive rebounding team last year. Did you notice that on film, and how did they executed this?
BH: "Their leading scorers are both their four and five [men] last year, one of those two graduated last year [Averyl Ugba]. They brought in fifth-year transfer last year from Western Kentucky [Jabari McGhee] who started out at Tennessee. He's a good, strong inside presence. They have a good fifth-year shooter, [Jarrett] Givens, that they got from an NAIA school, Adams State, who really played well last night in their game. They are a tough team. Their wings both started last year, and they are both good players. They have a nice team."
Q: You've got five games in 13 days like you said. How important is your depth for this opening stretch?
BH: "It's going to be important the entire year. To have good depth and to be able to play guys – we expect it, and this is kind of how it is. We will play Friday night and then again Sunday afternoon. Then, take Monday off and play again the following Friday. Then, play Monday and Wednesday [the next week]. There's a fair amount of time. It's just the one day in between games that is tough. Normally, the players have more than just one day."
Q: Scoring 114 points for [Austin Peay], what do they do well offensively? Are they an outside shooting team, or do they work inside?
BH: "Both. They are a good shooting team, and they shot it very well from the perimeter. They also did a really good job at transition and pushing the ball. They got a lot of easy baskets in transition against Oakland City last night. They have a good blend, and they have a number of good shooters that can put the ball in the basket."
Q: What are the signs of maturity that you've saw with Lamar Peters?
BH: "I think it's a process with every kid, and every kid is different. One of the things that makes him really good is that he plays with a lot of fire, a lot of intensity and a lot of enthusiasm. He's doing a really good job at competing, playing hard, being a good teammate and playing unselfishly. He's also better defensively than he has ever been – stunting. A lot of it has to do with that I think he's in the best condition of his life right now. I think he has done a great job in the weight room with Coach Crane. You can see his body. He gets up and can dunk pretty easy right now for a 6-footer, which is pretty amazing in itself."
Q: You talked about leadership a little bit. Obviously people are going to talk about Q [Quinndary Weatherspoon], but what do you expect Aric [Holman] to give the team in terms of being a leader?
BH: "I think Aric is more of a verbal leader than Q. Q leads a lot by example. No question, he will speak up. I think Abdul [Ado] is a really good leader too. I have named four captains. We have Abdul, Aric, Q, and Lamar as our four captains this year. That's where I expect a lot of our leadership to come from. All of those lot of our guys have experience. They've been here for multiple years, and they're the leaders of this team on and off the floor."
Forward Aric Holman
Q: When you looked at what you did in the exhibition game the other night, what did you like best about what the team did?
AH: "I would say our effort on defense. It's been our question in practice of how good of a defense team we can be. At the beginning of that game, it showed how great we can be and how long we held them to zero points. I think that was a great moment."
Q: Does it feel like it's been a long preseason? What do you think about finally getting this season going?
AH: "I think it really came back fast. It feels like we just ended with us having the extended season last year. For it to be back this fast, I'm excited and ready to go."
Guard Tyson Carter
Q: The team had some inconsistency shooting three-pointers last year. Then, the exhibition game, you go 13-for-29. How rewarding was that for you?
TC: "It definitely is [rewarding for me]. The hard work pays off, and we have to make sure that we stay in the gym all season so we can keep shooting like that."
Q: How do you feel about getting another season starting?
TC: "I'm excited about it. I think we have a lot of weapons this year and a lot of talent. I feel like we're going to be successful this year."
STARKVILLE – With the 2018-19 season opener closing in on 48 hours away, head coach Ben Howland along with Tyson Carter and Aric Holman met with the media on Wednesday prior to practice.
No. 18 Mississippi State takes on Austin Peay to open a three-game homestand. Friday's tip time is on-tap for 6:30 p.m. CT from Humphrey Coliseum and will be streamed online courtesy of SEC Network + and the WatchESPN app.
The Mississippi State Athletics Ticket Office is selling season tickets for as low as $199. Fans can purchase tickets online at www.HailState.com/Hoops, in person at the MSU Athletics Ticket Office located at the Bryan Athletic Building or via the phone at (662) 325-2600. Information on single-game tickets and mini plans will be announced at a later date by the ticket office.
Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the men's basketball program. Fans also can follow the program on its social media outlets by searching 'HailStateMBK' on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Below is a transcript of Wednesday's media session.
Mississippi State Men's Basketball Media Session
November 7, 2018 – Mize Pavilion
Head Coach Ben Howland
Opening Statement
BH: "I'm excited. We're getting started here in a next couple days, and I know the players are excited. Now begins a bunch of games in a row, five games in 13 days. Austin Peay, in evaluating them and watching them, they have a very good team. They have a kid inside, [Terry] Taylor, that returns and had an outstanding freshman year. He was freshman of the year in the OVC [Ohio Valley Conference]. He's 6 feet, 7 inches tall and 225 pounds. He can step out and shoot three's as well as score around the basket. He has excellent hands and is a high-level player. They have some experienced guards and five seniors in their program. They're a very experienced team that has some veterans. Last year was the first year of a new regime under the coach that I mentioned that came from South Carolina [Matt Figger]. He's done a great job. They were picked last in the league last year and finished third. He was [OVC] coach of the year and did a great job. They play extremely hard, are very physical and are very tough. They have a number of young, big kids in their program that they brought in. They have a 7-footer [Matheaus Silveira] who is a freshman. They have another kid 7 feet tall [Ivan Cucak] that played in their game last night. This will be a tough challenge right out of the gate. On our injury front, Q [Quinndary Weatherspoon] was back yesterday for his first practice after injuring his MCL a week earlier, and he looked good. Generally, he had no pain afterwards and was feeling good this morning. Nick [Weatherspoon] has been back for a week after being out those 17 days from his sprained ankle he sustained in our scrimmage back on the [October] 13. Both of those guys are rounding back to form right now."
Q: Austin Peay was a very good offensive rebounding team last year. Did you notice that on film, and how did they executed this?
BH: "Their leading scorers are both their four and five [men] last year, one of those two graduated last year [Averyl Ugba]. They brought in fifth-year transfer last year from Western Kentucky [Jabari McGhee] who started out at Tennessee. He's a good, strong inside presence. They have a good fifth-year shooter, [Jarrett] Givens, that they got from an NAIA school, Adams State, who really played well last night in their game. They are a tough team. Their wings both started last year, and they are both good players. They have a nice team."
Q: You've got five games in 13 days like you said. How important is your depth for this opening stretch?
BH: "It's going to be important the entire year. To have good depth and to be able to play guys – we expect it, and this is kind of how it is. We will play Friday night and then again Sunday afternoon. Then, take Monday off and play again the following Friday. Then, play Monday and Wednesday [the next week]. There's a fair amount of time. It's just the one day in between games that is tough. Normally, the players have more than just one day."
Q: Scoring 114 points for [Austin Peay], what do they do well offensively? Are they an outside shooting team, or do they work inside?
BH: "Both. They are a good shooting team, and they shot it very well from the perimeter. They also did a really good job at transition and pushing the ball. They got a lot of easy baskets in transition against Oakland City last night. They have a good blend, and they have a number of good shooters that can put the ball in the basket."
Q: What are the signs of maturity that you've saw with Lamar Peters?
BH: "I think it's a process with every kid, and every kid is different. One of the things that makes him really good is that he plays with a lot of fire, a lot of intensity and a lot of enthusiasm. He's doing a really good job at competing, playing hard, being a good teammate and playing unselfishly. He's also better defensively than he has ever been – stunting. A lot of it has to do with that I think he's in the best condition of his life right now. I think he has done a great job in the weight room with Coach Crane. You can see his body. He gets up and can dunk pretty easy right now for a 6-footer, which is pretty amazing in itself."
Q: You talked about leadership a little bit. Obviously people are going to talk about Q [Quinndary Weatherspoon], but what do you expect Aric [Holman] to give the team in terms of being a leader?
BH: "I think Aric is more of a verbal leader than Q. Q leads a lot by example. No question, he will speak up. I think Abdul [Ado] is a really good leader too. I have named four captains. We have Abdul, Aric, Q, and Lamar as our four captains this year. That's where I expect a lot of our leadership to come from. All of those lot of our guys have experience. They've been here for multiple years, and they're the leaders of this team on and off the floor."
Forward Aric Holman
Q: When you looked at what you did in the exhibition game the other night, what did you like best about what the team did?
AH: "I would say our effort on defense. It's been our question in practice of how good of a defense team we can be. At the beginning of that game, it showed how great we can be and how long we held them to zero points. I think that was a great moment."
Q: Does it feel like it's been a long preseason? What do you think about finally getting this season going?
AH: "I think it really came back fast. It feels like we just ended with us having the extended season last year. For it to be back this fast, I'm excited and ready to go."
Guard Tyson Carter
Q: The team had some inconsistency shooting three-pointers last year. Then, the exhibition game, you go 13-for-29. How rewarding was that for you?
TC: "It definitely is [rewarding for me]. The hard work pays off, and we have to make sure that we stay in the gym all season so we can keep shooting like that."
Q: How do you feel about getting another season starting?
TC: "I'm excited about it. I think we have a lot of weapons this year and a lot of talent. I feel like we're going to be successful this year."
Players Mentioned
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