What No. 24 Men’s Hoops Said at Monday’s Media Session
January 14, 2019 | Men's Basketball
by Matt Dunaway, Associate Director/Communications
STARKVILLE – No. 24 Mississippi State will look to secure its first SEC victory of 2018-19 and end its two-game losing streak when Florida visits Humphrey Coliseum on Tuesday.
Tip time between the Bulldogs and Gators is on-tap for 6 p.m. CT televised by SEC Network and available online courtesy of the WatchESPN app. Tom Hart, Jon Sundvold and Andy Kennedy will serve as the announcing team.
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 the media session prior to Monday's practice featuring Coach Howland, Quinndary Weatherspoon and Lamar Peters.
Mississippi State Men's Basketball Media Session
January 14, 2019 – Humphrey Coliseum
Head Coach Ben Howland
Q: How has the team responded after the Ole Miss loss?
BH: "We had a good practice yesterday. We practiced hard after watching the game in its entirety as a team and then [we] lifted. We had a really good day yesterday especially practice. I thought we studied the film, learned a lot, went out on the floor and really responded in a great way. So, I was really pleased with our practice yesterday. There are some things that we tried to emphasize and execute them."
Q: What have you taken away from Florida's identity these past few games?
BH: "Number one: they're a team that shoots a ton of three's. When I was watching the Tennessee game, which was their most recent game, they played Tennessee incredibly tough. They had a great chance to win that game with multiple leads in the last seven minutes of the game. Tennessee, who is obviously one of the best teams in the country with a change to win it all, found a way with those experienced veterans that they have. They shoot the three. At one point, their team had attempted 25 shots and 19 of them were three's. Only six of them were inside the three. They really spread the floor. They play basically four guards and start four guards. They really try to draw, kick and create penetrating opportunities to kick it out to their shooters."
"They're really good defensively. They're a team, in terms of defensive efficiency, is in the top 10 in a lot of different areas. They'll show a 1-2-2 press every time they score and go back to their man-to-man matching up with anybody. They're not matching up with a specific position. They're matching up with the players in their own area. They do some different things that you don't see a lot from other teams, which you are pointing out."
Q: When watching the Ole Miss film, did everything circle back to defense? How does your team plan to respond after playing Ole Miss?
BH: "Quick shots – we took some shots that I would say weren't good shots. Part of that is because everybody was so hyped up for that game. Their team [Ole Miss] had three technical [fouls] on them, [and] we had one on us. It was a very contentious, hard-fought game, which is typically the way it's going to be between Ole Miss and Mississippi State in whatever they're playing. I thought offensively, we didn't show the kind of patience that we needed to show at times."
"[We had] Too many turnovers. When you look at our first two games in the SEC, we have 31 turnovers. We have to limit the amount of times that we're turning it over. We had 15 on Saturday, and they only had 10 I believe. So, that's five more possessions for our opponent. In tight games, that's the difference between winning and losing. So, we've got to cut down on our turnovers."
Q: You've mentioned mistakes over the last two games in regards to using the bench. How do you plan to get your bench players more minutes?
BH: "Part of it is the trust of our older guys that have been through the wars and are seniors. But, it's something that again I have mentioned twice, and I will do a better job at using [the bench]. Basically, we're playing eight guys, and KeyShawn [Feazell] is the ninth guy. He'll end up playing, and he had a great practice yesterday. I was excited about his practice."
"Robert [Woodard II] played great in the first half [against Ole Miss], and didn't get to play much the second half. But he probably had the best practice out of the team yesterday. This is what happens with freshmen. They come in so green and not knowing. By the time that we're getting to the midpoint of our season and all of a sudden, Reggie [Perry] and Robert [Woodard II] are much different players than when we started back in the beginning of the year."
Q: Starting 0-2 this year and losing three of four to start SEC last season. How is the team confidence right now?
BH: "I think our guys are confident. They know, for example, that Tennessee started 0-2 [in SEC play] last year. They ended up pretty strong. Every game is one game at a time. You've got to win it one game at a time. At the end of the day, we have to go out and get better. It's all about continuing to improve always – always improving, always learning and always growing. I thought we did that yesterday. I thought our practice yesterday was really good. I was really excited about it."
Guard Quinndary Weatherspoon
Q: What has been said amongst the players after a 0-2 SEC start?
QW: "We're just moving on to the next game. We have 16 more so – just have to bounce back and we're get our confidence back and get our first win in the SEC."
Q: How has Coach Howland talked about utilizing the bench more during games?
QW: "Yeah, he says that a lot in practice and after the games. Everything starts with him, so if we lose, he will put it [the loss] on himself. Saying we need to do better and get our team better. I think he does a great job at trying to get everybody involved and have us stay together as a team."
Guard Lamar Peters
Q: Where is the confidence level of the team at this point in the season?
LP: "We know that we're in a better place than we were last year. We're a better team right now. That just comes with the game – you take a few losses. It's all about how you bounce back. You don't let it overwhelm you. The guys in the locker room still have their confidence and Coach [Ben Howland] never lost his confidence, either. It's all about how you prepare and just go forward."
Q: How does the team approach tomorrow night seeking its first SEC win?
LP: "We're just going to play basketball. Every night we go out there, we feel like it's a must win. So, when you lose, it's a setback. You have to wake up the next day, go to practice again, go to class all over and just keep preparing the same way. We just won't ever get too low. A lot of [teams] start off 0-2 in SEC play or in any other conference. It's all about how you're going to respond. How you're going to answer, and how you respond to adversity as a whole? I feel like we have a great coaching staff. We have a team that's more than capable of getting the job done."
STARKVILLE – No. 24 Mississippi State will look to secure its first SEC victory of 2018-19 and end its two-game losing streak when Florida visits Humphrey Coliseum on Tuesday.
Tip time between the Bulldogs and Gators is on-tap for 6 p.m. CT televised by SEC Network and available online courtesy of the WatchESPN app. Tom Hart, Jon Sundvold and Andy Kennedy will serve as the announcing team.
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 the media session prior to Monday's practice featuring Coach Howland, Quinndary Weatherspoon and Lamar Peters.
Mississippi State Men's Basketball Media Session
January 14, 2019 – Humphrey Coliseum
Head Coach Ben Howland
Q: How has the team responded after the Ole Miss loss?
BH: "We had a good practice yesterday. We practiced hard after watching the game in its entirety as a team and then [we] lifted. We had a really good day yesterday especially practice. I thought we studied the film, learned a lot, went out on the floor and really responded in a great way. So, I was really pleased with our practice yesterday. There are some things that we tried to emphasize and execute them."
Q: What have you taken away from Florida's identity these past few games?
BH: "Number one: they're a team that shoots a ton of three's. When I was watching the Tennessee game, which was their most recent game, they played Tennessee incredibly tough. They had a great chance to win that game with multiple leads in the last seven minutes of the game. Tennessee, who is obviously one of the best teams in the country with a change to win it all, found a way with those experienced veterans that they have. They shoot the three. At one point, their team had attempted 25 shots and 19 of them were three's. Only six of them were inside the three. They really spread the floor. They play basically four guards and start four guards. They really try to draw, kick and create penetrating opportunities to kick it out to their shooters."
"They're really good defensively. They're a team, in terms of defensive efficiency, is in the top 10 in a lot of different areas. They'll show a 1-2-2 press every time they score and go back to their man-to-man matching up with anybody. They're not matching up with a specific position. They're matching up with the players in their own area. They do some different things that you don't see a lot from other teams, which you are pointing out."
Q: When watching the Ole Miss film, did everything circle back to defense? How does your team plan to respond after playing Ole Miss?
BH: "Quick shots – we took some shots that I would say weren't good shots. Part of that is because everybody was so hyped up for that game. Their team [Ole Miss] had three technical [fouls] on them, [and] we had one on us. It was a very contentious, hard-fought game, which is typically the way it's going to be between Ole Miss and Mississippi State in whatever they're playing. I thought offensively, we didn't show the kind of patience that we needed to show at times."
"[We had] Too many turnovers. When you look at our first two games in the SEC, we have 31 turnovers. We have to limit the amount of times that we're turning it over. We had 15 on Saturday, and they only had 10 I believe. So, that's five more possessions for our opponent. In tight games, that's the difference between winning and losing. So, we've got to cut down on our turnovers."
Q: You've mentioned mistakes over the last two games in regards to using the bench. How do you plan to get your bench players more minutes?
BH: "Part of it is the trust of our older guys that have been through the wars and are seniors. But, it's something that again I have mentioned twice, and I will do a better job at using [the bench]. Basically, we're playing eight guys, and KeyShawn [Feazell] is the ninth guy. He'll end up playing, and he had a great practice yesterday. I was excited about his practice."
"Robert [Woodard II] played great in the first half [against Ole Miss], and didn't get to play much the second half. But he probably had the best practice out of the team yesterday. This is what happens with freshmen. They come in so green and not knowing. By the time that we're getting to the midpoint of our season and all of a sudden, Reggie [Perry] and Robert [Woodard II] are much different players than when we started back in the beginning of the year."
Q: Starting 0-2 this year and losing three of four to start SEC last season. How is the team confidence right now?
BH: "I think our guys are confident. They know, for example, that Tennessee started 0-2 [in SEC play] last year. They ended up pretty strong. Every game is one game at a time. You've got to win it one game at a time. At the end of the day, we have to go out and get better. It's all about continuing to improve always – always improving, always learning and always growing. I thought we did that yesterday. I thought our practice yesterday was really good. I was really excited about it."
Guard Quinndary Weatherspoon
Q: What has been said amongst the players after a 0-2 SEC start?
QW: "We're just moving on to the next game. We have 16 more so – just have to bounce back and we're get our confidence back and get our first win in the SEC."
Q: How has Coach Howland talked about utilizing the bench more during games?
QW: "Yeah, he says that a lot in practice and after the games. Everything starts with him, so if we lose, he will put it [the loss] on himself. Saying we need to do better and get our team better. I think he does a great job at trying to get everybody involved and have us stay together as a team."
Guard Lamar Peters
Q: Where is the confidence level of the team at this point in the season?
LP: "We know that we're in a better place than we were last year. We're a better team right now. That just comes with the game – you take a few losses. It's all about how you bounce back. You don't let it overwhelm you. The guys in the locker room still have their confidence and Coach [Ben Howland] never lost his confidence, either. It's all about how you prepare and just go forward."
Q: How does the team approach tomorrow night seeking its first SEC win?
LP: "We're just going to play basketball. Every night we go out there, we feel like it's a must win. So, when you lose, it's a setback. You have to wake up the next day, go to practice again, go to class all over and just keep preparing the same way. We just won't ever get too low. A lot of [teams] start off 0-2 in SEC play or in any other conference. It's all about how you're going to respond. How you're going to answer, and how you respond to adversity as a whole? I feel like we have a great coaching staff. We have a team that's more than capable of getting the job done."
Players Mentioned
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