WATCH: Coach Jans Media Session

Head coach Chris Jans met with the media following Monday's practice to preview Tuesday's matchup with Drake.

2022-23 Mississippi State Men's Basketball Quotes
December 19, 2022 – Media Session

Head Coach Chris Jans
Q: What has the film showed you on Drake?
CJ: "What I believed prior to opening the laptop was they're a very well-schooled. They're veteran team. Can't quote me on this, but I think they've got all five starters back from a team that won a game in the [2021] NCAA Tournament. If not, at least four of those guys were starters. Those five were all valuable members of that team. They got an at large bid and won a game [against Wichita State] in the NCAA Tournament."

"They've played a challenging schedule [this season]. They just got done playing at Richmond and at Saint Louis. Those are tough places to play, and we're going to get them when they're going to be in a foul mood. They're going to want this game going into the break to stop their skid and get right before conference play begins."

Q: What has been the emphasis in practice?
CJ: "Getting better, playing better. It's pretty obvious that we're not playing our best recently. We found a way to win, that's the silver lining. We're just not playing like we were. If I knew the answer to it, I would fix it. I'm searching for it. We're all searching for it. We've got one more crack before SEC play begins."

"This will be tough. These games are always tough. You hear coaches talk about these games being hard all the time, because they [the players] all have plans. Some are flying back with the team, and some are going home from there. They've made arrangements that had to made and packing that had to be made. They got plans with their families and rightfully so. We try and take care of all that stuff before we left today to make sure that we could focus on the task at-hand."

"We'll have our hands full for a number of reasons. One, how we are playing. Two, our opponent and how close the location is to their campus. There won't be a lot of people there at 4 p.m. on a Tuesday afternoon. So, we will be up against it a little bit and have to create our own energy."

Q: What are your thoughts on that power forward group? What have they been able to contribute individually and as a group?
CJ: "We've been by committee. Cam [Cameron Matthews] has been the head of it and played the most minutes. It is definitely by committee. Tyler [Stevenson] has had a big game in his recent outing. KeShawn [Murphy] has had one two or three games ago when he had a nice shot in the arm for us."

"Both of them need to be more consistent. The good thing for KeShawn and Tyler is if they play so well in practice and in the games, they know we can move Cam around. He has shown the ability to play other positions. So, it's not like no matter how good the play that they're stuck behind Cam. We have enough movable parts so far this year that no one should feel that way. They all should think if I play better in practice and in games, coach is going to play me more. That's what we talk about all the time, and we will see who does."

Q: Has there been some guys who have come off the bench and given you something extra that maybe you weren't aware of or expecting?
CJ: "We play a lot of guys in terms of minutes. If you look at the KenPom, we're one of the top teams in the country for bench minutes. I tell our guys that. You're playing for a coach that wants to play a lot of guys. Some programs really lock into seven or eight [rotation players], and that's kind of it. They stick with those rotations. Their belief is they want their guys knowing when they're coming in and out of the game and who they are going to be playing with. They want them to have confidence in knowing that they're going to get this many minutes, but that's not how we do it."

"For those guys who aren't the main guys, it's a breath of fresh air. It should make you more motivated because of the opportunity that could await you. In terms of where we are with all that, we've started the same lineup for the most part. But that doesn't mean we won't change it going forward."

"In terms of who's going to be coming in and out of the game, you guys see who's playing. We just need to have better production from everyone. I keep telling them after the ball is tipped, everybody comes off the bench. The five starters start. After three, four, five or six minutes [into the game] at the most, everybody the rest of the game is coming off the bench. So, it's all the same mentality. You have to be ready to go, and you have to stay focused in the game. You have to be ready to get in the game and get in the flow. You don't have time to get a couple runs and get your legs underneath you. That's not how it works in college basketball."

Q: Did you see anything change with Tolu Smith to get him going in the second half of the Nicholls game?"
CJ: "I don't know, you'd have to ask him about that. I don't know if there was a change within himself mentally or physically that I'm unaware of. The way I like at it is he wasn't playing that much differently. He was just rushing himself a little bit. When he got the ball, he was in a hurry to make decisions and force the issue."

"I think it becomes frustrating, at times with him, because there's not many games where we can just throw it inside where he's going to play one-on-one. It's usually some sort of trap that's coming, and they come from different angles. They come from different places on the court. He's going to realize that it's just the way it's going to be for him for the majority of the season."

"In the SEC, we may see more single coverage because of the length and the size that's going to be on the court. We will see. If we don't shoot the ball better, than why would they? Why wouldn't they continue to double and make guys shoot the ball? He's been good. Today and yesterday, his spirits and his focus were great. He's shown some leadership qualities the past couple of days that were really good to see."

WATCH: Coach Jans Media Session

Players Mentioned

Cameron Matthews

Tolu Smith III

Mississippi State University Athletics