WATCH: Coach Jans Media Session

STARKVILLE - Heading into Thursday's practice, Mississippi State men's basketball coach Chris Jans met with the media to preview Saturday's matchup at No. 21 Memphis.

2024-25 Mississippi State Men's Basketball
Media Session – December 19, 2024

Head Coach Chris Jans
Q: What stands out to you about this Memphis team?
CJ: "Just their talent. They've got really, really good players. I mean, it starts with [P.J.] Haggerty out front. He's having an All-American kind of year. A big guard that gets downhill anytime he wants, but now has increased his three-point percentage. He makes people pull their hair out in terms of how you're going to try to defend him."

"But, like I said, it starts with him. It doesn't end with him. His counterparts out there, [Colby] Rogers and [Tyrese] Hunter are equally really, really good players in their own right. Those three that start together, they all do it individually in a different way, but they're very, very talented players. It puts a lot of pressure on you defensively."

"Then, they've got their glue guy [Nicholas] Jordain and [Dain] Dainja, who is super, super skilled. He can shoot mid ranges, can face you up and drive it and can score around the basket. He's an excellent passer. So, they're just really, really good talent."

"They obviously have come together. They've had some huge wins with UConn and Michigan State. Then, their recent road trips to go to Clemson and to Virginia back-to-back and being able to beat those kinds of opponents on their home floor says a lot about where they're out this year."

Q: We haven't talked much about recruiting since the initial signing day, but what does a player like Tee Bartlett bring to the table? What are your thoughts about him since he signed later in the period?
CJ: "Yeah, we're excited about Tee Bartlett and his family joining our basketball family. The obvious is it starts with just his frame and how big he is. He's a big, strong kid who can really move for his size walking in the door. You mentioned he's a little more old school in terms of a five position, but I would agree somewhat to that. But I think one of the best things he does right now is pass the basketball. Like, he's an excellent passer. He really sees the floor. You can play offense through him at times because of his ability to make the defense choose. You play him solo, he can back you down and score it. If you want to run people at him and double him, he's got vision and good touch. Like I said, he's a really good passer."

"He's got a lot to work with. He's got pretty good touch. He can stretch the D [defense]. The biggest thing is just for him, and that's what we've talked about, is how good of shape can he get himself in. Don't wait until you arrive. Work on it now, and that'll get you ahead of the game a little bit. But, we're excited that he's with us."

Q: You have different kind of big men this year with Michael [Nwoko] and KeShawn [Murphy] as opposed to Jimmy [Bell Jr.] and Tolu [Smith III] last year. How do you adjust to that in terms of how you play?
CJ: "Yeah, we knew that early in building this team in June when we got together that that was going to be the case. We've tried to adjust offensively and defensively because of that to try to get the most out of the personnel that we have. Offensively, we may not throw it inside quite as much as we've done in the past, but because both Mike and KeShawn can play on the perimeter and do some things out there that maybe the guys we've had in the past can't. We're playing a little more five out at times and getting the ball especially in Murph's hands and letting him be a decision maker."

"Then, defensively, we have more flexibility in our ball screen coverage because of the way Mike and KeShawn move defensively. Last year, we played quite a bit of a passive coverage. This year, we've mixed it up depending on who we're playing. Like everything, it's a work in progress, but it's just a different style."

Q: We've seen some run from some of the younger guards like Martavious Russell and Dellquan Warren even outside the end of blowout games. What have you seen from them in their time on the floor so far?
CJ: "Dellquan is someone we've been impressed with since he's arrived. He's just about what we're about. He gets after it every day. He's thirsting for knowledge, he loves to be coached, he really defends and he's getting better on the offensive end. That's a transition, he's been the best player on his teams more often than not growing up. A lot of kids have to go through that. Now, he's not the leading scorer. So, his offensive mindset has to tweak a little bit, and that's hard because they've played a certain way for so long. Now, maybe this shot is not a great shot for him right now in his career. But, on the other end, we trust him defensively. He's earned the minutes he's getting."

"With MJ [Martavious Russell], he's like a lot of players. He wants to play. We talk in our locker room about that all time. More often than not around here, you get opportunities. You've just got to be prepared for them. Then, when it happens, make the most of it and put yourself in position to get more minutes. That's what MJ's done. He's been practicing well, and we felt like he needed a shot. My mind made up we were going to play him in the guts of the game against Central Michigan, and I thought he responded very well. He played well, he looked comfortable out there and he was in the right spots. He didn't make the one three he tried in the corner. He made one later, but they were good shots for him. He's got lots of practices, he's got game experience and he's been fighting in practice. We'll see going forward how it unfolds."

Q: Looking at RJ Melendez, he seems to be playing pretty well for you lately. What have you seen from him in practice and his developments since he got here?
CJ: "Yeah, we're excited about where he's at. He's got that rangy, long body type. We're trying to get him to get excited about defending. If you really watch him, he's gotten better defensively. He's more active. He's getting his hands on more balls, not just steals but deflections. He's taken pride in his defense and trying to be a two-way player."

"He's made some shots. I still think there's a lot more in the tank that way. I think he'll have some big games coming up where he'll go make four or five three's in multiple games before the season's up, because his shot is close to perfect. I wouldn't change anything about it. Every time he shoots it, I think it's going in. He's adapted to the culture. He's got both feet in, and we're excited about where he's at."

Q: How does this opportunity with a game like this at Memphis fit into your scheduling plans for this year?
CJ: "Yeah, exactly what you said. It's what we told our team, what a great opportunity. It'll be a Quad 1 game all year long. It'll remain a Quad 1 game in the end when it really matters. We're playing against a storied program on the road, CBS Sports early tip, it's just awesome. That's why you play this game. I'm not worried about our kids and having to motivate them to be ready to play. They're going to be ready to play, that's just how it works. We'll have to maybe calm some of them down before the game, but it's great for us."

"Obviously, the league [the SEC] is unbelievable right now. It'll give us a really good barometer of where we're at with a quality opponent that would be like the teams we're going to play 18 times coming up in January and February in the SEC and be able to expose us even more and know what we need to continue to work on. Win or lose, that's going to happen. So, it's a great opportunity. It's going to be a heck of a challenge, and it'll be here soon enough."

Mississippi State University Athletics

WATCH: Coach Jans Media Session

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