WATCH: Players Postgame Presser - SMU

2025-26 Mississippi State Men's Basketball Postgame Quotes
Mississippi State vs. SMU – November 28, 2025

Mississippi State Guard Jayden Epps and Center Quincy Ballad
Q: Jayden, you guys had a pretty good lead in the second half. What was it that they were doing to kind of get back in the game and cause your team's offensive struggles?
JE: "They've got good players. I'll say that we made a lot of mistakes on our end, not executing at times and not running our offense the way that we run it. I would say down the stretch we made a lot of mistakes. We got to go back to the drawing board and try to get that right."

Q: Quincy, what did you think of the overtime and what went wrong in that period?
QB: "Obviously, overtime happens. I feel like we just kind of lost our energy that we had throughout the game up to like the mid part of the second half."

Q: Jayden, your game was going pretty good today after missing a couple of games over the season. Talk about how you felt out there tonight.
JE: "I felt good out there. I felt good to be back out there with my boys with the teammates fighting for a win. That's our next goal. Man, we just trying to do whatever we can do to get a win. Whether that's me scoring, whether that's anybody scoring, whether that's anybody rebounding and whether that's anybody getting a stop. We just got to try to do whatever we can to win."

Q: Quincy, you had one of your better games tonight especially offensively. What was working for you on the offense end of the court?
QB: "Coach was emphasizing in the locker room, they don't really box out. Our offense was flowing pretty much throughout the first half and most of the second half. Guys got some pretty good open looks."

Q: Jayden, kind of to add to that last question. How do you feel like you've been able to contribute and add to a team that's been put together?
JE: "I feel like I'm just able to contribute with my leadership coming in as an older guy and as a senior. We've got a lot of young guys coming off the bench. So, I just feel like me being a leader, me helping the guys and showing them the way. Leading by my talk and by example and doing the right thing on and off the court. That's how I feel like I gel, and I connect and what I'm adding to the team."

Q: Jayden, you guys would learn these lessons in a win. Overall, do you feel like this is the best you all have played so far?
JE: "No, I don't think so. I've seen this team all summer. I've seen this team as long as I've been here, and I know what we are capable of. So, I'll probably say maybe you guys can say this is the best that you all seen us play, but I've seen us play way better. I know we're way better, and I know we're capable of way more."

Q: Jayden, you mentioned being a leader on this team. What is it like being a new face on this roster and still trying to be a leader?
JE: "I feel like it's how college basketball is now. Coming here at first, it's all newness but spending a whole summer – grinding and going through the hard work with these boys. They've become like brothers, and you build your connections. So, I feel like they respect me. They respect what I've got to say, and I respect what they've got to say so it's mutual. I feel like when you've got brothers, and you're all trying to achieve the same goal it can all come together."

Mississippi State University Athletics

WATCH: Players Postgame Presser - SMU

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