WATCH: Coach Jans Media Session
December 31, 2025 | Men's Basketball
STARKVILLE - Mississippi State head coach Chris Jans spoke to the media leading into Wednesday's practice to preview this weekend's SEC opener at Texas.
2025-26 Mississippi State Men's Basketball Quotes
Media Session – December 31
Mississippi State Head Coach Chris Jans
Q: I know that matchups will determine your lineups and rotations moving forward, but what have you seen and liked from your three-guard lineup in the non-conference? There have been times where you've not only used Ja'Borri McGhee but King Grace as well.
CJ: "Yeah, like you mentioned, it's a lineup that we've utilized at different times throughout the season. It's like every year, you never know how it's going to unfold and who's going to play well in the games and who plays well together."
"With Ja'Borri's emergence, I don't know how many games ago where he had some bigger games and became more consistent for us. We just trusted him more. When we have those three guards out there, we just feel like we have some more scoring pop than maybe some of the other lineups that we employ. Certainly, we're not as lengthy as when we have a normal 3 [small forward] in there. But, if the other team like you mentioned the lineups dictate it sometimes, we're playing the guys that we feel Ja'Borri could match up with and not have a problem. Then, it makes sense do so just because of the offensive firepower and just having another handler and decision maker out there on the court."
"Like you mentioned, King is coming off a really good game. One of his better, if not the best game that he's played. We played him in the game before that [against Memphis] in the guts of the game as well. He's getting better. He's bought into practice, which he needs to do and continue to grow. He certainly gives us another option to play three guards out there at the same time."
Q: Can you talk about Quincy Ballard and his development in his rebounding game?
CJ: "Yeah, I mean this is a time for him to step up and be a major contributor for us every single night. He rebounded the ball in a very good way. Certainly, the size differential was obvious to everybody. He should be one of the leading rebounders, if not the leading rebounder in a game like that if he gets enough minutes, and he did all that in 17 minutes if I'm not mistaken."
"I thought in the second half he was a little more aggressive with protecting the rim than he was earlier in the game. That's something that we've been really talking to him about it is some of his fouls are more of the passive department. We want his fouls, not that we're encouraging him to foul because we're not, but if he is going to get some fouls, we want them to be more of the aggressive ones where he's attacking the ball handler that's coming at him when he's protecting the rim. Meeting him rather than waiting for him and hoping to block the shot. So, we've got to get his mindset to be more aggressive in those situations."
"Then, we've been working and talking about rebounding a lot. Our effort in the first half as a team was really good, probably the best first half we've had all season long. It wasn't as good in the second half by percentages, but overall, it ended up being a really good night for us. Like we all know that doing it in that game [against Alabama State] and then being able to do it Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday, on and on and on is a whole another story."
Q: What kind of style changes have you seen this year for Texas under Sean Miller?
CJ: "Yeah, obviously, new coach and new staff. You do have a couple of holdovers from last year individually, but Coach Miller's obviously a great coach. He's a coach that everybody respects in the business. He's won at a high level and has been around it a long time as a head coach at the Division I level."
"It's his first year [at Texas]. So, they're trying to get their feet underneath them and build their standards for their program, but they're very, very talented. They're just very well-versed and very well taught. If you look at their Ken-Pom [rankings], they're really good in a lot of areas, both rebounding on the offense and defensive end. They don't turn the ball over, they get to the line, and they shoot the ball very well. They've played a pretty challenging schedule. They played some really good teams, and this is their SEC opener. So, everybody's going to be ready to go, but the thing about coach and his team is that they're so well-schooled in a lot of different areas. Some programs it's about speed and pace of play and the transition game. Some it's about hanging your hat on the defensive end. For me, watching them, they try to play right in every facet of the game and play well in every facet of the game."
Q: Texas has a very efficient big man down there [Matas Vokietaitis], what makes him such a tough matchup?
CJ: "Yeah, he's a load. The thing that sticks out to me the most is his physicality. Does he have the moves and touch? Yeah, of course he does, but he's just so physical. If you're on your heels at all, he's going to put you in the rim. He gets to the line, and he's a good free throw shooter. He shoots excellent from the field. He doesn't fear anything or anybody. He's played against some of the best of the best that college basketball has to offer."
"So, he's certainly got our full attention. But like a lot of their players do, they've got a bunch of good players. But he definitely sticks out, and I'm just impressed with his approach, his physicality, his understanding of who he is and getting it out of the floor every single night. So, our guys like Quincy [Ballard] and Jamarion [Davis-Fleming] are going to have to put their big boy pants on when they're playing against him."
Q: Jamarion has had some really good flashes in the non-conference and played well the other night as well. What have you seen from his development?
CJ: "Yeah, he's been a great surprise. Not surprise, I mean obviously when you sign someone, you think they're going to be a good player. You're not sure when exactly they're going to be, but he's a little ahead of schedule, I guess would be a better phrase to use."
"He's just bought into making the plays that we're asking him to make. He makes athletic plays, and he rarely takes a possession off. He's assignment-correct offensively, and we just love that he's flexible in terms of being able to defend different positions. He's able to defend ball screens in different coverages. We don't have as many guys this year that have the ability to do that. So, he's kind of our Swiss Army Knife defensively. Sometimes, his work doesn't show up on the stat sheet, but it shows up on video. It shows up in our team room. Our players know about it, and our coaches know about it. People that really understand the game and are watching the game can follow his worth in the positivity that he brings. Now, he's getting more comfortable with making passes and scoring around the basket. He continues to work on his skill level. The best part about him is that he's still young, and he's still growing. With experience, he'll only get better and better."
2025-26 Mississippi State Men's Basketball Quotes
Media Session – December 31
Mississippi State Head Coach Chris Jans
Q: I know that matchups will determine your lineups and rotations moving forward, but what have you seen and liked from your three-guard lineup in the non-conference? There have been times where you've not only used Ja'Borri McGhee but King Grace as well.
CJ: "Yeah, like you mentioned, it's a lineup that we've utilized at different times throughout the season. It's like every year, you never know how it's going to unfold and who's going to play well in the games and who plays well together."
"With Ja'Borri's emergence, I don't know how many games ago where he had some bigger games and became more consistent for us. We just trusted him more. When we have those three guards out there, we just feel like we have some more scoring pop than maybe some of the other lineups that we employ. Certainly, we're not as lengthy as when we have a normal 3 [small forward] in there. But, if the other team like you mentioned the lineups dictate it sometimes, we're playing the guys that we feel Ja'Borri could match up with and not have a problem. Then, it makes sense do so just because of the offensive firepower and just having another handler and decision maker out there on the court."
"Like you mentioned, King is coming off a really good game. One of his better, if not the best game that he's played. We played him in the game before that [against Memphis] in the guts of the game as well. He's getting better. He's bought into practice, which he needs to do and continue to grow. He certainly gives us another option to play three guards out there at the same time."
Q: Can you talk about Quincy Ballard and his development in his rebounding game?
CJ: "Yeah, I mean this is a time for him to step up and be a major contributor for us every single night. He rebounded the ball in a very good way. Certainly, the size differential was obvious to everybody. He should be one of the leading rebounders, if not the leading rebounder in a game like that if he gets enough minutes, and he did all that in 17 minutes if I'm not mistaken."
"I thought in the second half he was a little more aggressive with protecting the rim than he was earlier in the game. That's something that we've been really talking to him about it is some of his fouls are more of the passive department. We want his fouls, not that we're encouraging him to foul because we're not, but if he is going to get some fouls, we want them to be more of the aggressive ones where he's attacking the ball handler that's coming at him when he's protecting the rim. Meeting him rather than waiting for him and hoping to block the shot. So, we've got to get his mindset to be more aggressive in those situations."
"Then, we've been working and talking about rebounding a lot. Our effort in the first half as a team was really good, probably the best first half we've had all season long. It wasn't as good in the second half by percentages, but overall, it ended up being a really good night for us. Like we all know that doing it in that game [against Alabama State] and then being able to do it Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday, on and on and on is a whole another story."
Q: What kind of style changes have you seen this year for Texas under Sean Miller?
CJ: "Yeah, obviously, new coach and new staff. You do have a couple of holdovers from last year individually, but Coach Miller's obviously a great coach. He's a coach that everybody respects in the business. He's won at a high level and has been around it a long time as a head coach at the Division I level."
"It's his first year [at Texas]. So, they're trying to get their feet underneath them and build their standards for their program, but they're very, very talented. They're just very well-versed and very well taught. If you look at their Ken-Pom [rankings], they're really good in a lot of areas, both rebounding on the offense and defensive end. They don't turn the ball over, they get to the line, and they shoot the ball very well. They've played a pretty challenging schedule. They played some really good teams, and this is their SEC opener. So, everybody's going to be ready to go, but the thing about coach and his team is that they're so well-schooled in a lot of different areas. Some programs it's about speed and pace of play and the transition game. Some it's about hanging your hat on the defensive end. For me, watching them, they try to play right in every facet of the game and play well in every facet of the game."
Q: Texas has a very efficient big man down there [Matas Vokietaitis], what makes him such a tough matchup?
CJ: "Yeah, he's a load. The thing that sticks out to me the most is his physicality. Does he have the moves and touch? Yeah, of course he does, but he's just so physical. If you're on your heels at all, he's going to put you in the rim. He gets to the line, and he's a good free throw shooter. He shoots excellent from the field. He doesn't fear anything or anybody. He's played against some of the best of the best that college basketball has to offer."
"So, he's certainly got our full attention. But like a lot of their players do, they've got a bunch of good players. But he definitely sticks out, and I'm just impressed with his approach, his physicality, his understanding of who he is and getting it out of the floor every single night. So, our guys like Quincy [Ballard] and Jamarion [Davis-Fleming] are going to have to put their big boy pants on when they're playing against him."
Q: Jamarion has had some really good flashes in the non-conference and played well the other night as well. What have you seen from his development?
CJ: "Yeah, he's been a great surprise. Not surprise, I mean obviously when you sign someone, you think they're going to be a good player. You're not sure when exactly they're going to be, but he's a little ahead of schedule, I guess would be a better phrase to use."
"He's just bought into making the plays that we're asking him to make. He makes athletic plays, and he rarely takes a possession off. He's assignment-correct offensively, and we just love that he's flexible in terms of being able to defend different positions. He's able to defend ball screens in different coverages. We don't have as many guys this year that have the ability to do that. So, he's kind of our Swiss Army Knife defensively. Sometimes, his work doesn't show up on the stat sheet, but it shows up on video. It shows up in our team room. Our players know about it, and our coaches know about it. People that really understand the game and are watching the game can follow his worth in the positivity that he brings. Now, he's getting more comfortable with making passes and scoring around the basket. He continues to work on his skill level. The best part about him is that he's still young, and he's still growing. With experience, he'll only get better and better."
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's BasketballMEN'S BASKETBALL | Chris Jans Media Session - 12/31/25
Wednesday, December 31
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Tuesday, December 30
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