WATCH: Coach Jans Postgame Presser - LSU
March 01, 2025 | Men's Basketball
2024-25 Mississippi State Men's Basketball Postgame Quotes
No. 24 Mississippi State vs. LSU – March 1, 2025
Mississippi State Head Coach Chris Jans
Q: I asked Josh [Hubbard] about the adjustments at halftime. What were some things that you thought were points of emphasis, and what did you think of the execution in the second half?
CJ: "First, we reintroduced our team to number five for them, Cam Carter. He's the guy we've been talking about leading into this game. We knew that potential was there because of him being here. Who wouldn't want to come back to an old stomping ground of yours and try to get buckets? He was unbelievable the first 20 minutes. Hats off to him for the way he played, all night for that matter. He competed at a high level. He had a really nice game."
"We certainly talked about that a lot, but they tweaked a couple of their sets that we hadn't seen going into the game where they were setting some back screens with him. Our plan was to switch it. Then, after the back screen, he would run to the ball. So, we were switching it and staying top side. Well, instead of the guy receiving the screen, he'd just run away. So, the guy guarding Cam Carter was thinking he was switching. There was no one there to switch. So, he would run free to the ball. We hadn't seen that so we'd sure that up."
"Then, a couple other things in their zoom offense that we tried to change. Then, as the game progressed there in the second half, we started switching more ball screens. They were picking on Josh a little bit, trying to bang him up out front and get advantages that way."
Q: Shawn Jones Jr. misses a couple free throws. Then, he bounces back and makes a couple dunks. Just talk about how proud you were of him bouncing back and getting the job done.
CJ: "You know the drill with Shawn. He always finds a way to be in the game when it's hard. I trust him in those situations, and he knows what we're trying to do. RJ [Melendez], obviously had some foul issues, so he had more opportunities that way. He just usually makes the right play. To add to it, he had a big three. He just seemed really focused and locked in. He was asking questions coming out of the huddles about the tweaks that I just mentioned and how we need to guard that. I'm just proud of his fight and his compete level, but that's kind of what I expected from him."
Q: Riley [Kugel]'s efficiency numbers the last couple games haven't been great, but today he was really big with those two three pointers at the end of the first half. What did you like from him today?
CJ: "Yeah, it was a welcomed sight. Since he's been inserted into the starting lineup, I don't think from a raw data perspective that he's been great. Certainly, there's a lot more to it than what his stats say, especially on an old school stat sheet. But, that's one of the best things about him. That's what he's supposed to do is fill it up a little bit that way being a scoring option for us. But, we stuck with it. We stuck with the same lineup, although there were conversations to switch it up, but we stuck with it."
"He didn't have a great run when he started even in this game, but we got back into it the second time and the ball went through the net. Anyone that's ever played the game knows what that does for your confidence, and I think it really boosted his because it had been while since he'd done that. Then, I liked when he showed his physicality a couple times around the basket and backed him down. It was like it was a man's game those couple possessions for him. Hopefully, that something he can continue."
Q: How important was this win as we head into this last stretch of SEC play?
CJ: "I mean, it was as big a game as we've had all year long. I probably repeat that a lot. But, in this league this year, that's just the way it is. Every game has huge implications for a bunch of different things. We've talked at length about that heading into this game. Not just today, but the two days prior."
"When you're playing a team that's more than likely, it's a very, very small percentage that it's going to play in the NCAA Tournament, it can be hard. That's a different animal. It's a different energy. It's a different playing with house money. Let's go out there and hoop. Then, the other team who is still playing for that type of situation sometimes plays a little tight. They play not to lose rather than to win."
"I'm not going to go into the details of it, but I put some added pressure on them because I wanted them to feel that way. I wanted them to feel like it was a must-win, because I felt like it was for a number of different reasons, NET being one. I wanted to see how they'd act in that pressurized situation and hoping that we're in those type of games here shortly."
What's it like to coach a guy like Josh, especially today, where he was unstoppable. He was making shots from mid-range, outside, at the free-throw line at a high rate.
CJ: "I think he's improved his game on both ends. I'm not sure last year he would've done quite as much inside the three as he did this afternoon. He missed some early looks that were wide open. I think everyone was a little surprised."
"I love that he's at a place where he's worked so hard, and he's gotten that experience now of how to get a guy on your hip, get in the lane and use your strength and body and give a little bump and create a little space to fall away and make the shot. He's using his speed more on the offensive end too and surprise people in situations. He's getting to the line a lot and went to the line 10-for-11 tonight. He's an efficient free-throw shooter."
"I was trying to get him some more rest there in the second half, when we had that stretch of three media timeouts. That was his rest, you have to stay on the floor. I thought he played with a tougher mindset. What I love about Josh, and I've said this multiple times, it's a great quality to have is when you play the game and don't know what the score is. You have no idea if he's had a 30-ball, or if he's 0-for-10. He has the same demeanor, and it's a heck of a quality that is going to serve him well is whole entire life, especially athletically. I had nothing to do with that, but it's nice to have a guy out there that's a calm amongst the storm sometimes."
No. 24 Mississippi State vs. LSU – March 1, 2025
Mississippi State Head Coach Chris Jans
Q: I asked Josh [Hubbard] about the adjustments at halftime. What were some things that you thought were points of emphasis, and what did you think of the execution in the second half?
CJ: "First, we reintroduced our team to number five for them, Cam Carter. He's the guy we've been talking about leading into this game. We knew that potential was there because of him being here. Who wouldn't want to come back to an old stomping ground of yours and try to get buckets? He was unbelievable the first 20 minutes. Hats off to him for the way he played, all night for that matter. He competed at a high level. He had a really nice game."
"We certainly talked about that a lot, but they tweaked a couple of their sets that we hadn't seen going into the game where they were setting some back screens with him. Our plan was to switch it. Then, after the back screen, he would run to the ball. So, we were switching it and staying top side. Well, instead of the guy receiving the screen, he'd just run away. So, the guy guarding Cam Carter was thinking he was switching. There was no one there to switch. So, he would run free to the ball. We hadn't seen that so we'd sure that up."
"Then, a couple other things in their zoom offense that we tried to change. Then, as the game progressed there in the second half, we started switching more ball screens. They were picking on Josh a little bit, trying to bang him up out front and get advantages that way."
Q: Shawn Jones Jr. misses a couple free throws. Then, he bounces back and makes a couple dunks. Just talk about how proud you were of him bouncing back and getting the job done.
CJ: "You know the drill with Shawn. He always finds a way to be in the game when it's hard. I trust him in those situations, and he knows what we're trying to do. RJ [Melendez], obviously had some foul issues, so he had more opportunities that way. He just usually makes the right play. To add to it, he had a big three. He just seemed really focused and locked in. He was asking questions coming out of the huddles about the tweaks that I just mentioned and how we need to guard that. I'm just proud of his fight and his compete level, but that's kind of what I expected from him."
Q: Riley [Kugel]'s efficiency numbers the last couple games haven't been great, but today he was really big with those two three pointers at the end of the first half. What did you like from him today?
CJ: "Yeah, it was a welcomed sight. Since he's been inserted into the starting lineup, I don't think from a raw data perspective that he's been great. Certainly, there's a lot more to it than what his stats say, especially on an old school stat sheet. But, that's one of the best things about him. That's what he's supposed to do is fill it up a little bit that way being a scoring option for us. But, we stuck with it. We stuck with the same lineup, although there were conversations to switch it up, but we stuck with it."
"He didn't have a great run when he started even in this game, but we got back into it the second time and the ball went through the net. Anyone that's ever played the game knows what that does for your confidence, and I think it really boosted his because it had been while since he'd done that. Then, I liked when he showed his physicality a couple times around the basket and backed him down. It was like it was a man's game those couple possessions for him. Hopefully, that something he can continue."
Q: How important was this win as we head into this last stretch of SEC play?
CJ: "I mean, it was as big a game as we've had all year long. I probably repeat that a lot. But, in this league this year, that's just the way it is. Every game has huge implications for a bunch of different things. We've talked at length about that heading into this game. Not just today, but the two days prior."
"When you're playing a team that's more than likely, it's a very, very small percentage that it's going to play in the NCAA Tournament, it can be hard. That's a different animal. It's a different energy. It's a different playing with house money. Let's go out there and hoop. Then, the other team who is still playing for that type of situation sometimes plays a little tight. They play not to lose rather than to win."
"I'm not going to go into the details of it, but I put some added pressure on them because I wanted them to feel that way. I wanted them to feel like it was a must-win, because I felt like it was for a number of different reasons, NET being one. I wanted to see how they'd act in that pressurized situation and hoping that we're in those type of games here shortly."
What's it like to coach a guy like Josh, especially today, where he was unstoppable. He was making shots from mid-range, outside, at the free-throw line at a high rate.
CJ: "I think he's improved his game on both ends. I'm not sure last year he would've done quite as much inside the three as he did this afternoon. He missed some early looks that were wide open. I think everyone was a little surprised."
"I love that he's at a place where he's worked so hard, and he's gotten that experience now of how to get a guy on your hip, get in the lane and use your strength and body and give a little bump and create a little space to fall away and make the shot. He's using his speed more on the offensive end too and surprise people in situations. He's getting to the line a lot and went to the line 10-for-11 tonight. He's an efficient free-throw shooter."
"I was trying to get him some more rest there in the second half, when we had that stretch of three media timeouts. That was his rest, you have to stay on the floor. I thought he played with a tougher mindset. What I love about Josh, and I've said this multiple times, it's a great quality to have is when you play the game and don't know what the score is. You have no idea if he's had a 30-ball, or if he's 0-for-10. He has the same demeanor, and it's a heck of a quality that is going to serve him well is whole entire life, especially athletically. I had nothing to do with that, but it's nice to have a guy out there that's a calm amongst the storm sometimes."
Josh Hubbard - "I'm Back"
Friday, April 17
MEN'S BASKETBALL | Chris Jans & Players SEC Tournament Postgame vs. Auburn - 3/11/26
Thursday, March 12
MEN'S BASKETBALL | Chris Jans Media Session - 3/9/26
Monday, March 09
MEN'S BASKETBALL | Josh Hubbard & Ja'Borri McGhee Postgame Press Conference vs. Georgia - 3/7/26
Sunday, March 08