WATCH: Players Postgame Presser - Ole Miss
January 18, 2026 | Men's Basketball
2025-26 Mississippi State Men's Basketball Postgame Quotes
Mississippi State vs. Ole Miss – January 17, 2026
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Mississippi State Guard Jayden Epps and Forward Jamarion Davis-FlemingÂ
Q: What's changed in the game after you guys had a double-digit lead in the first half?
JE: "Coach [Jans] has been stressing it to us a lot and telling us we've been getting off to great starts. If you remember at the beginning of the season, we were not getting off to great starts and finishing better. Coach has been stressing that we have got to try to figure out a way to put together 40 minutes and put together a whole game where we can be able to fight, and we can sustain leads. That's just something that we've got to work on. We've got to go back to the drawing board and figure it out."
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Q: What was working for you tonight?Â
JDF: "Just doing the dirty work. Being aggressive and trying to get offensive rebounds and defensive rebounds, off dashes or cuts. I'm just trying to score and do whatever I've got to do to make the team win. I just try to be ultra-aggressive, not trying to be so passive and trusting my work."
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Q: What were you guys talking about with coach in the huddles to try and get something going down the stretch offensively?Â
JE: "He just told us to keep playing and keep trusting in ourselves. Our teammates kept trusting in us. Don't put your heads down, the ball doesn't go in every night. He told us to hang our hat on defense. Try to get stops and just keep playing. Like I said, the ball doesn't go in every night. We just tried to find ways to win. It didn't go our way tonight, next time maybe it will."
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Q: Being a Mississippi kid, what was it like playing in this rivalry?Â
JDF: "It was extremely fun having a packed house and feeling the energy. Just how much it means to the city of Starkville and Mississippi State. It was fun to play in especially in my freshman year. I wish we could've gotten the win, but it was very fun playing in it."
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Q: What's the biggest step you've taken in your freshman year to be able to have the kind of night that you had?Â
JDF: "Just trusting Coach Jans. He puts me in the best position to do what I have to do. Just step in my role and not step outside my role by not doing too much or too little. Just having athletic plays, blocking shots, rebounding, dunks and doing what I can do to help the team to win. I'm just trying to not overplay my part."
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Mississippi State vs. Ole Miss – January 17, 2026
Â
Mississippi State Guard Jayden Epps and Forward Jamarion Davis-FlemingÂ
Q: What's changed in the game after you guys had a double-digit lead in the first half?
JE: "Coach [Jans] has been stressing it to us a lot and telling us we've been getting off to great starts. If you remember at the beginning of the season, we were not getting off to great starts and finishing better. Coach has been stressing that we have got to try to figure out a way to put together 40 minutes and put together a whole game where we can be able to fight, and we can sustain leads. That's just something that we've got to work on. We've got to go back to the drawing board and figure it out."
Â
Q: What was working for you tonight?Â
JDF: "Just doing the dirty work. Being aggressive and trying to get offensive rebounds and defensive rebounds, off dashes or cuts. I'm just trying to score and do whatever I've got to do to make the team win. I just try to be ultra-aggressive, not trying to be so passive and trusting my work."
Â
Q: What were you guys talking about with coach in the huddles to try and get something going down the stretch offensively?Â
JE: "He just told us to keep playing and keep trusting in ourselves. Our teammates kept trusting in us. Don't put your heads down, the ball doesn't go in every night. He told us to hang our hat on defense. Try to get stops and just keep playing. Like I said, the ball doesn't go in every night. We just tried to find ways to win. It didn't go our way tonight, next time maybe it will."
Â
Q: Being a Mississippi kid, what was it like playing in this rivalry?Â
JDF: "It was extremely fun having a packed house and feeling the energy. Just how much it means to the city of Starkville and Mississippi State. It was fun to play in especially in my freshman year. I wish we could've gotten the win, but it was very fun playing in it."
Â
Q: What's the biggest step you've taken in your freshman year to be able to have the kind of night that you had?Â
JDF: "Just trusting Coach Jans. He puts me in the best position to do what I have to do. Just step in my role and not step outside my role by not doing too much or too little. Just having athletic plays, blocking shots, rebounding, dunks and doing what I can do to help the team to win. I'm just trying to not overplay my part."
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Players Mentioned
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/ Men's BasketballMEN'S BASKETBALL | Players Postgame Press Conference vs. Ole Miss - 1/17/26
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