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 โ January 17, 2026
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Mississippi State Guard Jayden Epps and Forward Jamarion Davis-Flemingย
Q:ย What'sย 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 usย we'veย been getting off to great starts. If you remember at the beginning of theย season,ย we were not gettingย offย toย great starts and finishing better. Coach has beenย stressing thatย weย have gotย 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'sย just something that we'veย gotย to work on. We've got to go back to the drawing board and figure it out."
ย
Q: What was working for you tonight?ย
JDF: "Just doing the dirty work. Being aggressive and trying to get offensive rebounds and defensive rebounds, off dashes or cuts.ย I'mย just trying to score and do whatever I'veย gotย to do to make the team win. I just try to be ultra-aggressive,ย not trying to beย soย passive and trusting my work."
ย
Q: What wereย you guysย talking about withย coachย in the huddles to try and get something going down the stretch offensively?ย
JE: "He just told us to keep playing and keep trusting inย ourselves.ย Our teammates kept trusting in us.ย Don'tย put yourย headsย down,ย the ballย doesn'tย 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 ballย doesn'tย go in every night. We just tried to find ways to win. Itย didn'tย go our way tonight,ย nextย time maybe it will."
ย
Q: Being a Mississippi kid, what was it like playing in this rivalry?ย
JDF: "It wasย 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 toย play inย especially in myย freshmanย year. I wish weย could'veย gotten theย win,ย but it wasย very funย playing in it."
ย
Q:ย What'sย the biggest stepย you'veย taken in yourย freshmanย year to be able to have the kind of night that you had?ย
JDF: "Just trusting Coach Jans.ย He puts me in the best position to do what Iย have toย do.ย Just step in my role and not step outside my role by not doing too much or tooย little. Just havingย athletic plays, blocking shots, rebounding,ย dunksย and doing what I can do to help theย team toย win. I'mย just trying to not overplay my part."
ย
Mississippi State vs. Ole Miss โ January 17, 2026
ย
Mississippi State Guard Jayden Epps and Forward Jamarion Davis-Flemingย
Q:ย What'sย 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 usย we'veย been getting off to great starts. If you remember at the beginning of theย season,ย we were not gettingย offย toย great starts and finishing better. Coach has beenย stressing thatย weย have gotย 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'sย just something that we'veย gotย to work on. We've got to go back to the drawing board and figure it out."
ย
Q: What was working for you tonight?ย
JDF: "Just doing the dirty work. Being aggressive and trying to get offensive rebounds and defensive rebounds, off dashes or cuts.ย I'mย just trying to score and do whatever I'veย gotย to do to make the team win. I just try to be ultra-aggressive,ย not trying to beย soย passive and trusting my work."
ย
Q: What wereย you guysย talking about withย coachย in the huddles to try and get something going down the stretch offensively?ย
JE: "He just told us to keep playing and keep trusting inย ourselves.ย Our teammates kept trusting in us.ย Don'tย put yourย headsย down,ย the ballย doesn'tย 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 ballย doesn'tย go in every night. We just tried to find ways to win. Itย didn'tย go our way tonight,ย nextย time maybe it will."
ย
Q: Being a Mississippi kid, what was it like playing in this rivalry?ย
JDF: "It wasย 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 toย play inย especially in myย freshmanย year. I wish weย could'veย gotten theย win,ย but it wasย very funย playing in it."
ย
Q:ย What'sย the biggest stepย you'veย taken in yourย freshmanย year to be able to have the kind of night that you had?ย
JDF: "Just trusting Coach Jans.ย He puts me in the best position to do what Iย have toย do.ย Just step in my role and not step outside my role by not doing too much or tooย little. Just havingย athletic plays, blocking shots, rebounding,ย dunksย and doing what I can do to help theย team toย win. I'mย just trying to not overplay my part."
ย
Players Mentioned
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