WATCH: Coach Jans Media Session

STARKVILLE - State head coach Chris Jans held his weekly media session leading into Monday's practice.

2025-26 Mississippi State Men's Basketball Quotes
Media Session – February 23, 2026

State Head Coach Chris Jans
Q: Is there any update on Jayden Epps' injury from Saturday's game at South Carolina?
CJ: "Fortunately, Jayden avoided any major injury. The way it looked, when walking out there [to the court to check on him] which was a scary feeling for the kid, his family, the coach, everybody. He seemed to be in pretty [decent] amount of pain. But fortunately, like I said, we had their doctor look. Then, when we got back, our doctors looked at him that afternoon. He's avoided any major injury. In terms of going forward, he's going to be in rehab, and he'll play when he's available."

Q: How is your confidence level in guys like Ja'Borri McGhee and King Grace's abilities to play more minutes if Jayden Epps is unable to play?
CJ: "We just went through it without warning in the second half against South Carolina where that's exactly the scenario that played out. Ja'Borri played more minutes than he probably he would have normally. King had to play two [guard] where he's been mostly playing the three lately anyway. So, it's just kind of a next man up mentality."

Q: Your team already did it earlier this season facing Ole Miss for a second time after losing the first game. What's the plan when facing Alabama and Missouri for the second time this week?
CJ: "We use all the information that we have at our fingertips and certainly evaluating the first time we played them. For both games, it will be a tool that we will exercise and use with our players and our staff to try to put ourselves in better position to execute better."

"But at the same time, people are adding and tweaking. And, in some cases, adding players to their roster. We'll have to keep an eye on that situation in terms of Alabama. Everything that we have, we will use to try to scout. The one thing about it is, for your players, it doesn't take quite as long to understand the personnel part of it of who we're playing against. They've got their memories obviously. We will refresh them and try to put them in the best position we can."

Q: What would you like to see from King Grace down the stretch of his freshmen season?
CJ "King has had more and more opportunities as the season has unfolded, and I think the thing that sticks out about him is that he has no fear. He's got no fear, and he's got a lot of confidence. When he gets in the game, he gets right at it. He's an athlete. He's got a toughness about him, and he's very coachable."

"Like most new players, and each level's different, but he's still getting adjusted to the pace of the play and how good everyone on the floor is. When he gets in the game, it's an understanding of how he can insert himself into helping the team. He's had some really good games and some games where it's been more of a learning process for him, but we like his growth. We like his future, and the thing I really, really like about him is that every day he shows up to work. He gets after it, and he's been very coachable all year long."

Q: I'm guessing you haven't met with the players since the South Carolina game. What are you hoping to see from team morale and confidence going into the end of the regular season?
CJ: "Well, I'm more worried about just today. I don't look at it as a worrisome or what I expect from them the last four games. I'm worried about today's practice, and our approach to practice."

"It was an emotional week prior to the South Carolina game. The rivalry road game [at Ole Miss] was really important to us, and our guys played like it was. Then, certainly the Wednesday game against Auburn, didn't lack for emotion throughout the game. We talked a lot going into South Carolina about staying in that state of mind, about not having the same focus and about not having the same enthusiasm or what it has you. We talked a lot about it."

"We just, unfortunately, I didn't feel like we had the same attention to detail. I didn't feel like our defense had the same pop. Now, you've got to give South Carolina credit. They had some guys make some shots that they hadn't been making. Some of them, we were okay with early in the game of guys shooting the ball, because you got to play the numbers at time. You can't guard everybody the same. So, we put them in that position, but I didn't feel like we lost that game because of our offense. We lost that game because of our defense. Our offense was good enough, even on a day where Josh didn't play great for his standard. But, that was the most disappointing thing was after having two pretty good defensive games, especially in the first half of those games. We didn't have the same bite, that's probably the most disappointing take from the weekend because we had thought maybe, 'Hey, they've got this figured out.' They understand that it has to be something that we do every single outing. Obviously, it wasn't on Saturday."

WATCH: Coach Jans Media Session

Players Mentioned

Jayden Epps

King Grace

Ja’Borri McGhee

Mississippi State University Athletics