1 on 1 with Mississippi State senior Claudell Harris
After spending previous seasons at Charleston Southern and Boston College, Claudell Harris wanted to be with a winning program with a shot to experience March Madness. In his final season of eligibility, the Mississippi State senior guard did reach those aspirations this season and was a factor in that success.
Harris, a Hahnville, La., native, currently ranks third on the team with 9.8 points a game and has a 34.4% from 3 point range, currently tops on the team. Recently, Maroon and White Daily caught up with Harris to get his thoughts on being in Starkville and spending his senior season at Mississippi State:
Q: There’s obviously a lot left to play for this season. But so far, how has your time in Starkville been?
Harris: It’s been great here. I love the people and I love the environment here. I am really glad I chose to come to Starkville for my last year.
Q: With the recent struggles, what has to happen for this team to get back to playing good again?
Harris: We just got to stay locked in, stay focused on the task at hand. Keep preparing for each game like it’s our last game and go out there and play as hard as possible following the gameplan and just make sure we all come together.
Q: Like every shooter, you’ve experienced a slump or two this season. When that happens, how do you handle it?
Harris: Just try to be consistent and be an every-day guy, having the right people around me and the right circle around me to keep me motivated through any slump or any bad time, in general. I just try to focus on the task at hand.
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Q: You experienced the postseason in the NIT when you were at Boston College. Now you are on the cusp of your first NCAA Tournament. Your thoughts?
Harris: It will be the first one and I am excited. Just excited to be able to play in March Madness for the first time. It is every kid’s dream and it is just exciting and I feel like we are prepared for it.
Q: We noted of the recent struggles to end the regular season but now it’s a new season with the SEC Tournament. How easy is it to flip that switch and prepare for a new part of the season with a different mindset?
Harris: We treat it definitely like it refreshes us going into the postseason, knowing that your season is on the line. It is almost like a switch where there is a sense of urgency with each game.
Q: There’s been a lot of sellouts at Humphrey Coliseum this season with a great environment. What’s that experience been like for you in your last season?
Harris: It’s been fun. The fans have made the games more exciting. The home-court advantage is big in college basketball. The fans have been like our sixth man and they mean a lot to us.
Q: What’s your go-to restaurant in Starkville and go-to meal?
Harris: I really like the restaurant Taste. I don’t really have a go-to meal there but I like all of their pastas.
