WATCH: Head coach Chris Jans talks Rutgers, DJ Jeffries and Cameron Matthews

Riding a three-game winning streak, Mississippi State (9-2) returns to action Saturday in New Jersey against Rutgers (7-3) for an 11 a.m. tipoff. Rutgers has won two straight games with recent wins over Seton Hall and Long Island University.

Earlier this week, Mississippi State head coach Chris Jans met with the media to discuss the matchup with Rutgers along with other topics:

Q: Your initial impressions of Rutgers?
Jans: It is going to be quite the challenge and we knew that when we scheduled it. Coach (Steve) Pikiell has done a tremendous job and he’s been up there for seven or eight years. He’s built a brand of basketball that for those that follow the game respect. They’ve got a toughness about them, they play together. They’ve got a core group of guys that have been there, done that for them. He’s just really done a good job with the program.

They’ve got good size, they protect the rim at an elite level. They’ve got dynamic scoring to go along with it and they are getting healthy. They’ve got a kid Mawot Mag) back that hadn’t been playing and he is a core player for them in years’ past. They are getting healthier it seems like every week.

Q: Of late, Cameron Matthews and DJ Jeffries have been more aggressive in the paint instead of shooting from the perimeter. How does that aid the offense?
Jans: Yeah it’s huge, especially DJ. Obviously, he gets college basketball at this point in his life. I think he has figured out the style individually for him to play in the framework of what we are trying to do to be most effective. He’s playing right now for us how we’ve been envisioning him playing in terms of getting downhill more and not settling for the pull-up, not picking the ball up too early, fighting for pickups closer to the rim, if it is not a drive that finishes with a natural layup.

Then when he does, use his length and his vision to find other people to create scoring opportunities for his teammates. Then like a lot of players, when that shotclock gets to 10,9,8, and they got the ball in their hands and they feel like it is time to go in shotclock-mode. He got in a bad habit of that last year, even sometimes this fall.

But I think he’s learned and grew from that, and he understands there is still a lot of time left for us to figure out and manufacture a good shot as the shotclock is dwindling down. I think that’s been the most growth that I’ve seen with him is just being more aggressive of getting straight downhill, playing north and south and not east and west and not settling for mid-range pull-ups. Even if it is going to take three dribbles to get to the charge circle instead of two, take that extra dribble. Get a little deeper and just be more physical.

The thing that stuck out the most was his willingness to crash the offensive glass in that last outing. He was rewarded with some offensive rebounds and sometimes when you crash you aren’t. But hopefully because he was rewarded in this particular game, then that will give him more reason to continue to do that. Because that really helps us.

Our 2s and 1s obviously don’t scoop up a lot of offensive rebounds and it is really not part of our scheme. But we need him to join the 4s and the 5s and that gives us a better chance to get those second-chance points.

Q: What is the team’s Christmas schedule after the Rutgers game?
Jans: We will go our separate ways, for the most part, when that game is complete. We don’t play again until the 31st so we still have a chance to have a nice break, which I am a big proponent of. That is where they need to be. They need to be with their families celebrating Christmas. It is really important from a basketball perspective, just to get away from it a little bit and get off their legs, rest their bodies and minds, and enjoy the holiday with their families. But we will bring them back on the 27th and that evening. So we will still have three and a half full days for preparation for our game against Bethune-Cookman.

Q: You mentioned DJ Jeffries and his play the other day. Your thoughts on Cameron Matthews and his game against North Texas?
Jans: Cam was ticked off. I could use a different word but that is probably more appropriate. He had an edge about him before the ball was tipped. You would have to ask him why and I am not sure. I’ve got my own thoughts on it but he is better that way. Some guys aren’t. Some guys need to be more chill and more relaxed. Cam needs his motor running hot. He needs to be aggressive from the jump. I’m not sure exactly how he got to that point before the ball was tipped but I could see it and that influences his play on the court.

We don’t expect him to have a stat line like that every single night. But we expect him to play with that kind of aggressiveness and that kind of athleticism, just knowing that is his responsibility for us. He has to be that energy warrior and a guy that plays so hard that everybody feels like I better be showing it or he may get mad at me for whatever the case may be.

We’ve been encouraging him behind the scenes to be more vocal with his teammates. They will listen to you, respect you, and he’s been doing that. He did it in that game. When his teammates watch him, I gotta believe they think I better get with it, too. Otherwise, I don’t want to be called out by my teammates for not playing with that kind of intensity.

Q: When do you think you will start settling in on your rotation?
Jans: I have no idea. Like I said after (the North Texas) game, each game unfolds as it does. It wasn’t a plan that we had and I didn’t talk about it with anyone on my staff. I don’t go into each game saying I am going to play this many guys. I go into each game and let it unfold the way it does based on feel and suggestions, sub, etc. But I have no idea and we are a long ways from that.

Q: Do you have a target date in mind for the return of Tolu Smith?
Jans: I got a target date – today (laughing). But unfortunately, I don’t have a vote. They don’t ask me when I want him back. It’s entirely up to trainers, doctors and Tolu himself. He has a progression that he has to go through but it is still going to be awhile. He still has a lot of things he’s got to do. We will meet back again today for physical practice and we were off yesterday (Monday) and see where he’s at. But there’s no date that I’ve been told yet.

Q: We haven’t seen KeShawn Murphy shoot much from the perimeter this year yet. How much of that is just him trying to get in a rhythm?
Jans: KeShawn is a capable shooter. His biggest strength is just his overall skills set. He can do a little bit of everything. Excellent passer, he’s got good vision, he’s got good feel, especially as a pick-and-roll guy. He knows where the space is or isn’t so he reads it appropriately in terms of if it should be a roll or a pop. Sometimes that is hard for kids on a fly to see that. For some guys that can’t shoot the ball, their choices are limited, too.

Murph has the ability to do different things. Stretches the floor and he is unique enough that he can actually to be both a screener and receiver of the ball screen because he can put it on the deck and make plays for himself and others.

But it all boils down on the other end for him. He is still a work in progress in terms of just understanding defense, buying into it, playing harder, competing longer. And he knows that. He is a wonderful, wonderful human being and I love that he is in our program. I love coaching him and he gets it. His minutes and productivity are going to be tied to his continued growth on that end of the floor and just being more aggressive on the backboards, playing with a little more toughness than maybe he’s used to.

But he gives us such a different threat on the perimeter and his ability to play both the four and the five. We talked about it after the game on Sunday. It just gives us more flexibility with our lineups if you could get that other end going a little more.

Q: When it comes to behind the scenes, what is the reputation Josh Hubbard has with the coaching staff?
Jans: He is a joy to coach. He is a dream that way. He is all about the right stuff. He’s got a great approach, mindset, work ethic. You can coach him hard and look him directly in the eye and he takes coaching and he tries to get it on the floor. We are so fortunate that he is with us. He made a big impact on the court but even off the court, what he’s recently been doing that I’ve been impressed with is just bringing more energy to practice. Not just for himself but for others.

And finding his voice and I talked about that a few weeks ago with him. He’s got the ability to be a leader, even at a young age, because he understands the game. He’s got respect because of his work ethic and how he goes about his business every day. Sometimes as a young player there are steps you have to go through and maybe a little bit of a fear that hey, maybe this isn’t my place. But he has done it the right way and I hope he continues to do that.

We are certainly going to encourage him behind the scenes because he’s a guy, regardless of age, other players will heed their advice because they respect him. But he’s been great so far and hopefully he will continue.

Q: Rutgers is somewhat similar to Rutgers. Does that make it easier to prepare for having already played against that style?
Jans: I wouldn’t say easy but I understand the question and you are on point. I love North Texas and their staff but just look at the paper. Rutgers is going to be bigger, stronger, faster. It is going to be a different version of that. It is similar in terms of how they want to win. They want to get you in some rock fights. They want to get you into some half-court games as best as possible. They want to control the tempo to their favor.

They want to impose their will on you. It is going to be a very hard-fought game. I imagine the intensity level will be as high as any game we’ve played in thus far. They certainly want to defend their turf. It is a big game for both programs.