SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

March 12, 2021

Iverson Molinar

Mississippi State Bulldogs

Postgame Press Conference

Alabama 85, Mississippi State 48

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Mississippi State guard Iverson Molinar.

We'll take questions.

Q. What was Alabama doing that made it so hard for you guys to take care of the ball today with the turnovers?

IVERSON MOLINAR: They did a pretty good job pressing the ball. Especially coming off the screens, they hard (indiscernible) a little harder than last two games. They knew what we wanted to do on offense more. They kept forcing us to do stuff we were uncomfortable with.

Q. What does today's post-season experience today do now, the win yesterday, disappointment of the loss, to help the team hopefully make a tournament run next year?

IVERSON MOLINAR: It was a pretty good experience based on yesterday. It's a little disappointing for today. This is my first time experiencing the SEC tournament. I feel great out there. It's a whole different energy from actually the regular season. I like it. For next year, we going to come back stronger.

Q. I asked Coach Howland about next year, looking forward. You guys are going to return pretty much the whole roster except for Ado and Jalen Johnson. How much are these experiences going to carry over to next year?

IVERSON MOLINAR: It's going to help us a lot. We going to be a little more prepared. I feel like we did good in our non-conference schedule. But now this year or next year is going to prepare us more for actually the SEC when we started to struggle a little bit. Feel like we're going to get into it a little bit more, a little harder than this year.

Q. What did you see offensively from Alabama in terms of their pace in those first 10 minutes that was different from the first two games?

IVERSON MOLINAR: The pace was faster. They were a little bit more spaced out. I just feel like we did a better job in the second game, the first game against Alabama, than today. I feel like they beat us off the bounce a little bit more than the past two games. That opens up the floor for them a little more because they got shooters. That's what I feel like they did. They stayed spaced out and did a pretty good job beating us off the bounce.

Q. Do you yourself plan to come back next year?

IVERSON MOLINAR: Yeah. I mean, I'm just prepared for next year. We'll see what happens.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Iverson.