Ben Middlebrooks: "We're a Much Better Team Than That."

NC State forward Ben Middlebrooks met with the media following the Wolfpack's 72-52 road loss to Ole Miss Tuesday evening in the ACC/SEC Challenge.

Middlebrooks recorded a double-double against the Rebels with 13 points and 12 rebounds. He also tallied one steal and one block.

NOTE: Click on the video in the player above to watch Middlebrooks’ interview.

“They play well. They ran their sets well. They came in with a good game plan. They hit shots, and our shots weren’t falling. That’s really all there is to it.”

“We’ve got some guys dealing with some sickness issues. Obviously, that fatigue is tough. Vegas is a really long flight. We had a quick turnaround; we were in Raleigh for less than a day and then had to fly straight out here for another flight. That’s definitely part of it, but it’s not an excuse. We didn’t play well. We’ve got to play better. We’re a much better team than that, and we’ve got to show it.”

“Guys were driving, and I was trying to find spots in the lane. Credit to the guards: they were able to find me, and I was able to finish on a couple of them.”

“We’re going to come back. We’re going to work our ass off in practice. We’re going to get a new game plan, and we’re going to come together to try and figure some things out.”

“It’s tough. We’ve got a lot of new guys, especially for me coming in behind D.J. [Burns]. He’s a hell of a big, so I’m trying to learn from him. It’s a process, but I feel like as I figure out guys’ tendencies and skillsets, I’m getting more comfortable in finding my spots."