"Probably Matt Mooney," Culver said. "Just playing against him in practice, he’s real tough."
Mooney, a fifth-year senior, smiled at the kind words from the sophomore.
"I appreciate that from Jarrett, even though every night he talks trash to me in the room about how he would get buckets on me if I was on the other team," said Mooney.
And Culver's probably right. He gets buckets on just about everybody, which is why he'll be a lottery pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. He's long, quick and can score at all three levels.
After averaging 18.9 points in the regular season, Culver's up to 21.5 in the NCAA Tournament. He dropped 22 on Michigan in the Sweet 16.
Mooney knows as well as anyone what a nightmare he can be for defenders. It's not just the abundance of talent inside that 6'5 frame.
"He’s one of the most mentally tough dudes I've ever been around. He just has 'it,' man," Mooney said. "He can't be fazed. Even if he’s having a bad game, he’s still confident the next one’s going down. That confidence comes from his preparation, it comes from knowing all the work that he puts in."
Culver isn't bound for the NBA solely because he can score. Texas Tech is loaded with elite defenders, and their best player is no exception. Culver's two-way game reminds Tom Izzo of one of the best players to come through Michigan State this decade.
"I've been really impressed with him. I had a kid named Gary Harris a couple of years ago who I thought was one of the best two-way players I've ever had," Izzo said. "He could do it on the offensive end. He could do it on the defensive end. He could impact the game in both. I think Culver does that.
"I don't know if he's Scottie Pippen-like. There's probably better (comparisons) early in that era that I watched even more. He's got versatility and he's a scorer that plays defense. Sometimes those are harder to come by, and I think that's what makes him so special."
Michigan thought it had an answer for Culver in Charles Matthews. Advantage Culver, advantage Texas Tech. How will Michigan State try to respond?
Aaron Henry is a good place to start. The freshman wing has frequently drawn the opponent's best player over the past couple months. He said on Tuesday he "absolutely" expects to cover Culver, at least for part of the game. With the amount of motion in Texas Tech's offense, Michigan State will likely be switching lots on defense.
Henry matched up with Duke's R.J. Barrett in the Elite 8, and though Barrett finished with 21 points, it took him 17 shots to get there.
Henry said he realized he could be a difference-maker on defense in his freshman season when Izzo began pulling him aside, pointing to the other team's best scorer and saying, "You need to check him. You need to get a stop on him if we want to win this game."
Asked about Henry, Culver said, "Very athletic. Plays good defense. He's a talented player."
If it feels like a short response, Culver will learn more about him on Saturday. By now, he's used to seeing the opponent's best defender.
"Big 12, every night you get somebody's best player on defense," he said, and it's a matchup he relishes. "It just shows how far I've come. Having their best player on you, most of the time you know you have to do certain things and play some of your best games."
And Henry will likely have to play one of his on Saturday if Michigan State wants a shot at the national championship.