Hubbard scores all 22 points in the first half, Mississippi State blitzes Tulane 106-76

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This article was published 09/12/2023 (1019 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ATLANTA (AP) — Josh Hubbard missed one shot and had five 3-pointers for 22 points in the first half as Mississippi State raced to a 28-point lead and kept rolling for a 106-76 win over Tulane on Saturday at the Atlanta Hawks State Farm Arena.

The Bulldogs’ leading scorer who comes off the bench, Hubbard was 7-of-8 shooting in the first half with a four-point play and a three-point play. That propelled Mississippi State (7-2) to its best offensive outing of the season by far and erased the sting from a two-game losing streak, including a shocker to Southern 60-59 on Sunday.

After having just five assists in the 67-59 loss at Georgia Tech, MSU had 31 on 41 baskets.

The 106 points were the most for the Bulldogs away from their home court since 2005 and the first time they’ve hit the century mark outside of the state of Mississippi since 1959.

Jimmy Bell Jr., and Cameron Matthews both scored 14 points and D.J. Jeffries and Shakeel Moore both added 11 for the Bulldogs. Hubbard, a freshman, missed his only two shots of the second half, playing just eight minutes.

Mississippi State shot 59% (41 of 70), making 13 of 28 3-pointers. They also had a 43-27 rebounding advantage with KeShawn Murphy grabbing 10.

Kolby King scored 18 points for the Green Wave (6-2) with Collin Holloway adding 12 and Tre Williams 10. Tulane shot 42% (24 of 57) and was just 5 of 24 behind the arc (21%) but was 23 of 34 from the foul line, making a dozen more free throws than Mississippi State.

Behind Hubbard, the Bulldogs made 10 of 17 3-pointers in the first half and shot 68% overall in racing to a 62-34 halftime lead.

Moore and Dashawn Davis opened the game with 3-s and Bell Jr., followed with a pair of buckets to give Mississippi State a 10-0 lead. After two Tulane free throws it was five more minutes before Holloway made the first field goal for the Green Wave, a 3-pointer just past five minutes in. Tulane missed its first four shots and had four turnovers before Holloway’s basket that made the score 17-5.

Hubbard had barely entered the game but on the next possession he converted a four-point play.

Hubbard had a three-point play and Matthews had three layups in a 9-0 run to make it 37-14 just past the midpoint of the half. Hubbard had two 3s in a 9-0 spurt for a 51-21 lead with 4:11 left.

An 8-0 run helped the Green Wave but Murphy drilled a 3-pointer with a second left for the 28-point halftime lead.

Jaquan Scott hit a jumper in the middle of the second half for a 41-point lead, 88-47.

The Bulldogs are home against Murray State on Wednesday. Furman is at Tulane on Thursday.

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