No. 17 Mississippi State dominated in their SEC opener against South Carolina, winning 85-50. Led by Josh Hubbard’s 21 points and Claudell Harris’ 17 points and nine rebounds, the Bulldogs held South Carolina to just 18 points in the first half, the lowest under coach Chris Jans. Mississippi State’s defense was strong throughout the game, limiting South Carolina to 29% shooting and forcing 14 turnovers. The Bulldogs shot 56% from the field and outrebounded the Gamecocks 40-32.
Riley Kugel and KeShawn Murphy also had strong performances for Mississippi State, scoring 12 points each. Zachary Davis led South Carolina with 22 points, but Collin Murray-Boyles struggled with just five points on 2-for-9 shooting.
The win extended Mississippi State’s winning streak to seven games, while ending South Carolina’s seven-game streak. Zachary Davis had a career-high 22 points in a standout performance for the Gamecocks. Murray-Boyles contributed with 10 rebounds, his fifth double-digit rebounding game of the season.
Looking ahead, South Carolina will face tough challenges at home against top-10 teams No. 5/6 Alabama and No. 2/2 Auburn. Their next game is against Alabama on Wednesday, with the Crimson Tide coming off an 11-2 record. The Gamecocks will aim to bounce back from their loss and continue their strong season in the SEC.
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Photo credit gamecocksonline.com
