Postgame Notes: State vs. LSU

TEAM NOTES

Mississippi State limited LSU without a field goal over the last 10 minutes of the first half and used a 23-5 first-half finishing kick to pull out a convincing 91-62 rout over the Tigers during Wednesday's first round of the 2025 SEC Tournament.
The Bulldogs improved to 21-11 on the season and have won their last eight SEC Tournament openers dating back to the 2016-17 season.
State advances to face seventh-seeded and No. 21 Missouri in Thursday's second round of the 2025 SEC Tournament. Tip time is set for 6 p.m. CT televised by SEC Network.
State set five records for a SEC Tournament game which includes points scored (91), field goals made (35), margin of victory (+29), halftime lead (+20) and three-point field goals made (15).
The 15 three-pointers matched the fifth-most treys made by any school in SEC Tournament history.
The Bulldogs have won all five of their meetings over LSU by 10+ points under Coach Jans and seven straight meetings over the Tigers at the SEC Tournament during the 2000s.
State claimed its 13th victory over NCAA NET Quad 1 and 2 opponents this season.
The Bulldogs led 44-24 at halftime. The 44 first-half points matched the most for the Maroon and White against a SEC opponent this season.
State is 13-5 this season and 23-8 over the last three seasons under Coach Jans when scoring 80 or more points.
Conversely, the Bulldogs are 14-1 this season and 51-12 over the last three seasons under Coach Jans when holding their opponents to less than 70 points.
State won the rebounding battle, 42-34, for the 17th time this season and is 14-3 when accomplishing the feat. The Bulldogs are also 48-15 over the last three seasons with Coach Jans at the helm when outrebounding their opponent.
The Maroon and White is 15-2 this season and 49-7 over the last three seasons under Coach Jans when leading at halftime.
State fired in 18 of its 35 field goals on the inside en route to a 36-30 advantage in paint points.
The Bulldogs captured 10 steals to improve to 9-2 on the season with double-digit takeaways and to 28-7 over the last three seasons under Coach Jans.
The Maroon and White have 293 steals which is a program record through 32 games.
As a team, State connected on 35-of-67 from the field (52.2 percent), recorded a 15-of-34 clip from three point-territory (44.1 percent) and was 6-of-10 on its foul shots (60.0 percent).
The 15 triples were a season's best for the Bulldogs. State is 7-4 this season and compiled a 12-5 under Coach Jans when knocking down at least 10 treys.
State advanced to 9-1 this season and 20-5 over the last three seasons under Coach Jans when shooting 50.0 percent or higher.
The Bulldogs have drained 271 three-pointers this season which sits at fourth-best in program history through 32 games.
State is averaging 80.0 points per contest through 32 games. It marks the Bulldogs highest scoring average since 1990-91 season and fifth-best in program history.
Conversely, LSU recorded a 22-for-56 shooting effort (39.3 percent), hit on a 5-for-26 three-point clip (19.2 percent), and knocked down 13-26 at the charity stripe (50.0 percent).
The Maroon and White is 13-0 this season and 38-5 over the last three seasons under Coach Jans when holding its opponent to under a 40.0 percent shooting clip.

PLAYER NOTES

Josh Hubbard

Started his 46th consecutive game over the last two seasons.
Notched 16 of his team-leading 26 points during the first half fueled by knocking down a quartet of triples.
Hubbard has recorded three games of 20+ points at the SEC Tournament and now trails only Darryl Wilson (1994-95-96) who has four in program history.
Matched a season-high with six three-pointers made, which also ties Timmy Bowers for the most made in an SEC Tournament game in program history.
Hubbard is the only player in school history to make 100 three pointers in two seasons. He's up to 101 this season and 209 for his career, which sits at sixth place in program history.
Also added three assists, two rebounds and a steal.
Hubbard has piled up 88 points for an average of 29.3 points per contest in three outings against LSU over the last two seasons.
The three assists brought Hubbard to 105 assists for the season. He is the sixth player at State to have over 500 points and 100 assists during the same season.
The 26-point performance gives Hubbard 1190 career points which allows him to pass Marckell Patterson (1999-2000-01-02) for 31st place in program history.
He surpassed Nick Calathes from Florida for the most points scored among SEC freshmen and sophomore players during the 2000s. The 1190 points are also seventh in SEC history for players during their freshman and sophomore seasons.
Hubbard also continues to build on the most points scored by a State player during their freshman and sophomore seasons in program history.
Hubbard also has notched 592 points this season, which surpassed Jamont Gordon (2007-08) and Jerry Jenkins (1974-75) to take 10th place in program history. He is 7 points away from eclipsing his freshman season (598 points), which sits in eighth place.
The 1190 points also are the third-most in program history through 67 career games trailing only Bailey Howell (1957-58-59) and Jerry Jenkins (1973-74-75).
Posted double figures in 61 of 67 games with 16 of his 25 efforts of 20+ points coming against SEC opponents.
Cashed in at least five triples in six games this season and in 14 career outings.
Buried at least one trey in 45 straight games dating back to the Georgia game on 02/07/2024. The 45-game run is the longest streak in program history.
Knocked down multiple triples in 28 of 32 games this season and in 57 of 67 career games.
Dished out multiple assists in 29 out of 32 games this season and in 47 career outings.

Riley Kugel

Started in eight straight games, in 12 games total this season and for the 41st time during his career.
Added eight points to go along with three boards, two assists and a steal.
Drained multiple treys for the 12th time this season and the 34th outing of his career.
Notched multiple assists in 11 games this season and in 33 career outings.

RJ Melendez

Made his 27th start in State's last 28 games and his 53rd career start over 122 games.
Secured his seven points, tied a team-high with six rebounds and secured a block.
Grabbed at least five rebounds in 15 games this season and in 37 career outings.

Cameron Matthews

Started in 98 of the team's last 101 games over the last three seasons under Coach Jans.
Competed in his program-leading 165th game.
Has a cumulative +/- total of +665 over his last three seasons under Coach Jans.
Added four points, five boards, four steals and an assist.
Brought his career steal total to 273 as he continues to build on his school record which he set during the McNeese game on 12/14.
Matthews' four steals allowed him to surpass Chuck Eldson (South Carolina) and Alex Caruso (Texas A&M) for fourth place all-time in SEC history.
He also is three steals away from surpassing Chuck Evans (1991-92) for the most steals in a season in program history.
His five rebounds moved his career total to 856 which sits at eighth place on State's all-time list.
Grabbed at least five boards in 27 out of 32 games this season and in 94 career games.
Swiped multiple steals in 25 out of 32 outings this season and in 79 career games.

Michael Nwoko

Made his 29th straight start and his 31st career start between State and Miami over the last two seasons.
Began the scoring on an alley-oop slam.
Tucked away eight points, five rebounds and an assist.
16 of his 21 outings with five boards have come in the Maroon and White this season.

BENCH NOTES

State's bench blitzed the Tigers by scoring 38 of the game's 40 points by reserves.
KeShawn Murphy stuffed the stat sheet with nine points, tied a team high with six rebounds, distributed three assists, notched three steals and added a block.
Dished out multiple dimes in 15 games this season and in 24 career outings.
Grabbed at least five rebounds in 27 out of 32 games this season and in 35 career games.
Six of Murphy's eight career outings with multiple takeaways have come during the 2024-25 season.
Shawn Jones Jr. garnered nine points, five rebounds and two blocks.
Hauled in five or more rebounds in six games this season and in 10 career outings.
Tied a career high with two triples made and has buried multiple in nine career games.
Blocked away multiple shots in five games this season and in nine career outings.
Claudell Harris Jr. collected eight points, four rebounds and two dimes.
Knocked down at least one trey in 23 of the team's last 25 games.
Buried multiple trifectas in 20 games this season and in 79 career games.
Recorded multiple assists for the 12th time this season and in 75 career games.
Dellquan Warren notched a career high five points and equaled his career best with four assists.
Martavious Russell rounded out the scoring by tying his career-high with seven points.
The seven points are the most scored by Russell versus a SEC opponent.

Mississippi State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Cameron Matthews

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