How it happened: Mississippi State defeats Long Island

Mississippi State leaned on late-game poise and a season-best scoring effort from Josh Hubbard to hold off Long Island, 87-83, on Tuesday night at Humphrey Coliseum.

The Bulldogs earned their second straight win, but not without a fight. After jumping out to an early advantage, State watched LIU claw back into the game, trimming a nine-point deficit and pulling within one at halftime. Mississippi State carried a slim 39-38 lead into the break as the Sharks’ aggressive play and confidence kept the contest tight.

“Winning is hard,” Mississippi State coach Chris Jans said. “We had great respect for LIU coming in. The film jumped out at us. They play aggressively, with confidence and a little swagger. They don’t care what league you’re in or what’s on the front of your jersey.”

That swagger was evident throughout the second half, as neither team was able to fully seize control. The Bulldogs and Sharks traded baskets down the stretch, setting the stage for Hubbard to take over when it mattered most.

Hubbard scored nine of Mississippi State’s final 17 points, finishing with a season-high 34 points to lead all scorers. The sophomore guard knocked down five 3-pointers and repeatedly delivered in isolation late as LIU tried to force the ball out of his hands.

“He’s learning to play off other guys, and it’s hard to guard him,” Jans said. “When he’s out there, he gives us a lot.”

While Hubbard provided the scoring punch, State sealed the game at the free-throw line. Jayden Epps, Quincy Ballard and Shawn Jones Jr. accounted for the other eight points in the final stretch, with Jones sinking two free throws with 7.9 seconds remaining to push the lead to 87-83 and ice the game.

Free throws were a point of emphasis for Mississippi State entering the contest, and the Bulldogs delivered. Hubbard, Epps and Achor Achor combined to go a perfect 17-for-17 from the charity stripe as part of a 23-for-30 team effort.

“Our mindset was to get to the rim and get to the paint,” Jans said. “We wanted to win the free-throw game, and obviously we did.”

Sergej Macura also turned in a strong performance, posting season highs with 12 points and six rebounds while adding two steals and a block. Jans praised Macura’s effort and coachability, noting the forward made “a strong case” for increased minutes moving forward.

Mississippi State also controlled the glass, outrebounding LIU 40-33, which helped offset the Sharks’ ability to hang around late.

The Bulldogs will look to build on the momentum Saturday when they host Memphis at Humphrey Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m., and the game will be televised on ESPN.