DALLAS — In an impressive performance, KeShawn Murphy, coming off the bench, contributed 16 points to help Mississippi State secure an 84-79 victory over SMU on Friday night.


Alongside Murphy, three other bench players made significant contributions: RJ Melendez added 15 points, Riley Kugel chipped in with 13, and Claudell Harris Jr. rounded out the scoring with 10 points. Among the starting players for Mississippi State (5-0), Josh Hubbard was the only one to reach double digits, finishing with 14 points despite struggling with his shooting, going just 4-for-18. The starters collectively shot 10 for 33, while the bench had a much better day at 18 for 35.


The game was tightly contested until Cameron Matthews broke a 66-all tie with a layup with just over five minutes remaining. Following that, Murphy splashed a 3-pointer, and Kanye Clary added one free throw, enabling Mississippi State to maintain the lead for the rest of the matchup.


For SMU (4-2), Kario Oquendo was a bright spot off the bench, scoring 13 points, while teammates Matt Cross, Boopie Miller, and Samet Yigitoglu each contributed 12 points. B.J. Edwards also added 10 points to their effort.


Mississippi State will enjoy a nearly week-long break before their next game, which will be played on Thanksgiving night at the Arizona Tipoff in Tempe. The Bulldogs will kick off the event against UNLV.


Meanwhile, the Mustangs are set to travel to Palm Springs, California, where they will participate in the Acrisure Holiday Invitational, beginning with a game against Cal Baptist on Tuesday.