In a Thursday night matchup during the Arizona Tip-Off, No. 25 Mississippi State triumphed over UNLV with a score of 80-58. KeShawn Murphy was a standout for the Bulldogs, contributing 14 points and securing 13 rebounds, while Josh Hubbard added 11 points to the mix.
The Bulldogs established control of the game with a commanding 13-point lead at halftime, thanks to significant scoring runs in both halves. They also displayed exceptional prowess on the boards, out-rebounding UNLV 46-29, and converting 30 second-chance points from 19 offensive rebounds.
For the Runnin’ Rebels, Jailen Bedford and Jalen Hill led the scoring with 13 and 11 points respectively, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Mississippi State’s dominance. After a competitive start, the Bulldogs went on a 7-0 run followed by a 12-2 spurt, allowing them to pull away to a 39-21 advantage. Although UNLV managed to cut the deficit to 45-32 with a late 6-0 run before halftime, they struggled to maintain momentum.
Despite shooting 56% in the opening 20 minutes (14 of 25), UNLV’s offense faltered against Mississippi State’s defense, which held them scoreless for a significant 3:18 stretch. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs were efficient from beyond the arc, hitting 50% of their three-point attempts (7 of 14) and claiming 16 second-chance points off their offensive rebounds.
In the second half, Mississippi State continued to extend their lead, embarking on an 11-0 run to push the score to 62-36. The Runnin’ Rebels were unable to reduce the deficit to fewer than 20 points for the remainder of the game.
Analyzing the performance, UNLV encountered issues inside, particularly with Jeremiah Cherry, the 6-foot-11, 280-pound forward, who managed only eight points on 4-of-5 shooting while grappling with double-team defenses.
Conversely, Mississippi State’s relentless offensive rebound tactics bore fruit, especially in the first half, with Murphy leading the effort with four offensive boards. Their bench also played a crucial role, outscoring UNLV 48-13.
Looking ahead, Mississippi State is set to compete against Butler in the championship game on Friday night, while UNLV will take on Northwestern.
