STARKVILLE, Miss. — Riley Kugel poured in 22 points, while Josh Hubbard contributed 16, leading No. 17 Mississippi State to an 87-73 triumph against Bethune-Cookman on Monday evening.

Despite Mississippi State’s strong start, jumping to a 20-9 lead, they found it difficult to create distance from Bethune-Cookman (3-10) during the first half. Struggling a bit, the Bulldogs allowed the Wildcats to narrow the gap to 27-26 before eventually taking a 52-45 lead into halftime.

Kugel showcased an impressive shooting performance, making 10 of his 13 attempts from the field, along with four rebounds before fouling out late in the game. RJ Melendez and Claudell Harris each added 12 points, with Harris scoring all his points after the break.

For Bethune-Cookman, Trey Thomas and Brayon Freeman led the way with 21 points each, while Reggie Ward Jr. scored 14. Unfortunately, Thomas was ejected during the second half after receiving a second technical foul.

The Wildcats were efficient in the first half, shooting 58% from the field, including 5 of 8 from beyond the arc, and a perfect 10 of 10 from the free-throw line. In contrast, Mississippi State shot 55% from the field in the first half, hitting 5 of 13 three-pointers and converting 11 of 12 from the charity stripe.

Takeaways from the game highlight a disappointing end to the nonconference schedule for Bethune-Cookman, who lost six of their last seven games, which included a challenging slate against six Power Five teams. Meanwhile, Mississippi State finished their nonconference campaign at 12-1, featuring significant road victories over Memphis and SMU, along with a commanding home win over Pittsburgh. This record represents the highest number of nonconference wins for head coach Chris Jans in his tenure with the Bulldogs.

Looking ahead, Bethune-Cookman will begin their SWAC play on Saturday against Florida A&M. Mississippi State will also start their SEC schedule on the same day by hosting South Carolina.