STARKVILLE, Miss. — In an impressive display, Josh Hubbard scored 21 points while Claudell Harris added 17 points and nine rebounds, leading No. 17 Mississippi State to a dominating 85-50 victory over South Carolina in their Southeastern Conference opener on Saturday.

The Bulldogs (13-1) surged ahead early, establishing a strong advantage with a 15-2 run right from the start and holding the Gamecocks to a mere 18 points in the first half. This marked the lowest scoring half allowed by Mississippi State under coach Chris Jans in SEC play. They finished the first period with a decisive 10-0 run to enter halftime leading 43-18.

Riley Kugel contributed 12 points, with KeShawn Murphy also putting up 12 points, alongside eight rebounds and four blocks, helping Mississippi State to their seventh consecutive victory. For South Carolina (10-4), Zachary Davis was the standout, scoring 22 points, while Collin Murray-Boyles struggled and managed only five points on a 2-for-9 shooting performance.

The Gamecocks faced difficulties throughout the game, shooting just 29% from the field (16 for 55) and making only 2 of 19 attempts from beyond the arc. In addition, they committed 14 turnovers and converted 16 of their 23 free throw attempts. In stark contrast, Mississippi State showcased a strong offensive performance, shooting 56% overall (35 for 62) from the field and dominating the boards with a 40-32 rebounding advantage.

Key Takeaways: For South Carolina, the game marked a challenging initiation into SEC competition, abruptly ending their eight-game winning streak. The Gamecocks had started last year’s SEC season strong with nine wins in their first 11 games. For Mississippi State, this victory marked coach Chris Jans’ first SEC opener win during his tenure, and the Bulldogs are off to their best start in his coaching era.

Looking ahead, South Carolina is set to host Alabama on Wednesday for their SEC home opener, while Mississippi State will travel to Vanderbilt for their SEC road opener on Tuesday.