STARKVILLE, Miss. — In an impressive performance on Tuesday night, Josh Hubbard led the No. 21 Mississippi State Bulldogs to a 70-54 victory over the No. 7 Texas A&M Aggies, scoring 25 points. Claudell Harris Jr. also made a significant contribution off the bench, adding 12 of his total 15 points during a strong second half. This marked Mississippi State’s first win against a top-10 team this season, following a decisive 14-3 scoring run to start the second half, which allowed them to take control of the game. The Bulldogs, despite being favored by 2.5 points by BetMGM Sportsbook, celebrated their victory by storming the court.

For Texas A&M, Zhuric Phelps was the leading scorer with 13 points, while teammates Wade Taylor IV and C.J. Wilcher chipped in with 11 points each. However, Wilcher was unable to score during the second half, which hindered the Aggies’ ability to regain momentum. At halftime, Mississippi State was trailing slightly at 31-30, but Hubbard’s three-pointer at the start of the second-half shifted the tide, allowing State to maintain the lead for the remainder of the game.

The Bulldogs excelled at the free-throw line, as Hubbard went 10 for 11, helping the team to a successful 17 of 20 overall from the stripe.

Analyzing the game, the Aggies experienced one of their largest defeats in conference play this season, coming off a stretch where they had secured four wins in their first six SEC away games. Conversely, this victory was crucial for Mississippi State, who had previously faced tough losses at home against top-10 opponents such as Kentucky, Alabama, and Florida.

A pivotal moment occurred when Texas A&M cut the deficit to just four points at 46-42 midway through the second half. However, Hubbard assisted Harris in hitting a three-pointer with 6:24 remaining, igniting a 14-5 run for the Bulldogs that solidified their position.

Despite the Aggies holding a rebounding advantage with 38 compared to Mississippi State’s 31, their 19 turnovers and a shooting percentage of only 35.8% from the field proved detrimental to their performance.

Looking ahead, Texas A&M will host Tennessee on Saturday, while Mississippi State will travel to Oklahoma for their next matchup.