Mississippi State University survived a scare against Arkansas, holding the Razorbacks 71-67 in Humphrey Coliseum on Saturday.
Do not let the Razorbacks’ record fool you. This is the same team that beat Duke earlier this season and can still put up a fight if their team clicks together, which is what happened when they traveled to Starkville over the weekend.
The Bulldogs had a narrow lead at halftime, 34-29, but the Razorbacks took the lead with 1:07 left in the second half. However, freshman guard Josh Hubbard put the Bulldogs in front with a three-pointer.
“I used to get nervous in times like that when I was little,” Hubbard said during the postgame conference. “But as I grew up, it’s all just basketball. It’s like going outside as a little kid. It’s just enjoying those fun moments. It was definitely a blessing to take that shot and make it.”
The defense came in and did their part to secure the win with Bulldogs forward Tolu Smith logging a block, while guard Shakeel Moore got a steal with ten seconds remaining. Moore was immediately fouled and hit the free throw to extend the Bulldogs’ lead.
Forward Cam Matthews iced the game with his own free throws, but the free throwing continued to be a problem for the Bulldogs, shooting 19-of-32 from the charity stripe in the weekend contest.
Matthews posted a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Meanwhile, Hubbard led the Bulldogs with 19 points, having been in the starting rotation for the past five games.
Bulldogs head coach Chris Jans said that there was no room for error as they enter the latter half of the season, hoping to earn a bid into the NCAA Tournament this March.
“I can’t sit here and lie to you and tell you that I wasn’t aware that … we couldn’t afford to lose this one,” Jans said. “I told my friends and family that going into the game. That’s just the way it is. We didn’t talk about it as a team, but they know what’s going on. They know where we’re at for the most part. It was crucial.”
After Saturday’s contest, the Bulldogs improve to 17-8 overall for the season, including 6-6 in SEC play.
Up next for the Bulldogs, they host in-state rivals Ole Miss Wednesday at 8 p.m. CT. The game will be aired on SEC Network.
