Texas A&M beats Mississippi State 88-68 in men’s basketball

Mississippi State lost 88-68 to Texas A&M on Wednesday night at Reed Arena, according to postgame notes provided by MSU Athletics.

The game featured three ties and four lead changes in the opening 10 minutes. Texas A&M used a 13-2 run to turn a 21-21 tie into an 11-point lead with 6:05 remaining in the first half. The Aggies headed into halftime with a 44-33 advantage and maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second half.

Texas A&M holds an 11-10 all-time series edge, including a 7-2 record at home in Bryan-College Station. Mississippi State, ranked 10-5 this season, has a strong record when shooting over 40%, going 66-23 over the past four seasons under coach Chris Jans. The Bulldogs also are 8-2 this season when outshooting their opponents and 7-3 when outrebounding opponents.

Rebounding was close, with MSU holding a 39-37 edge. The Bulldogs’ bench scored a season-high 48 points, led by Brandon Walker with 16. Walker shot 7-for-10 from the field, including a season-best seven baskets. Other top contributors included King Grace with 13 points and four rebounds, Jayden Epps with 11 points and four rebounds, and Sergej Macura with six points and six rebounds.

Josh Hubbard scored 12 points, surpassing Ray White to move into sixth place on Mississippi State’s all-time scoring list. Hubbard also extended his school-record streak of consecutive games with at least one three-pointer to 66, tying an SEC record. Hubbard dished out multiple assists for the 18th time this season. Ja’Borri McGhee and Shawn Jones Jr. added two and six points, respectively, with Jones Jr. also grabbing 10 rebounds.

Mississippi State’s shooting percentage was 43.3% (26-for-60), while Texas A&M shot 41.2% (28-for-68). The Aggies excelled at the free-throw line, making 23 of 24 attempts (95.8%). They scored all 14 points off turnovers and led in points in the paint and fastbreak points, 38-32 and 11-4, respectively.

This loss drops Mississippi State to 10-5 overall, with the team now preparing for upcoming games. The Aggies improved to 12-4 with the win.

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