Overview
- Jayden Epps scored 19 points and Josh Hubbard added 17 to lead the Bulldogs in Starkville.
- Shawn Jones Jr. supplied four points in the final 1:26, punctuating a Hubbard-initiated break with a dunk before adding a layup for a 69-63 lead.
- Memphis’ final sequence unraveled when Julius Thedford threw an inbounds pass out of bounds after a Dug McDaniel steal, and Hubbard hit two free throws with 15 seconds left.
- Mississippi State improved to 7-5, Memphis fell to 4-7, and reserve Curtis Givens III paced the Tigers with 18 points.
- Both offenses sputtered for stretches, including sub-40% first-half shooting and eight turnovers each, as Penny Hardaway characterized the early results as hard lessons.