Josh Hubbard scored 15 points on Thursday to help Mississippi State breeze past Northwestern State for an 82-44 victory in Starkville, Miss.
King Grace added 12 points and Kimani Hamilton scored 10 for the Bulldogs (2-0), who held the Demons to 17 second-half points. Mississippi State outrebounded Northwestern State 50-34 while owning a 25-9 advantage on second-chance points.
Thomas Bassong chipped in eight points, eight rebounds and four blocks for the Bulldogs.
Kai Simpson’s 13 points led Northwestern State (0-2), and Dionjahe Thomas followed with seven. The Demons made just 14 of their 47 field-goal attempts (29.8%) and shot 26.7% (4-for-15) from beyond the arc and 48% (12-for-25) from the free-throw line.
After holding a 22-point halftime lead, Mississippi State scored the first seven points of the second half — including Hamilton’s three-point play — to take a 56-27 edge.
Hubbard’s layup and Kendyl Sanders’ 3-pointer gave the Bulldogs their first 30-point lead with 9:12 remaining.
Isaiah Vick’s layup cut the Demons’ deficit to 71-43 with 5:24 remaining before Hubbard scored five straight points and Grace dunked as part of an 11-0 run that punctuated a dominating win.
The Bulldogs jumped out to a 10-0 lead on Grace’s 3-pointer as the Demons missed their first eight shots.
Arne Osojnik made the visitors’ first 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 12-5.
Willie Burnett III scored the first four of a 6-0 Bulldogs spurt that gave the hosts a 25-11 edge midway through the opening half.
Hubbard sank a trey to make it 29-15 with 6:34 remaining before halftime. The Bulldogs took a 39-17 advantage on back-to-back 3-pointers from Sanders and Hubbard.
Tee Bartlett closed the first half with a three-point play to give the Bulldogs a 49-27 advantage at the break.
