Jayden Epps scored 19 points and Josh Hubbard scored 17 points and Mississippi State fought off Memphis for a 71-66 win on Saturday.

The Bulldogs overcame 29% shooting (6 of 21) from 3-point range and shooting 55% (18 of 33) from inside the arc. Overall Mississippi State (7-5) finished at 44% (24 of 54).

Reserve Curtis Givens III scored 18 points, fellow reserve Aaron Bradshaw scored 12 and Ashton Hardaway 11 for Memphis (4-7).

A three-point play by Givens with 8:12 left gave the Tigers their first lead of the second half, 53-50. Hubbard’s basket gave the Bulldogs the lead back, and his two foul shots with 3:03 remaining made it 61-58 and they led the remainder.

After Givens made a 3 to get Memphis within 69-66 with 23 seconds to go, following a Mississippi State timeout, Dug McDaniel stole Shawn Jones Jr.’s inbounds pass and saved the ball before landing out of bounds. Memphis secured the ball, but in the frantic activity, the Tigers gave it back to Mississippi State when Julius Thedford threw it out of bounds in a miscommunication with a teammate.

After being fouled with 15 seconds left, Hubbard sank two foul shots to seal it.

The Bulldogs now have won three straight and four of their last five.

Up Next

Memphis hosts Alabama State on Monday.

Mississippi State hosts Alabama State on Dec. 29.

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