In what might have been the most competitive exhibition game college basketball has seen in a while, Mississippi State took down Southern Miss 60-54 in Hattiesburg on Sunday.
The exhibition, which was a joint effort by both programs to raise money for tornado victims in the Mississippi Delta, drew in a crowd of over 2,500 fans. Despite the preseason loss, Southern Miss head coach Jay Ladner was happy to get some last-minute kinks out while also playing for a good cause.
“I don’t think you could get a better preparation for your season,” Ladner said. “My hat goes off to Coach Jans and Mississippi State’s athletic administration for doing this. I also want to thank Jeremy McClain, Dr. Joe Paul, and our administration for allowing the schools to come together to raise money for Mississippians in the Delta.”
Jans, going into his second season in Starkville after relocating from New Mexico State, seconded Ladner’s thoughts. Jans told reporters after the game that playing last year’s Sun Belt regular-season champion in the preseason gives the Bulldogs a leg up as they try to make it back to the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row.
“The great thing about today was it felt like a game that’s going to matter in the win-loss column,” Jans said. “The Bulldogs coming into Southern Miss was obviously a big deal, and that’s why we accepted the challenge.”
While Mississippi State was without star big man Tolu Smith after a recent foot injury, the Bulldogs overcame lead changes in the first half to find a win over a solid Golden Eagles team. Leading 31-27 at halftime, Mississippi State held off any Southern Miss comeback efforts as freshman phenom Josh Hubbard scored 10 of the Bulldogs’ 29 second-half points.
Joining Hubbard, who finished with 13 points, at the top of the box score were D.J. Jeffries and Cameron Matthews. The two returning starters combined for 20 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, and five steals.
For Southern Miss, Victor Hart led the way with a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds. The Sun Belt’s preseason player of the year, Austin Crowley, finished with 11 points, four rebounds, and four assists. Donovan Ivory also had 11 points while Tegra Izay blocked three shots.
Both teams will now get a week’s break before starting the 2023-24 regular season. Southern Miss will begin its campaign at home against crosstown rival William Carey on Nov. 6 while Mississippi State will take on Arizona State in the Barstool Sports Invitational in Chicago, Ill., on Nov. 8.
