Mississippi State Falls to Georgia 102-96 on Senior Day | Josh Hubbard Scores 42

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State’s season came to a close Saturday with a 102-96 defeat at the hands of Georgia in a Southeastern Conference matchup at Humphrey Coliseum. The loss concluded the regular season for both teams as they now prepare for the SEC Tournament next week.

Despite a strong shooting performance in the first half – connecting on 19 of 26 field goal attempts (73.1 percent) – Mississippi State (13-18, 5-13 SEC) couldn’t maintain the momentum after halftime. The Bulldogs led 47-42 at the break, marking their first halftime lead since February 18th against Auburn, but Georgia responded with a surge in the second half, ultimately taking control of the contest.

Georgia (22-9, 10-8 SEC) erupted for 60 second-half points, fueled by a barrage of 3-pointers. The Bulldogs finished the game shooting 17 of 29 from beyond the arc and an impressive 88% from the free-throw line. This victory secured the most wins in program history for Georgia and their first season with fewer than 10 losses since 2002-03. They also improved to 8-0 on the season when scoring 100 or more points.

Josh Hubbard led Mississippi State with a stellar performance, scoring 42 points on the afternoon. He also added five rebounds and four assists. Ja’Borri McGhee contributed 20 points off the bench, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Georgia’s offensive firepower.

Kanon Catchings paced Georgia with 23 points, while Marcus Millender added 18 points off the bench. Blue Cain and Jeremiah Wilkinson each chipped in with 15 points, and Somtochukwu Cyril contributed 10 points and five rebounds.

Hubbard’s performance was particularly notable, as he kept Mississippi State within striking distance despite Georgia’s strong second-half push. He buried a 3-pointer with under two minutes remaining to bring MSU within six points, 97-91, but Georgia ultimately closed out the game at the free-throw line.

The game saw several lead changes early in the second half, with Georgia taking the lead at the 15:06 mark and building a lead that reached as many as 15 points. Mississippi State mounted a late charge, going on an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to seven, but Georgia responded each time to maintain their advantage.

Mississippi State will now travel to Nashville, Tennessee, to begin postseason play at the Southeastern Conference Tournament next week. The opponent, date, and time will be determined following the conclusion of Saturday’s SEC action. This marks the end of the regular season for both teams as they look ahead to the tournament and the opportunity to extend their seasons.