MSU men’s basketball escapes Arkansas, wins 71-67

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) — Mississippi State men’s basketball defeated Arkansas 71-67 on Saturday at Humphrey Coliseum. The Bulldogs led for all but three minutes, but the game still came down to the wire.

Down two points with just over a minute left in regulation, freshman guard Josh Hubbard rose up and hit a 3-pointer to put MSU back on top. Then Shakeel Moore got the game-sealing steal on Arkansas’ final possession.

The game was more than a must-win. A loss to a 12-12 Arkansas team that ranks 132 in the NET would’ve been a big blemish on the Bulldogs’ NCAA Tournament resume.

“Couldn’t afford to lose this one,” MSU head coach Chris Jans said.

Hubbard led the team in scoring with 19 points. Forward Cam Matthews wasn’t far behind with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

This win improves MSU to 17-8 on the season and 6-6 in SEC play.