Discover the Thrill of Mississippi State Athletics!

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State men’s basketball begins a potential streak of four consecutive matchups against Associated Press Top 25 contenders as the Bulldogs face No. 6 Kentucky on Saturday evening at Humphrey Coliseum.

The Bulldogs (14-1, 2-0 SEC) have triumphed in 14 of their initial 15 games for the fifth instance in program history and for the first time since State’s 2003-04 SEC regular season championship run.

The Bulldogs have secured victories in their first two SEC contests for the first time since 2012-13 and have registered the program’s third-best margin of success during their opening two SEC games.

The Maroon and White will participate in the program’s third encounter featuring AP Top 15 teams at Humphrey Coliseum. This marks the ninth occasion that a ranked vs. ranked matchup has occurred in Starkville. State has divided the previous eight ranked encounters, with its last victory achieved during a 92-84 success over then No. 16 Auburn in 2018-19.

The Bulldogs are positioned at No. 14 in this week’s Associated Press rankings and have ascended to No. 13 in the latest USA Today Top 25 rankings released earlier this week. Both rankings represent program highs under Coach Jans.

At various times, State has appeared in both polls during each of Coach Jans’ three years, and over the past three weeks this season in both rankings. The last instance of the Maroon and White being ranked over three consecutive seasons occurred in 2002-03, 2003-04, and 2004-05 under Rick Stansbury.

State is among two SEC teams (Auburn) and three squads nationally (Oregon) to achieve at least five non-conference wins and a 5-1 record or superior against NCAA NET Quad 1 and Quad 2 non-conference opponents.

The Bulldogs are also accompanied by Tennessee as the sole teams in the nation to attain two genuine non-conference road victories over NCAA NET Quad 1 adversaries. Overall, State stands as one of four SEC programs and one of 14 nationally with no fewer than six cumulative NCAA NET Quad 1 and Quad 2 wins.

With their wins over No. 18 Pitt (80-57) and No. 21 Memphis (79-66), the Bulldogs have notched two victories against AP Top 25 opponents before January for only the third instance in program history. State previously accomplished this feat in 2002-03 and 2011-12 under Stansbury’s leadership.

Notably, the Pitt and Memphis wins represent State’s most significant home and road victories against AP Top 25 teams in program history. The Bulldogs also delivered a 35-point victory over South Carolina, marking the program’s second-largest margin of victory in a SEC opener.

Overall, the Maroon and White have secured seven wins over AP Top 25 teams under Coach Jans. These seven victories surpass any other State coach’s ranked wins during their initial three seasons in Starkville.



State has achieved consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances supported by two 21-win seasons with Coach Jans in charge. The last occasion the Bulldogs secured back-to-back NCAA Tournament selections was during the 2007-08 and 2008-09 campaigns under Stansbury. This season, State aims to secure three consecutive NCAA Tournament visits for only the third time in the program’s history.



The Bulldogs have amassed 83.5 points per game, which ranks as the third-highest tally in program history through 15 contests and the highest since the 1990-91 season. The Maroon and White has also achieved a program-best 152 steals and drained 131 three-pointers, the third-highest tally in program history after 15 games.



After reaching capacity in seven games and having the program’s fifth highest attendance average for the 2023-24 season, Humphrey Coliseum has averaged 8,263 spectators, the highest figure for the program through the first seven games since the 2008-09 season.



Fans can acquire single game tickets for the program’s remaining home matches via Mississippi State’s Athletic Ticket Office at www.HailState.com/tickets or by calling (662) 325-2600 / (888) 463-2947 (GO DAWGS).



SERIES HISTORY

Kentucky has prevailed in the 18 regular season clashes between the two programs dating back to the 2008-09 season. State’s most recent victory in the series was a 74-73 win at the 2021 SEC Tournament.  Overall, the Wildcats maintain a 103-21 series advantage.



In the previous season, the Bulldogs overcame a 9-point deficit within the last minute thanks to Josh Hubbard’s three three-pointers and career-high 34 points. Kentucky ultimately triumphed with a 91-89 victory on a mid-range jumper by Reed Sheppard in the final moments.



The Matchup: No. 14 Mississippi State (14-1, 2-0 SEC) vs. No. 6 Kentucky (12-3, 1-1 SEC)

Where: Starkville, Mississippi – Humphrey Coliseum

When: Saturday, January 11, 7:31 p.m. CT

Live Stats: StatBroadcast (https://hailst.at/MBKLiveStats)



TV: SEC Network

Stream: ESPN App (Subscription Required)

Direct Link: https://hailst.at/4iKaMHl

Talent: Dave Neal, Jon Sundvold



Radio: Mississippi State Sports Network – Powered by Learfield

Talent: Neil Price, Richard Williams

Affiliates: WZLA-FM 96.1 Starkville/West Point

Free Online Audio: Hail State and The Varsity Network Apps

Direct Link: https://hailst.at/4gF7aVs



FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT STATE

1. Chris Jans, one of the country’s top coaching talents, oversees the State program. He is supported by George Brooks, David Anwar, Patrice Days, Scott Padgett, and Dillon Elder.

Jans, a three-time WAC Coach of the Year during his period at New Mexico State, boasts an impressive .734 winning ratio (199-72) in his ninth season as an NCAA Division I head coach. He ranks sixth among active NCAA coaches with the aforementioned .734 winning percentage, trailing only Mark Few (Gonzaga), Bill Self (Kansas), Brian Dutcher (San Diego State), John Calipari (Arkansas), and Darian DeVries (West Virginia).

Throughout his three years at State, Jans has accumulated 56 victories, leading all six SEC third-year coaches. He is the only active SEC coach at his respective institution to achieve two 20-plus win seasons in their first two SEC years, while Calipari is entering his inaugural season at Arkansas and Eric Musselman currently leads Southern Cal.



Jans, Calipari (Kentucky – 2009-10 & 2010-11) and Bruce Pearl (Tennessee – 2005-06 & 2006-07) are the sole SEC coaches to guide their teams to consecutive NCAA Tournaments in their first two seasons during the 2000s.



Nationally, Jans is accompanied by Jon Scheyer (Duke) and Rodney Terry (Texas) as the only third-year coaches to lead their squads…to the 2023 and 2024 NCAA Tournaments, correspondingly.

Jans is the most recent coach to triumph over two-time defending national champion UConn led by Dan Hurley at the 2022 NCAA Tournament while at New Mexico State and was the last coach to best the Huskies on a neutral court, a duration of 984 days, until Memphis overcame UConn at the 2024 Maui Invitational.

 

As a junior college head coach, Jans secured the 1997-98 NJCAA Division II National Championship at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

 

Jans played an integral part as an assistant coach at Wichita State which was pivotal in a 2013 NCAA Final Four journey, five NCAA Tournament appearances and four Missouri Valley Conference regular season titles before he earned the 2015 Joe B. Hall National Coach of the Year in his inaugural season as an NCAA Division I head coach at Bowling Green.

 

Jans initiated an unparalleled period of achievement over a five-year timeframe at New Mexico State where he steered the Aggies to a 122-32 record fueled by three NCAA Tournament appearances. The program was poised for a fourth NCAA Tournament entry before the 2019-20 postseason was annulled.

 

2. State’s returning contingent is driven by Josh Hubbard, Shawn Jones Jr., Cameron Matthews and KeShawn Murphy.

 

Hubbard, acknowledged on the Wooden Award Midseason Watch List along with being a recipient of the Bob Cousy Award and Lute Olson Award Preseason Watch List member, recorded 17.1 points per game which was highest among SEC rookies last season.

 

Hubbard’s 855 points over 50 games ranks second in program history for freshmen and sophomores, trailing only Ray White from the 1970s. He has achieved double figures in 44 of 50 contests, powered by 19 performances of 20+ points. His freshman year tally of 598 points was the highest for a State freshman and 8th overall in a single season.

 

Hubbard’s top scoring feats in the SEC include 34 points against No. 16 Kentucky (02/27/2024), 32 points at LSU (02/24/2024), and 28 points against No. 17 South Carolina (03/09/2024). His best non-conference scoring achievement was 29 points against Northwestern (11/19/2023) as State triumphed in the 2023 Basketball Hall of Fame Classic in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Last season, Hubbard made 108 three-pointers, breaking Barry Stewart’s freshman record of 68 set in 2006-07. He also outdid Darryl Wilson’s single-season record of 97 achieved in 1995-96 during the regular season finale against No. 17 South Carolina (03/09/2023).

 

Hubbard has landed multiple triples in 42 of 50 career games and has successfully connected on at least one three-pointer in 28 consecutive contests, marking the third-longest streak in State history. To date, he has already made 155 three-pointers, placing him 14th on the program’s all-time list.

 

The Madison native resumed from where he ended last season and has averaged 17.1 points per game this season, ranking 9th among SEC leaders. He scored 20 of his 23 points after halftime against Utah (11/17) and posted a season-high 26 points complemented by six three-pointers against West Georgia (11/04) in the 2024-25 season opener.

 

Hubbard has recorded 20.7 points per game, driven by 85 three-pointers over his last 23 contests. He has led the team in scoring during 19 of his 31 career starts since the Auburn game on 01/28/2024.

 

Hubbard, recognized as an ESPN top 100 recruit for the Class of 2023, concluded his high school tenure as Mississippi’s all-time leading scorer with 4,367 career points. He broke a previously held state record for 37 years by Mississippi State’s Robert Woodard.

 

Jones Jr. has participated in 61 of his 74 games from the bench over his three seasons with the Bulldogs. He achieved a career-high tying 11 points against Prairie View A&M (12/08).

 

Jones Jr. also notched 11 points versus South Carolina (02/28/2023). He has completed 23 of his 38 shot attempts from inside the arc this season.

 

Matthews is among the most versatile players in college basketball and is the only active NCAA player with at least 850 points, 700 rebounds, 300 assists, and 225 steals. He is one of five SEC players and one of 22 players in the Power 5 basketball conferences (ACC, BIG EAST, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC) to extend their fifth season at the same university in 2024-25.

 

Throughout his three seasons under Coach Jans, Matthews has recorded an impressive +688 plus/minus cumulative rating while on the court. He has had a positive plus/minus in 65 of 84 games, accumulating 35 outings with at least a +10 mark and achieving a +20 rating on 13 occasions.

 

Matthews achieved four double-doubles in SEC competition last season: 18 points and 11 rebounds against No. 17 South Carolina (03/09/2024), 14 points and 11 rebounds versus No. 8 Auburn (01/27/2024), 16 points and 12 rebounds at Ole Miss (01/30/2024), and 17 points and 10 rebounds against Arkansas (02/17/2024). State holds a record of 4-2 when Matthews registers a double-double.

 

The Bulldogs have a lifetime record of 22-8 when Matthews scores 10 or more points. He recorded season highs of 16 points at Vanderbilt (01/07), followed by steady non-conference performances with 14 points against Butler (11/22) and 12 points, nine rebounds, and six assists at No. 21 Memphis (12/21).

 

Matthews has recorded 30 career games with at least five rebounds, multiple assists, and multiple steals. His 230 career steals rank him 1st on State’s all-time list and 4th among active Power 5 players (ACC, BIG EAST, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC). The Olive Branch native set the all-time State record during the McNeese game (12/14).

The All-SEC Defensive recognition for Matthews in 2023-24 allowed him to become the fourth player in the program’s history to secure a spot in the record books. His peers include Abdul Ado (2020-21), Greg Carter (1990-91), and Varnado (2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10).

 

Murphy has participated in 55 career games, making all three of his career starts in the 2024-25 season. He has improved his points and rebounds per game averages throughout each of his three seasons, culminating in 9.9 points and 7.7 rebounds this season.

 

The Alabama native has recorded six of his top eight scoring performances in 2024-25, highlighted by a career-high of 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting against No. 18 Pitt (12/04). He achieved his first career double-double with 18 points and a career-best 14 rebounds against Utah (11/17).

 

Murphy has been a stat sheet contributor with nine outings of multiple assists and six games with multiple blocks, alongside two games with multiple steals this season. His 7.7 rebounds per game rank 9th, bolstered by a 5.7 average on the defensive end, which also places him 7th in the SEC standings.

 

An ESPN top 100 recruit for the Class of 2021, Murphy achieved SEC career-best performances of 12 points each against South Carolina (01/04) this season and against Ole Miss (02/21/2024) last season. State has won 12 of 13 contests in the past three seasons when he scores in double figures.

 

3. State’s skilled six-member transfer class collectively averaged 57.2 points per game at their previous institutions last season. This group comprises Kanye Clary (Penn State), Jeremy Foumena (Rhode Island), Claudell Harris Jr. (Boston College), Riley Kugel (Florida), RJ Melendez (Georgia), and Michael Nwoko (Miami • Florida).

 

Clary has participated in 62 games where he accumulated 545 career points between Mississippi State and Penn State. Last season, he averaged 16.7 points per game, ranking 8th on the Big Ten leaderboard with the Nittany Lions. Clary’s career-high is 29 points against Rider (12/29/2023), while his best in the Big Ten was 27 points against No.11 Wisconsin (01/16/2024).  

 

Clary has recorded a minimum of eight points and dished out several assists in four of his last six showings in Maroon and White. He converted 8-of-9 at the free-throw line, leading to a season-high 12-point performance against Southeastern Louisiana (11/12). Clary has been sidelined for the last eight matches due to a leg injury.

 

Foumena has participated in 36 matches off the bench throughout his tenure at Mississippi State and Rhode Island after a redshirt year with the Rams in 2022-23. His career best stands at 16 points against Wagner (11/14/2023), while his Atlantic 10 scoring peak was 13 points against Fordham (01/24/2024).

 

Harris Jr. has amassed 1,484 career points over his stints at State, Charleston Southern, and Boston College. He earned a spot on the 2021-22 All-Big South Freshman Team and the 2022-23 All-Big South Second Team during his initial two seasons at Charleston Southern.

 

Harris Jr. made an immediate impact with 20 points, powered by six three-pointers in State’s opening night triumph over West Georgia (11/04), and contributed a season-high 21 points against Prairie View A&M (12/08). He is the sole State player since at least 1988-89 to score 20 points off the bench in a season opener. Harris Jr. and Hubbard made program history as the first duo of teammates to tally at least six three-pointers in a single game during the 2024-25 opener.

 

In total, Harris Jr. has accumulated 80 games in double figures, powered by 19 performances of 20+ points. His teams have a combined record of 14-5 when he scores over 20 points. The Bulldogs are 9-0 this season when Harris Jr. reaches double digits. He scored 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting against South Carolina (01/04) during the SEC opener.

 

Harris Jr.’s career-high stands at 34 points against High Point (01/11/2023) while at Charleston Southern, followed by his 2023-24 season best of 29 points versus Lehigh (12/21/2023) while at Boston College.

 

Kugel, an ESPN top 75 recruit for the Class of 2022, comes full circle after he initially pledged to the Maroon and White during the November 2021 signing period. He earned 2022-23 All-SEC Freshman-Team accolades and totaled 765 points across 80 games between State and Florida.

 

Kugel has secured 36 games in double figures, highlighted by 10 occasions of 20+ points. His career peak is 25 points against No. 13 Baylor (11/24/2023), while he achieved a SEC career-high of 24 points against Kentucky (02/22/2023) with the Gators.

 

Kugel has reached double digits in three of his last four contests and in seven instances with State. The Bulldogs boast a 6-1 record in those games. Over his last four matchups, he has averaged 13.3 points per game on 56.1 percent shooting (23-of-41) from the field. 

 

Kugel dropped 17 of his season-best 22 points in the second half against Butler (11/29). He also amassed 15 of his 19 points in the first half at No. 21 Memphis (12/21) and matched his season-high with another 22-point outing against Bethune-Cookman (12/30).

 

Similar to Kugel, Melendez is well-acquainted with the SEC after spending last season at Georgia, where the Bulldogs advanced to the 2024 NIT Final Four. He began his college career with consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances at Illinois.

 

Melendez, an ESPN top 75 recruit for the Class of 2021, has participated in 105 games and has improved his scoring average in each of his first three seasons, highlighted by 9.6 points per game at Georgia. His career-high is 35 points, assisted by six treys at Florida (01/27/2024).

 

The Puerto Rico native has registered 752 career points along with 35 career outings with 10-plus points. His teams have a 24-11 record when Melendez reaches double figures. He has averaged 11.0 points per game over his last eight appearances, led by a season-best 19 points and seven rebounds at Vanderbilt (01/07). Melendez has scored double-digit points in five of his last eight contests.

 

Nwoko has made 44 appearances at State and Miami, where two of his top five scoring performances came against top 15 opponents last season. He recorded eight points and seven rebounds against No. 8 Duke (02/21/2024) alongside eight points and six rebounds at No. 12 Kentucky (11/28/2023) with the Hurricanes.

 

Nwoko has had four performances of 10+ points this season, where State has achieved a 3-1 record. His first career double-double featured career-highs of 18 points and 11 rebounds against No. 18 Pitt (12/04) in an efficient 18 minutes of play.

 

Nwoko added his second double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds against Prairie View A&M (12/08). He has secured seven of his top 10 scoring efforts with State this season.

 

Nwoko possesses international experience, having represented Team Canada at the 2022 FIBA U18 Americas Championship and the 2023 FIBA U19 World Cup.

 

4. State’s roster includes freshmen EJ Paymon and Dellquan Warren, along with Gai Chol and Adrian Myers, who will aim to build on their freshman seasons.

 

Warren, an ESPN top 100 recruit for the Class of 2024, completed his last prep season at Our Savior Lutheran in New York, the same prep program as Dashawn Davis, who was part of State’s roster for the past two seasons.

 

Warren has contributed multiple assists in five of his games, in addition to multiple steals in two instances. He finished with two points, three rebounds, and three assists during the South Carolina matchup (01/04).

 

Chol has appeared in 27 games, all coming off the bench, throughout his first two years in Maroon and White. The South Sudan native took up basketball around the age of 10 by participating in camps in his home country led by NBA player Luol Deng.

 

Chol’s career-highs consist of 11 points and six rebounds against UT Martin (11/11/2023). He added eight points on 4-of-5 shooting against West Georgia (11/04) during the 2024-25 opener, along with six points and four rebounds during the UNLV game (11/28).   

 

Paymon was a three-time 4A state champion at Raymond High School and was the 2023-24 Gatorade Player of the Year in Mississippi. As Coach Jans announced on 11/06, Myers and Paymon are anticipated to redshirt during the 2024-25 season.

 

5. As a program, State has achieved six consecutive postseason appearances when postseason tournaments have been conducted (3 NCAA • 3 NIT) and 16 postseason entries (9 NCAA • 7 NIT) throughout the 2000s.

 

The Bulldogs have secured commitments from three ESPN top 100 recruits for the Class of 2025, which include Tee Bartlett, Jamarion Davis-Fleming, and King Grace.

 

Visit www.HailState.com for the latest updates and information regarding the men’s basketball program. Fans can also follow the program on its official social media accounts by searching for ‘HailStateMBK’ on Facebook, X, and Instagram.