Hubbard hits 5 3s, scores 22 as Mississippi State beats UT Martin 87-63

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- — Josh Hubbard hit five 3-pointers and finished with 22 points Saturday to help Mississippi State beat UT Martin 87-63.

Cameron Matthews had 12 points and Gai Chol and Trey Fort — who hit three 3s — scored 11 apiece for Mississippi State (2-0). Jimmy Bell Jr. grabbed 12 rebounds to go with seven points and three blocks. Shawn Jones Jr. added eight points, three steals and two blocks.

Hubbard was fouled as he hit a 3-pointer and made the and-1 free throw to give Mississippi State the lead for good with 16:31 left in the first half. Hubbard followed with two free throws before Chol converted a three-point play to cap a 9-0 spurt that gave the Bulldogs a 15-8 lead about 2 minutes later.

D.J. Jeffries hit a 3-pointer that pushed Mississippi State's lead into double figures for good amid a 13-4 run to close the first half that made it 41-27. The Skyhawks, who made 9 of 35 (25.7%) from the field and 1 of 13 (7.7%) from 3-point range, were plus-4 (10-6) on the offensive glass but outscored 9-0 in second-chance points before intermission.

Jordan Sears led UT Martin with 21 points on 7-of-19 shooting and KK Curry scored 13.

UT Martin returns home to play NAIA-member Brescia on Tuesday and Mississippi State plays host to North Alabama on Wednesday.

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