Bulldogs Can’t Get Stops Late, Fall 97-89 at South Carolina

The Bulldogs shot well and had four players in double figures, but defensive lapses proved costly in Mississippi State’s 97-89 loss at South Carolina.

South Carolina Gamecocks guard Kobe Knox (4) drives past Mississippi State Bulldogs forward Jamarion Davis-Fleming (0) and guard Shawn Jones Jr. (5) in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

Mississippi State’s two‑game win streak came to an end Saturday in Columbia, and the Bulldogs never quite found the rhythm they’d been playing with over the last two weeks.

Josh Hubbard, who had scored 30 or more in three straight games, finished with just 13, and the Bulldogs couldn’t keep up with South Carolina’s pace in a 97-89 loss.

It wasn’t a bad offensive night, but it also wasn’t the kind of outing that could cover for the defensive issues that kept popping up.

The Bulldogs hung around for stretches, traded buckets early, and got scoring from multiple spots, but the Gamecocks stayed a step ahead most of the afternoon.

South Carolina didn’t look like a team with only two SEC wins. The Gamecocks shot 63% from the field in the first half, their highest percentage in a first half in four years.

Mississippi State came out with good energy and hung around throughout the first half, staying within reach thanks to balanced scoring. By halftime, the Bulldogs were behind but not by very much in the game. It was the kind of spot where one run could’ve flipped the momentum.

Clean the glass and one 👑 pic.twitter.com/7nlG6ngYBZ

— Mississippi State Men's Basketball (@HailStateMBK) February 21, 2026

Quincy Ballard led the way with 15 points and gave State steady production inside. Jayden Epps matched him with 15 of his own, providing a needed spark in stretches. Hubbard had his 13 and pushed the pace whenever he could, and Jayden Epps joined him at 13 to round out a group that put four players in double figures.

The problem wasn’t scoring. Mississippi State shot 45% from the field and hit enough shots to stay competitive. The issue was keeping South Carolina from doing the same and then some.

The Gamecocks were efficient all night, especially in transition and from deep, and every time Mississippi State threatened to close the gap, South Carolina answered with a clean possession or a timely three.

The closest the Bulldogs got to South Carolina was 77-73 with a little more than three minutes left to play, but the Gamecocks had answer.

Missed chances down the stretch didn’t help, and the Gamecocks slowly pulled away in the final minutes to put it out of reach.

For Mississippi State, it was a night where the offense showed up, but the stops didn’t come often enough to make it matter.