Mississippi State
3-1,0-0SEC
Xavier
4-0,0-0Big East
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi St. | 31 | 32 | 63 |
| Xavier | 41 | 40 | 81 |
November 13, 2026 | Men's Basketball
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va. – Playing away from Starkville for the first time this season, the road was unkind to Mississippi State on Friday night at the Greenbrier Tip-Off in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. MSU fell to Xavier by a final score of 81-63.
Long-distance shooting proved to be critical in the contest. The Bulldogs struggled mightily from deep while the Musketeers made 3s early and often.
State connected on just four of its 29 shots from beyond the arc (14%), while Xavier was 10-for-23 (43%), including six first-half treys that helped the Musketeers take control of the ballgame.
Xavier built itself a 10-point lead after one half of play. After State scored the first four points of the night, a 9-0 Musketeer run gave Xavier a lead it never relinquished. MSU was able to shrink its deficit down to one on a couple of occasions in the first half, but by the time the period was over, Xavier went to the locker room with a 41-31 advantage.
The Musketeers maintained control throughout the second half. Aided by 13 Bulldog turnovers over the final 20 minutes, Xavier led by as many as 19 points before settling for the 18-point win.
Xavier finished the evening shooting 40% as a team, compared to 33% for MSU.
Two Bulldogs reached double figures in scoring. Josh Hubbard led State with 12 points. RJ Johnson had 11.
Tru Washington led the charge for Xavier. The senior guard's 21 points and eight rebounds set the pace for the Musketeers as they handed the Bulldogs their first loss of the season.
Mississippi State will now try and bounce back on a trip to the Sunshine State. The Bulldogs are set to face UCF in Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday, Nov. 17. The game is set for a 6 p.m. tip and is available to watch via ESPN+.
