# SEC Men's Basketball: Mississippi State Bulldogs Dominates Northwestern State Demons 82-44

**Published:** 2026-11-05 — **By:** Stacy Stanfield
**Category:** games — **Type:** game-recap
**Source:** https://secscouts.com/news/sec-men-s-basketball-mississippi-state-bulldogs-dominates-northwestern-state-demons-82-44

**Teams:** [Miss State](https://secscouts.com/mississippi-state/)

**Players:** [Thomas Bassong](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/5316047/thomas-bassong), [King Grace](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/5142708/king-grace), [Kimani Hamilton](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/5105538/kimani-hamilton), [Josh Hubbard](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/4895740/josh-hubbard)


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STARKVILLE, Miss. (11/04/2026) — Mississippi State's balanced offensive attack and dominant rebounding effort powered the Bulldogs to an 82-44 victory over Northwestern State at Humphrey Coliseum on Wednesday night, as 6,126 fans watched the home team control every facet of the contest from opening tip.

## How It Happened

Mississippi State established control immediately and never relented. The Bulldogs scored the game's first 10 points, capped by a King Grace 23-foot three-pointer off a Kimani Hamilton assist at the 15:34 mark that pushed the lead to double figures before Northwestern State had found its footing.

The Demons kept the deficit manageable through the first half's midpoint, but a decisive sequence beginning at the 5:41 mark effectively put the game away. Tajuan Simpkins converted a 25-foot three off a Josh Hubbard assist, then Kendyl Sanders drained a 24-footer off a Thomas Bassong dish at 4:54, and Hubbard added his own 23-foot three moments later at 4:32 — a rapid-fire burst that extended the Mississippi State advantage to 39-17 and exposed the gap in firepower between the two teams.

Northwestern State's Kai Simpson kept the Demons alive individually, hitting a 28-footer to answer at 4:08, then burying a 25-footer with 46 seconds remaining to cut into a growing deficit. But King Grace responded with a 23-foot three at 1:34, and Tee Bartlett's free throw with 29 seconds left sent Mississippi State into the locker room ahead 49-27.

The second half brought no relief for Northwestern State. Kimani Hamilton opened the period with a layup and later a 2-foot dunk — both off Hubbard assists — to push the advantage to 56-27 by the 17:15 mark. Sanders delivered the knockout blow with a 23-foot three at 9:12 to make it 67-36, and Hubbard's 25-footer at 4:50 stretched the margin to 31. The Bulldogs closed the contest with an 11-0 run, capped by a King Grace dunk and a Dionjahe Thomas free throw, to reach the final margin of 82-44.

## Turning Point

The late-first-half three-point barrage — three consecutive Mississippi State threes between the 5:41 and 4:32 marks — transformed a 29-15 game into a 39-17 rout. That 10-0 burst in under 70 seconds of game time broke Northwestern State's resistance and established a margin the Demons never seriously threatened for the remainder of the evening.

## Star of the Game

Josh Hubbard led all scorers with 15 points, adding 2 rebounds and 3 assists to anchor the Mississippi State attack. His ability to create for others — setting up Hamilton's back-to-back scoring plays to open the second half and distributing throughout the game — made him the engine of an offense that shot 41% from the field and owned the glass with a commanding 50-34 rebounding advantage.

King Grace added 12 points, Kimani Hamilton contributed 10 points and 7 rebounds, and Thomas Bassong posted 8 points and 8 rebounds in a balanced showing that illustrated the Bulldogs' depth across the roster.

For Northwestern State, Simpson was the lone consistent bright spot with 13 points and 6 rebounds, including two three-pointers that briefly energized the Demons. But a 30% team shooting performance and 12 turnovers — double Mississippi State's six — made sustained pressure impossible to generate.

## What It Means

Mississippi State's performance delivered an early statement about the Bulldogs' interior dominance and perimeter versatility. The 50-rebound effort against Northwestern State's 34 signals a physical advantage the Bulldogs figure to press throughout the season. With four players scoring in double figures and multiple contributors connecting from three-point range, the depth of the Mississippi State offense will be a strength as conference competition approaches.

For Northwestern State, the 44-point output and shooting inefficiency are areas that will demand attention. Simpson's performance confirmed the Demons have individual talent capable of impacting games, but collective execution — particularly shooting efficiency and ball security — must improve as Southland Conference play begins.

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*Original article: [SEC Men's Basketball: Mississippi State Bulldogs Dominates Northwestern State Demons 82-44](https://secscouts.com/news/sec-men-s-basketball-mississippi-state-bulldogs-dominates-northwestern-state-demons-82-44) — SEC Scouts*