Aggies dominate Mississippi State in close-to-perfect performance

Game #19: Texas A&M 88, Mississippi State 68
Records: Texas A&M (15-4, 5-1), Mississippi State (10-9, 2-4)
Box Score

Perfection is an elusive goal.

Yet, Texas A&M (15-4, 5-1) on Wednesday came about as close to attaining perfection as a basketball team can in an 88-68 victory over Mississippi State (10-9, 2-4).

The Aggies’ overall effort was as close to perfect as their 23-for-24 showing at the free-throw line. They also committed just three turnovers, held Mississippi State’s high-scoring guard Josh Hubbard in check and were in complete control in the second half.

A&M head coach Bucky McMillan was perfectly pleased with the performance.

“The execution, having low turnovers, making free throws, holding a team to 68 points in a high-possession game … I’m pleased with it. That’s all I’m going to say,” McMillan said. “Perfect? I’d like to see perfect, but it’s pretty good. I’m pleased with that one.”

So was the crowd of 9,474 at Reed Arena.

They saw Rashaun Agee lead the way by posting his ninth double-double with a season-high 23 points and 10 rebounds. They saw Rylan Griffen score 15 points to hit double figures for the fourth consecutive game.

Will Huffman, TexAgs

Rashaun Agee’s season-high 23 points marked his highest scoring output since his time at USC, when he dropped 27 against Tulane in the College Basketball Crown on April 1, 2025.

They saw Jacari Lane and Pop Isaacs add 10 apiece. They saw A&M dish out 18 assists, force 13 turnovers and generally tire out the visiting Bulldogs with their constant pressure.

Most of that pressure was applied to Hubbard, who entered the game with an SEC-leading 22.3 scoring average.

Hubbard was held to just 12 points. That was his lowest total of the season in games in which he played more than two minutes.

“I know Josh personally,” Griffen said. “He came to me, and he was like, ‘Dang, y’all gonna stop pressing? I’m getting tired out here.’
I’m like, ‘Man, unfortunately not, bro. Trust me, it’s both ways. We tired, and y’all tired, too.’

“I would just say we’re used to doing it, so we don’t get as tired as quick. I feel like it was just the press that slowed him down.”

That was the plan.

“Just tried to wear him down,” McMillan said. “Lean on him. He’s a good player, obviously. You’ve just got to kind of do it collectively. He’s going to get his. He’s dealt with a lot of harassment.

“What do they say? You want to play mother-in-law defense on him. Constant nagging and harassment.”

Spoken like a man who’s not married.

Hubbard actually started fast. He scored Mississippi State’s first basket, added a 3-pointer soon afterward and drilled another trey to forge a 21-21 tie with 9:45 left in the first half.

That was the last time he scored in the half.

The Aggies answered Hubbard’s quick start with a 13-2 run, which was capped by a trio of 3-pointers — two from Griffen and another from Lane. The rally staked A&M to a 34-23 lead.

“We had that spurt there when we got going, where we had that run, made a couple of threes, looked up, I think it got to 11 pretty quick,” McMillan said. “That was a good point for us in the game.”

Mississippi State never again got closer than nine points. The Aggies’ lead reached 20 points, 68-48, on a Lane layup with 10:17 to play.

The Aggies never let up, but by then, their fifth SEC victory had long been perfectly safe.