Iverson Molinar notched 18 points and four assists to lead Mississippi State over Georgia State in a 79-50 rout on Tuesday night in Starkville, Miss.
D.J. Jeffries had 15 points and four rebounds for the Bulldogs (7-3), who broke a two-game losing skid. Derek Fountain produced 10 points and nine rebounds as MSU shot 55 percent from the floor and was 26 of 30 from the stripe.
Georgia State (5-4) had trouble all game making shots and lost the teams’ first meeting since 2016.
Despite having success by beating its last two Southeastern Conference opponents – Georgia and Alabama in the 2018-19 campaign – the Panthers were able to dial up just 33 percent shooting from the field.
Corey Allen led the Panthers with 13 points and five rebounds. Nelson Phillips managed nine points and four boards.
Opening a three-game stretch in eight days before eventually beginning conference play, the Bulldogs found themselves in a battle early on.
Phillips canned a pair of threes for a 6-4 lead for the Panthers, but the home side went on a 12-5 run during a five-minute stretch for a 16-11 lead at 13:45.
The Sun Belt Conference team struggled by making just 30 percent and fell down twice by 12 points and eventually 21.
A 16-4 run by MSU to close out the half left the Bulldogs holding a 43-22 advantage going into the locker room.
Molinar and Jeffries each had a big half by leading the way with 13, with Molinar perfect on field goals and free throws – four each – and Jeffries adding four rebounds.
Phillips topped his club with six, but the Panthers were outshot 58-27 percent from the field and were just 2-for-11 from distance.
Ja’Heim Hudson and Allen drained threes as the visitors reeled off an 8-2 run in the first 3:26 of the second, trimming the deficit to 45-30.
But Shakeel Moore’s trey led an 11-0 run in just under five minutes to put MSU ahead 58-33 – sending the SEC squad to its fourth straight win over the Panthers in the 2000s.
-Field Level Media
