Molinar goes over 1,000 career points as Mississippi State tops Ole Miss 78-60

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Junior guard Iverson Molinar finished with a game-high 20 points, going over 1,000 for his career, and the Mississippi State men’s basketball team topped Ole Miss 78-60 Saturday inside Humphrey Coliseum to split the season series with the Rebels 1-1.

With the win, the Bulldogs improve to 13-5 (4-2 SEC), while the Rebels fall to 9-9 (1-5 SEC).

Molinar shot 7-for-11 and 2-for-5 from 3-point range and also had four steals. He went over 1,000 career points when he scored on a fast-break layup with 2:27 left in the game. He is the 41st Bulldog to reach the 1,000 points club.

Graduate forward Garrison Brooks had 17 points. while junior forward D.J. Jeffries and redshirt junior forward Tolu Smith scored 11 apiece. Sophomore guard Shakeel Moore added 10 points and seven assists.

MSU shot 29-for-53 (54.7%), including 6-for-18 (33.3%) on 3s. The Bulldogs also made 14 of their 17 free throws (82.4%). MSU forced Ole Miss to 16 turnovers and held the Rebels to 23-for-47 (48.9%) shooting from the floor and 8-for-20 (40%) on 3-pointers.

Sophomore guard Matthew Murrell led Ole Miss with 14 points, while sophomore forward Jaemyn Brakefield added 13 points and graduate center Nysier Brooks finished with 12.

There were seven lead changes in the opening 9:06 of play. The Bulldogs then used an 8-0 run to go ahead 25-18 with 9:52 left in the half. The Rebels responded with a 15-2 run of their own to go up 35-30 with 4:56 left.

MSU managed to hold a 42-41 lead at the halftime break.

The Bulldogs forced Ole Miss into turnovers on its first two possessions of the second half and led 50-44 with 15:23 to play.

Ole Miss came within two at 51-49 before MSU scored 15 straight points to grab a 66-49 lead with 7:06 left.

MSU carried the big lead on its way to a 78-60 final score.

The Bulldogs will return to action Tuesday when they hit the road to take on No. 12 Kentucky at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN.