Mississippi high school basketball playoffs 2024: MHSAA bracket, scores

Published

2 years ago

February 20, 2024

Mississippi high school basketball playoffs 2024: MHSAA bracket, scores

The MHSAA state tournament is here. Follow the 2024 Mississippi postseason with schedule and results. Game dates and times are subject to change.

Boys

Class 7A

First Round

Saturday, Feb. 17

Germantown 62, Lewisburg 47

Starkville 54, Oxford 49

Meridian 64, Gulfport 41

Ocean Springs 61, Pearl 47

Madison Central 62, Southaven 42

Clinton 65, Horn Lake 47

Harrison Central 79, Northwest Rankin 66

Brandon 58, Biloxi 54

Quarterfinals

Friday, Feb. 23

At MVSU

Germantown vs. Starkville, 7 p.m.

Madison Central vs. Clinton, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 24

At MGCCC

Meridian vs. Ocean Springs, 4 p.m.

Harrison Central vs. Brandon, 5:30 p.m.

Class 6A

First Round

Saturday, Feb. 17

Olive Branch 83, Columbus 37

Vicksburg 82, Lake Cormorant 47

Terry 62, Hancock 34

Picayune 42, Forest Hill 35

Ridgeland 70, Grenada 56

Center Hill 64, Callaway 45

Pascagoula 73, West Jones 46

West Harrison 63, Hattiesburg 60

Quarterfinals

Thursday, Feb. 22

At MVSU

Olive Branch vs. Vicksburg, 7 p.m.

Ridgeland vs. Center Hill, 8:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 23

At MGCCC

Terry vs. Picayune, 7 p.m.

Pascagoula vs. West Harrison, 8:30 p.m.

Class 5A

First Round

Saturday, Feb. 17

New Hope 63, Gentry 38

Yazoo City 46, Pontotoc 32

Provine 78, Gautier 44

Brookhaven 69, Laurel 64

Cleveland Central 65, Lafayette 30

Canton 58, Clarksdale 37

Wayne County 41, Natchez 34

South Jones 50, Stone 46

Quarterfinals

Wednesday, Feb. 21

At MVSU

New Hope vs. Yazoo City, 7 p.m.

Cleveland Central vs. Canton, 8:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 23

At Pearl River CC

Provine vs. Brookhaven, 7 p.m.

Wayne County vs. South Jones, 8:30 p.m.

Class 4A

First Round

Feb. 13

Amory 56, Louisville 52

West Lauderdale 60, Byhalia 55

Greenwood 51, Tishomingo County 32

South Pontotoc 66, Leake Central 37

Mendenhall 73, Forrest County AHS 38

Lanier 55, Greene County 41

Quitman 50, Columbia 28

McComb 68, Moss Point 33

New Albany 79, NE Lauderdale 73

Kosciusko 63, Shannon 46

Choctaw Central 89, North Pontotoc 46

Itawamba AHS 55, Caledonia 44

Raymond 83, Bay 14

Morton 56, Lawrence County 55

Pass Christian 66, Wingfield 39

Forest 51, Sumrall 49

Second Round

Friday, Feb. 16

New Albany 63, Kosciusko 50

Saturday, Feb. 17

West Lauderdale 52, Amory 44

Greenwood 57, South Pontotoc 47

Lanier 49, Mendenhall 45

McComb 59, Quitman 46

Itawamba AHS 59, Choctaw Central 46

Raymond 55, Morton 45

Pass Christian 57, Forest 48

Quarterfinals

Saturday, Feb. 24

At NEMCC

West Lauderdale vs. Greenwood, 4 p.m.

New Albany vs. Choctaw Central, 5:30 p.m.

At Pearl River CC

Lanier vs. McComb, 4 p.m.

Raymond vs. Pass Christian, 5:30 p.m.

Class 3A

First Round

Feb. 13

Booneville 70, Humphreys County 40

East Webster 74, Independence 66

Amanda Elzy 72, Mantachie 42

North Panola 86, Nettleton 52

Noxubee County 50, Franklin County 45

Tylertown 59, Jefferson Davis County 51

Port Gibson 72, Enterprise Clarke 41

Crystal Springs 55, Saint Stanislaus 43

Coahoma County 53, Mooreville 24

Edwards 68, Belmont 35

Choctaw County 53, Holly Springs 46

Alcorn Central 40, Yazoo County 38

Magee 59, West Marion 38

Jefferson County 75, SE Lauderdale 71

St. Patrick 85, Seminary 54

South Pike 50, Kemper County 45

Second Round

Saturday, Feb. 17

Booneville 65, East Webster 43

North Panola 56, Amanda Elzy 55

Tylertown 58, Noxubee County 44

Port Gibson 79, Crystal Springs 63

Coahoma County 62, Edwards 45

Choctaw County 63, Alcorn Central 52

Magee 62, Jefferson County 37

St. Patrick 78, South Pike 51

Quarterfinals

Friday, Feb. 23

At Itawamba CC

Booneville vs. North Panola, 7 p.m.

Coahoma County vs. Choctaw County, 8:30 p.m.

At Holmes CC

Tylertown vs. Port Gibson, 7 p.m.

Magee vs. St. Patrick, 8:30 p.m.

Class 2A

First Round

Feb. 13

New Site 78, O’Bannon 55

Sebastopol 65, M.S. Palmer 41

North Side 52, Hamilton 32

Calhoun City 78, Union 57

Newton 81, Wilkinson County 34

North Forrest 52, Pisgah 48

Bogue Chitto 80, Clarkdale 44

St. Andrew’s 65, Heidelberg 59

Ingomar 78, Eupora 36

Riverside 70, Walnut 53

Philadelphia 69, Bruce 55

East Union 51, Leflore County 29

Pelahatchie 68, Collins 58

Scott Central 90, Loyd Star 83

Richton 72, Puckett 60

Bay Springs 74, Amite County 62

Second Round

Friday, Feb. 16

East Union 50, Philadelphia 45

Saturday, Feb. 17

New Site 72, Sebastopol 39

Northside 51, Calhoun City 46

Newton 67, North Forrest 44

Bogue Chitto 67, St. Andrew’s 52

Ingomar 65, Riverside 47

Pelahatchie 48, Scott Central 47

Bay Springs 70, Richton 57

Quarterfinals

Friday, Feb. 23

At NEMCC

New Site vs. North Side, 7 p.m.

Ingomar vs. East Union, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 24

At Holmes CC

Newton vs. Bogue Chitto, 4 p.m.

Pelahatchie vs. Bay Springs, 5:30 p.m.

Class 1A

First Round

Feb. 13

Biggersville 84, Blue Mountain 35

Okolona 81, Falkner 67

Potts Camp 76, Tupelo Christian Prep 62

Pine Grove 48, West Lowndes 46

South Delta 71, Mount Olive 43

Velma Jackson 58, Enterprise 56

Leake County 64, West Bolivar 40

Nanih Waiya 72, Resurrection Catholic 61

Byers 70, Houlka 36

Coffeeville 64, Wheeler 55

West Union 92, Myrtle 48

Baldwyn 71, Hickory Flat 50

McAdams 53, Sacred Heart 42

Taylorsville 64, Simmons 52

East Marion 73, Ethel 33

West Tallahatchie 64, Piney Woods 48

Second Round

Saturday, Feb. 17

Biggersville 77, Okolona 45

Potts Camp 69, Pine Grove 60

South Delta 80, Velma Jackson 54

Leake County 69, Nanih Waiya 44

Byers 69, Coffeeville 67

Baldwyn 61, West Union 57

McAdams 57, Taylorsville 23

East Marion 54, West Tallahatchie 46

Quarterfinals

Thursday, Feb. 22

At Itawamba CC

Biggersville vs. Potts Camp, 7 p.m.

Byers vs. Baldwyn, 8:30 p.m.

At Raymond HS

South Delta vs. Leake County, 7 p.m.

McAdams vs. East Marion, 8:30 p.m.

Girls

Class 7A

First Round

Friday, Feb. 16

Starkville 83, Hernando 71

Tupelo 65, Oxford 29

NW Rankin 58, D’Iverville 42

Biloxi 41, Brandon 33

Germantown 47, DeSoto Central 22

Madison Central 49, Lewisburg 44

St. Martin 60, Pearl 36

Meridian 42, Harrison Central 30

Quarterfinals

Friday, Feb. 23

At MVSU

Tupelo vs. Starkville, 4 p.m.

Germantown vs. Madison Central, 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 24

At MGCCC

NW Rankin vs. Biloxi, 1 p.m.

St. Martin vs. Meridian, 2:30 p.m.

Class 6A

First Round

Friday, Feb. 16

South Panola 69, Ridgeland 37

Callaway 53, Grenada 25

Terry 62, Long Beach 16

Hattiesburg 50, Pascagoula 45

Neshoba Central 75, Center Hill 49

Olive Branch 58, Vicksburg 54

Hancock 62, West Jones 48

Forrest Hill 73, West Harrison 52

Quarterfinals

Thursday, Feb. 22

At MVSU

South Panola vs. Callaway, 4 p.m.

Neshoba Central vs. Olive Branch, 5:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 23

At MGCCC

Terry vs. Hattiesburg, 4 p.m.

Hancock vs. Forest Hill, 5:30 p.m.

Class 5A

First Round

Friday, Feb. 16

West Point 46, Greenville 35

Canton 65, New Hope 53

Florence 61, Stone 17

Wayne County 41, Brookhaven 35

Holmes County Central 49, Lafayette 35

Pontotoc 69, Gentry 32

Laurel 60, North Pike 23

Natchez 44, East Central 6

Quarterfinals

Wednesday, Feb. 21

At MVSU

West Point vs. Canton, 4 p.m.

Holmes County Central vs. Pontotoc, 5:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 23

At PRCC

Florence vs. Wayne County, 4 p.m.

Laurel vs. Natchez, 5:30 p.m.

Class 4A

First Round

Monday, Feb. 12

Tishomingo County 68, Caledonia 31

North Pontotoc 44, Newton County 38

Louisville 66, Shannon 22

Leake Central 53, Senatobia 47

Quitman 60, Purvis 33

Raymond 55, Pass Christian 51

Lawrence County 40, Forest 33

Greene County 50, Richland 45

South Pontotoc 46, NE Lauderdale 34

Houston 58, Ripley 49

Choctaw Central 87, New Albany 5

Itawamba AHS 44, Kosciusko 30

Lanier 29, Moss Point 11

Columbia 52, Northeast Jones 44

Bay 43, McComb 22

Morton 52, Forrest County AHS 23

Second Round

Friday, Feb. 16

Tishomingo County 75, North Pontotoc 31

Louisville 45, Leake Central 35

Quitman 78, Raymond 49

Lawrence County 53, Greene County 41

South Pontotoc 37, Houston 32

Lanier 57, Columbia 48

Morton 31, Bay 30

Saturday, Feb. 17

Choctaw Central 72, Itawamba AHS 33

Quarterfinals

Saturday, Feb. 24

At NEMCC

Tishomingo County vs. Louisville, 1 p.m.

South Pontotoc vs. Choctaw Central, 2:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 24

At PRCC

Quitman vs. Lawrence County, 1 p.m.

Lanier vs. Morton, 2:30 p.m.

Class 3A

First Round

Feb. 12

Booneville 65, Humphreys County 28

East Webster 51, Coahoma County 36

Yazoo County 65, Kossuth 53

North Panola 47, Nettleton 30

Kemper County 64, Wesson 45

St. Patrick 51, Crystal Springs 46

Port Gibson 61, Noxubee County 53

Magee 55, West Marion 53

Independence 63, Mooreville 32

Alcorn Central 66, Amanda Elzy 33

Choctaw County 64, Rosa Fort 37

Belmont 67, Edwards 30

Jefferson Davis County 61, Perry Central 24

South Pike 43, Enterprise Clarke 19

Tylertown 45, Hazlehurst 20

SE Lauderdale 43, Franklin County 37

Second Round

Friday, Feb. 16

Yazoo County 51, North Panola 37

St. Patrick 46, Kemper County 42

Port Gibson 67, Magee 48

Alcorn Central 47, Independence 38

Belmont 62, Choctaw County 46

Jefferson Davis County 57, South Pike 46

Tylertown 54, SE Lauderdale 37

Saturday, Feb. 17

Booneville 78, East Webster 44

Quarterfinals

Friday, Feb. 23

At Itawamba CC

Booneville vs. Yazoo County, 4 p.m.

Alcorn Central vs. Belmont, 5:30 p.m.

At Holmes CC

St. Patrick vs. Port Gibson, 4 p.m.

Jefferson Davis County vs. Tylertown, 5:30 p.m.

Class 2A

First Round

Feb. 12

New Site 70, O’Bannon 34

Union 63, Bruce 22

Charleston 49, Hatley 40

Calhoun City 55, Eupora 24

Bay Springs 70, Loyd Star 39

St. Andrew’s 48, North Forrest 34

Bogue Chitto 73, Scott Central 40

Pisgah 37, Richton 36

Ingomar 63, Sebastopol 18

Walnut 72, Riverside 56

Philadelphia 56, M.S. Palmer 25

East Union 64, North Side 42

Pelahatchie 63, Collins 44

West Lincoln 33, Lake 26

Heidelberg 64, Raleigh 24

Newton 49, Amite County 14

Second Round

Friday, Feb. 16

New Site 64, Union 34

Calhoun City 57, Charleston 40

Bay Springs 41, St. Andrew’s 26

Bogue Chitto 61, Pisgah 42

Ingomar 65, Walnut 43

East Union 74, Philadelphia 52

Pelahatchie 47, West Lincoln 46

Heidelberg 44, Newton 42

Quarterfinals

Friday, Feb. 23

At NEMCC

New Site vs. Calhoun City, 4 p.m.

Ingomar vs. East Union, 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 24

At Holmes CC

Bay Springs vs. Bogue Chitto, 1 p.m.

Pelahatchie vs. Heidelberg, 2:30 p.m.

Class 1A

First Round

Feb. 12

Baldwyn 47, Potts Camp 29

Smithville 43, Falkner 42

Blue Mountain 56, Thrasher 17

Pine Grove 44, Vardaman 32

South Delta 50, Mount Olive 12

McAdams 55, East Marion 30

Taylorsville 54, Leland 18

Velma Jackson 38, Enterprise 28

Okolona 51, Myrtle 49

Hickory Flat 66, Wheeler 53

West Union 57, Ashland 46

Biggersville 63, Coffeeville 21

Nanih Waiya 56, Salem 42

Simmons 61, Leake County 44

Lumberton 42, Noxapater 19

Shaw 42, Stringer 22

Second Round

Friday, Feb. 16

Baldwyn 31, Smithville 21

Blue Mountain 74, Pine Grove 30

South Delta 62, McAdams 37

Taylorsville 57, Velma Jackson 50

Hickory Flat 57, Okolona 56

Biggersville 72, West Union 55

Simmons 40, Nanih Waiya 39

Lumberton 47, Shaw 42

Quarterfinals

Thursday, Feb. 22

At Itawamba CC

Baldwyn vs. Blue Mountain, 4 p.m.

Hickory Flat vs. Biggersville, 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 22

At Raymond HS

South Delta vs. Taylorsville, 4 p.m.

Simmons vs. Lumberton, 5:30 p.m.

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This river cruise made the American Deep South feel all-inclusive

Published

7 hours ago

January 11, 2026

Press Room

This river cruise made the American Deep South feel all-inclusive

The Viking Mississippi offers cruises along the Mississippi River, exploring cities like Natchez, Vicksburg, and Greenville.
Onboard experiences reflect the region’s culture with local music, cuisine, and historical lectures.
Fares are largely inclusive, covering meals, drinks, Wi-Fi, and at least one shore excursion per port.

During my first visit to Natchez, Mississippi, I covered nearly 200 years of history in a few hours.

A shore excursion on my nearly week-long cruise aboard Viking Mississippi took me from Magnolia Hall, an 1858 Greek Revival and Italianate mansion, to the Stratton Chapel Gallery – home to photographs of Natchez dating back to the mid-1800s – behind First Presbyterian Church. Our shuttle bus then stopped by the Proud to Take a Stand monument, honoring residents who were incarcerated following a Civil Rights demonstration, before dropping my tour group back at the bank of the Mississippi River – and I still had an entire afternoon to explore.

The tour was one of several complimentary excursions I took during my early December sailing. The ship, which is Viking’s only river vessel based in the U.S., offers an easy and almost entirely inclusive way for guests to see the American South. Here’s what to know.

Where does Viking Mississippi go?

My cruise – the eight-day Mississippi Delta Explorer itinerary – traveled from New Orleans and ended in Memphis, Tennessee (though I boarded late in St. Francisville, Louisiana). I spent my days exploring small cities along the way, both on my own and under the tutelage of knowledgeable guides at each stop.

During my free time in Natchez, I trekked up a hill and through town to Wishes Sweets & Eats, where I snagged one of the last snickerdoodles before perching on a bench along the Natchez Bluff Walking Trail to enjoy views of the river (and Louisiana across the water).

The following day in Vicksburg, low water required the ship to stop at an alternate landing outside of town. The river’s fluctuating levels can impede cruise ships, but Viking Mississippi has a flat bottom that allows it to keep moving even when the river is shallow.

I hopped on a complimentary Viking coach for a roughly 20-minute ride to browse the shops on Washington Street. On a fairly sunny, 58-degree day, I grabbed a latte at Highway 61 Coffeehouse and browsed Lorelei Books, which had exposed brick and a large selection of regional titles, from Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” to “Rising Tide” by John M. Barry, which details the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927.

The city is also home to the Vicksburg Civil War Museum and the Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum (the soda was first bottled in Vicksburg in 1894), which guests can visit during their stop. After returning to the ship for lunch, I boarded another shuttle for an excursion to Vicksburg National Military Park, the site of a key battle during the Civil War, where a guide detailed the events via loudspeaker.

Before arriving in Memphis, we made one last stop in Greenville. There, singer-songwriter and Mississippi Music and Culture Ambassador Steve Azar shared his love of his hometown, hosting a banquet-style concert at E.E. Bass Cultural Arts Center. The event featured a catered lunch of crispy hush puppies, catfish, smoked chicken and more – with Mississippi Sherin Sauce on the table, while Azar and others told stories between songs. The building also housed a 1901 Armitage Herschell Carousel, which guests could ride after the show.

What is the ship like?

The 386-guest ship was purpose-built for the region, evident in its design. A mural at the forward stairs displays passages from “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” for example, and the ceiling of the central Living Room mimics the frets on a guitar in a nod to the area’s musical heritage (married with the signature Scandinavian look of Viking’s other ships).

Fittingly, there was live music onboard. Memphis-based musician, Memphis Jones – an apt moniker – welcomed passengers to Tennessee with two nights of shows, featuring his take on hits from Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and more. There was also a communal record player, allowing guests to spin records from artists such as Elvis Presley and Robert Pete Williams.

There was plenty of other onboard programming, including trivia, cooking and cocktail demonstrations, and seminars related to the visited regions. A lecture on slavery and Mississippi’s efforts to secede from the Union was particularly impactful.

The cuisine also reflects the ship’s destination. On cruises that start out in New Orleans, guests can expect to see more French, Cajun and Creole fare, while barbecue is likely to be on offer as the vessel nears Memphis.

I enjoyed every meal I had onboard and developed a particular fondness for The Grill on Deck 5, an outdoor venue open for lunch and dinner with made-to-order steaks, seafood and more. I visited several times and the burger – juicy and well-seasoned – was the best one I’ve had in recent memory. The pumpkin praline cheesecake from the adjacent River Café was another highlight.

Despite its relatively small size, the ship – which began sailing in 2022 – felt spacious with wide hallways and luxurious touches, such as complimentary espresso machines and heated bathroom floors in the cabins. The service felt pampering, too: When I arrived with a large suitcase, a crew member offered me a golf cart ride down a steep hill to board the ship. Another day, when guests returned to the vessel from an outing, the staff had mulled wine waiting for us.

How much do Viking Mississippi cruises cost?

Viking Mississippi’s available cruises – ranging from eight to 22 days long – currently start at $3,499 per person based on double occupancy, according to the cruise line’s website. The fares cover lodging; meals on board; drinks such as house wines, beer and soft drinks; at least one shore excursion in each port; Wi-Fi; entertainment and more.

I grew up in Middle Tennessee, just three hours from Memphis, but by the morning of disembarkation, I felt like I’d undergone a five-night history and culture immersion session – with comfortable beds and really good cocktails. I learned something new every day of the cruise, and found myself wondering why it took me so long to make the trip.

The reporter on this story received access to this event from Viking. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of content.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.

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Mississippi

6 die in MS shooting spree including 7-year-old, police arrest suspect

Published

19 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

6 die in MS shooting spree including 7-year-old, police arrest suspect

Capital murder charge possible

A 24-year-old man was arrested and charged with murder after six people were killed in a series of shootings in northeast Mississippi.
The victims, including a 7-year-old girl and other family members of the suspect, were shot at three separate locations in Clay County.
Authorities have not yet determined a motive for the killings, which included an alleged attempted sexual assault.
Prosecutors are working to upgrade the charge to capital murder and will seek the death penalty if the suspect is found eligible.

Authorities arrested and charged a 24-year-old man with murder after six people were killed, including a 7-year-old girl, in a series of shootings Friday, Jan. 9, in northeast Mississippi.

The information was disclosed by authorities during a press conference Saturday, Jan. 10.

Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott said the victims — some of whom are family members related to the suspect — were shot at three separate locations late Friday night in Clay County.

The shootings took place in the rural community of Cedarbluff, west of the county seat of West Point. Clay County is roughly 125 miles northeast of Jackson.

Scott identified the shooting shooter as Daricka Moore, 24. Moore was booked into the county jail shortly after 3 a.m. Saturday on a first-degree murder charge. Scott said prosecutors are working to upgrade the charge to capital murder with additional murder charges forthcoming.

Investigators have yet to determine a motive.

Scott described the emotional state of surviving family members as “overwhelmed grief” in the aftermath of the incident.

The first shooting happened Friday at a residence on David Hill Road, where three people were killed. Moore allegedly shot and killed his father, Glen Moore, 67; his uncle Willie Guines, 55; and his brother Quinton Moore, 33.

Upon arrival, deputies discovered the three men sustained gunshot wounds to the head.

Moore then allegedly stole Quinton’s pickup truck and drove to a home located on Blake Road, where deputies had initially received their first 911 call.

Scott said Clay County E-911 received a call at approximately 6:56 p.m. Friday in regard to gunshot victims at Blake Road. Clay County deputies arrived on the scene at 7:03 p.m. Friday.

Scott said once at that residence on Blake Road, Moore allegedly “forced his way into the home and attempted to commit a sexual battery while armed with a handgun.”

“At some point, Moore, in front of witnesses, allegedly shot and killed a 7-year-old female at the home,” Scott said.

According to authorities, the child suffered a gunshot wound to the head. The child was pronounced deceased at the scene. Moore allegedly tried to sexually assault the child prior to killing her.

Investigators said the girl was also related to the suspect but did not release her name.

“Personally, I don’t know what kind of motive you could have to kill a 7-year-old,” Scott said. “It’s just none out there, that you can explain to me why this would happen.”

It is believed that Moore fled from the Blake Road scene in the stolen vehicle and traveled to a residence on Siloam-Griffith Road, where two people were found dead.

Deputies were directed to the Griffith Road residence by a 911 call.

Scott said upon arrival, investigators discovered the stolen pickup truck hidden behind the house. While at the home, deputies discovered apparent forced entry into the rear of the residence.

Two deceased males, Berry Bradley and Samuel Bradley, had suffered gunshot wounds to their heads. Both brothers, who are from Columbus, were pronounced dead at the scene.

It is unclear if the brothers had any connection to Moore before the shooting.

Law enforcement captured Moore at the intersection of Pine Grove Road and Joe Myers Road. Moore was in a vehicle allegedly stolen from the Siloam-Griffith house.

Moore was taken into custody by members of the Mississippi Highway Patrol, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Marshals and other law enforcement agencies.

Scott stated that Moore was not on law enforcement’s “radar” before the shootings, and authorities had no records of prior criminal charges against him.

“We all lift our hearts and prayer for the victims and families,” Scott said. “This has really, really shaken our community. For me, almost 30 years, and this is one of the toughest ones we’ve had to work. Our job right now is to thoroughly investigate and make sure that we get our district attorney’s office everything that they need to prosecute.”

District Attorney Scott Colom, who recently threw his hat into the ring for next year’s U.S. Senate race, spoke at the press conference.

Colom stated that the death penalty will be sought if Moore is found eligible, noting that further investigation and potential mental evaluations must be completed before the district attorney’s office pursues this course of action.

“Typically, I would consult with the victims and, you know, wait down the line. But there’s some cases [where] they’ve got to get the worst punishment. They got to get the worst punishment. Six people, one night, several different scenes. You’ve heard the allegations. They’re about as bad as it gets,” Colom said.

“If he’s eligible, we’re going to go for the death penalty and let a jury decide his fate.”

Authorities said the details shared at the press conference are considered preliminary information and are subject to change.

Pam Dankins is the breaking news reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Have a tip? Email her at pdankins@gannett.com.

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Will Kentucky basketball beat Mississippi State today? Our prediction

Published

1 day ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Will Kentucky basketball beat Mississippi State today? Our prediction

Mississippi State guard Josh Hubbard leads the SEC in scoring, averaging 23 points per game.
Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope praised Hubbard as an electric scorer and the team’s leading playmaker.
Kentucky is looking for its first SEC win after an 0-2 start, while Mississippi State is on a six-game winning streak.

LEXINGTON — So much of the focus on Josh Hubbard is his scoring ability.

And rightly so.

Hubbard, a junior guard for Mississippi State, is averaging an SEC-best 23 points per game, which is tied for fifth nationally. But Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope said Hubbard isn’t simply a scorer.

“He’s their leading assist guy by far,” said Pope, alluding to Hubbard’s 3.7 assists per game, more than twice as many as his closest teammate.

Stream Kentucky vs. Mississippi State

Pope and the Wildcats will try to do their best to keep Hubbard in check tonight as they host the Bulldogs at Rupp Arena.

Hubbard is fresh off scoring 30 points in a home win over Oklahoma. He has two other 30-plus-point efforts this season, while he’s scored 20 or more 10 times. Hubbard has reached double figures in every game but one in 2025-26; he played just two minutes before exiting with an injury versus San Francisco last month.

“So he’s an electric scorer,” Pope said. “He’s their best playmaker, their best assist guy … and he’s bringing it on the defensive end right now. He’s (got) a full, complete game. He’s a little bit undersized (but) he’s got a real physicality to him. He’s got an unbelievable cleverness to his game. Clearly, he shoots it incredibly well.”

Can Kentucky (9-6, 0-2 SEC) stop the bleeding and avoid its third straight loss to start conference play? Or will Mississippi State (10-5, 2-0) pick up its seventh straight victory and remain unbeated versus league foes?

Here’s what to know about the Wildcats’ battle with the Bulldogs tonight in Lexington:

UK and Mississippi State are slated to tip off at 8:30 p.m. today at Rupp Arena.

Oct. 17: Blue-White game (Click here to read takeaways from the intrasquad scrimmage.)
Oct. 24: exhibition vs. Purdue (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 78, Purdue 65
Oct. 30: exhibition vs. Georgetown University (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Georgetown 84, Kentucky 70
Nov. 4: Nicholls (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 77, Nicholls 51
Nov. 7: Valparaiso (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 107, Valparaiso 59
Nov. 11: at Louisville (KFC Yum! Center) | SCORE: Louisville 96, Kentucky 88
Nov. 14: Eastern Illinois (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 99, Eastern Illinois 53
Nov. 18: vs. Michigan State (Champions Classic; Madison Square Garden, New York) | SCORE: Michigan State 83, Kentucky 66
Nov. 21: Loyola University Maryland (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 88, Loyola Maryland 46
Nov. 26: Tennessee Tech (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 104, Tennessee Tech 54
Dec. 2: North Carolina (Rupp Arena; ACC/SEC Challenge) | SCORE: North Carolina 67, Kentucky 64
Dec. 5: vs. Gonzaga (Bridgestone Arena; Nashville) | SCORE: Gonzaga 94, Kentucky 59
Dec. 9: North Carolina Central (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 103, North Carolina Central 67
Dec. 13: Indiana (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 72, Indiana 60
Dec. 20: vs. St. John’s (CBS Sports Classic; State Farm Arena, Atlanta) | SCORE: Kentucky 78, St. John’s 66
Dec. 23: Bellarmine (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 99, Bellarmine 85
Jan. 3: at Alabama | SCORE: Alabama 89, Kentucky 74
Jan. 7: Missouri (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Missouri 73, Kentucky 68
Jan. 10: Mississippi State (Rupp Arena), 8:30 p.m.
Jan. 14: at LSU, 7 p.m.
Jan. 17: at Tennessee, noon
Jan. 21: Texas (Rupp Arena), 7 p.m.
Jan. 24: Ole Miss (Rupp Arena), noon
Jan. 27: at Vanderbilt, 9 p.m.
Jan. 31: at Arkansas, 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 4: Oklahoma (Rupp Arena), 9 p.m.
Feb. 7: Tennessee (Rupp Arena), 8:30 p.m.
Feb. 14: at Florida, 3 p.m.
Feb. 17: Georgia (Rupp Arena), 9 p.m.
Feb. 21: at Auburn, 8:30 p.m.
Feb. 24: at South Carolina, 7 p.m.
Feb. 28: Vanderbilt (Rupp Arena), 2 p.m.
March 3: at Texas A&M, 7 p.m.
March 7: Florida (Rupp Arena), 4 p.m.

Record: 9-6 (0-2 SEC)

Betting odds: Kentucky is a 10⅟₂-point favorite (-102) on DraftKings, which set the over/under at 152 ⅟₂ points (-105).

Kentucky 77, Mississippi State 75: According to KenPom.com, the Wildcats have a 79% chance to best the Bulldogs. But that’s almost the exact percentage (80) the site listed for Kentucky to top Missouri on Wednesday. (You don’t need to remind UK fans how that one turned out.) The situation is becoming increasingly dire for Kentucky, which is 0-2 in SEC play for the first time since 2005-06. It’s 2-5 in Quad 1 games this season. And has had multiple embarrassing performances in marquee matchups (Louisville, Gonzaga and Michigan State spring to mind.) Tonight is a contest UK can’t afford to lose. And it won’t. But the Wildcats will keep their anxious fans biting their nails until the final possession, when Hubbard’s 3 clanks off the rim to help the hosts escape with a two-point win.

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.

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