Mississippi
Should Mississippi State basketball be concerned with Josh Hubbard’s shooting slump?
Josh Hubbard found himself open with the basketball underneath the basket. It was an open layup, with his defender a few steps behind in the dust.
The Mississippi State star leapt, but kissed the ball too hard off the glass and it fell off the rim. An open layup, missed.
It was that sort of game for Hubbard. And in reality, it’s been that sort of two months for Hubbard, who’s shooting slump continued on Tuesday. The No. 18 Bulldogs (14-3, 2-2 SEC) were smacked 88-66 at No. 1 Auburn (16-1, 4-0) for their second straight loss. Although Hubbard led them in scoring with 17 points, he shot 2-of-12 from the field, missing his first seven shots until 8:09 remained in the game.
How concerned should Mississippi State be? Here’s a look at the numbers.
What Josh Hubbard’s stats say
Hubbard is actually shooting more efficiently than his breakout freshman season. After Tuesday, the sophomore guard is shooting 40.7% from the field and 36.1% from 3. That’s up 2.2% from the field and 0.6% from 3-point range from last season. His 17.0 points per game are tops on the team.
However, Hubbard’s efficiency has declined since a hot start to the season.
Through the first four games, Hubbard shot 59.3% from the field and 60.0% from 3-point range. Since the Utah win on Nov. 17, Hubbard is 60-for-172 from the field (34.8%) and 34-for-114 from 3-point range (29.8%).
Why Mississippi State should be concerned with Josh Hubbard’s shooting
The worry with Hubbard’s efficiency is that it doesn’t seem to be improving. He’s shot at or below 33.3% in four of the last five and six of the last eight games. In the last three games, Hubbard is 10-of-37 from the field (27.0%) and 6-of-26 from 3 (23.1%).
Injuries are also mounting on the perimeter. Kanye Clary sat out again for the 10th consecutive game with a lower-leg injury. Mississippi State hasn’t provided an update on his status since the injury. Riley Kugel, who averages 9.6 points per game, also didn’t play after being a game-time decision. MSU has not said what his injury is or how long he could be out.
Why Mississippi State shouldn’t be concerned with Josh Hubbard’s shooting
Last season’s team that made the NCAA tournament needed Hubbard to be the go-to scorer. This season’s team has proven it can win games when Hubbard doesn’t have a great offensive performance.
Although the Bulldogs have lost two games in a row — both to top 10 teams in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll — they still began the season 14-1 for their best 15-game start in 21 years. Hubbard has been held under 15 points six times this season and MSU has won all of those games. That includes some of MSU’s biggest wins of the season against Vanderbilt, Memphis, Pittsburgh and Utah.
Hubbard also entered Tuesday third in the country with a 4.25 assist/turnover ratio. He didn’t record any assists against Auburn and had one turnover.
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
Mississippi
It’s 2,350 miles long, spans 31 US states and is home to a 100kg animal with a tongue that looks like a worm | Discover Wildlife
The Mississippi River flows for around 2,350 miles through the heart of the US. It drains an area of 1.2 million square miles – that’s roughly 40% of the country – and at certain points is 11 miles wide. It is North America’s second longest river, behind the Missouri River.
Rising from Lake Itasca in Minnesota, the Mississippi winds southwards through a range of environments, draining water from 31 US states before reaching its delta at the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana.
The sheer size of the river and the diversity of habitats it passes through make it a refuge for a huge range of animal species, including more than 260 fish, 326 birds, 50 mammals and at least 145 amphibians and reptiles, according to the National Park Service.
There are many weird and wonderful animals living within the Mississippi’s vast waters, but surely one of the strangest is the alligator snapping turtle.
This prehistoric-looking reptile is massive. It can weigh up to 100kg and males can grow well over half a metre long, making it the largest freshwater turtle in North America.
And as if its size wasn’t enough, the alligator snapper has a host of other characteristics that make it one of the Mississippi’s most striking creatures, including a dark, spiky shell (known as carapace), a brick-like head and a sharp, hooked beak. With such a formidable appearance, it’s easy to see how the turtle got its ‘alligator’ name.
But perhaps the turtle’s most curious feature is a worm-like appendage found on its tongue, which it uses as a lure to catch prey, such as fish, amphibians and invertebrates. Alligator snappers are also quite happy scavenging for food.
More amazing wildlife stories from around the world
NIL money comes with a price. More specifically, a tax bill.
The Mississippi legislature is trying to reduce that burden for college athletes who play there.
Via Bea Anhuci of the Mississippi Clarion Ledger, the Mississippi House of Representatives has passed a bill that would exempt NIL earnings from state income tax.
It’s a recruiting tool for Ole Miss and Mississippi State, one that would put the Mississippi schools on equal footing with other states that host SEC universities. Florida, Tennessee, and Texas have no state income tax, and Arkansas carved out NIL earnings from the state’s income tax burden in 2025.
Mississippi currently charges a four-percent tax on anyone making more than $10,000 per year.
NIL earnings remain subject to federal income tax.
The bill will have to also pass the Mississippi Senate, and the governor would then be required to sign it into law.
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