Mississippi State topples Arkansas-Pine Bluff 80-47

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Tolu Smith and D.J. Jeffries both scored in double figures and Mississippi State cruised past Arkansas-Pine Bluff 80-47 on Sunday.

Smith had 10 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Jeffries also scored 10 points and added six rebounds and two assists.

Twelve players scored for Mississippi State and the bench outscored the starters 47-33. Among those with significant contributions off the bench were Kimani Hamilton, Tyler Stevenson and Shakeel Moore, who scored eight points apiece.

Shaun Doss scored 15 points for the Golden Lions, who also got 14 points from Chris Greene and 11 from Kylen Milton.

Mississippi State led most statistical categories, including 46.8%-29.5% shooting and a 46-34 rebounding advantage. The Bulldogs had 12 steals among the Golden Lions' 18 turnovers.

An 11-0 run in the first half helped the Bulldogs take a 41-29 halftime lead. Still, the Bulldogs overcame a couple of long scoring droughts as they had four points in the last four minutes of the first half and three points in one five-minute stretch of the second half.

The win concluded a busy first week of the season for the Bulldogs (3-0) under first-year coach Chris Jans. The Bulldogs previously defeated Texas A&M Corpus Christi and Arkon.

Jans, in his third Division I stop as a head coach, entered the season third nationally in winning percentage at .766.

UAPB is 1-3, with losses to TCU, Oklahoma and now Mississippi State in the first week of the season.

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