Xavier absolutely rolled Mississippi State 81-63 on Friday night, and Tru Washington was the undisputed boss, dropping 21 points on the Bulldogs in White Sulphur Springs. This team is 4-0 right now, and they are not messing around.
Tru Washington’s Early Season Statement
Tru Washington wasn’t just scoring, he was doing everything. The dude racked up 21 points, pulled down eight rebounds, and dished out four assists. Talk about a complete performance! He set the tone early, too, hitting seven points in the first five-plus minutes of the game. Then, just when Mississippi State thought they might breathe, Washington drained a three-pointer early in the second half, pushing Xavier’s lead to double digits. It was a statement performance from him, no doubt.
Musketeers Shut Down the Bulldogs, Stay Perfect
Xavier didn’t just win, they controlled this game from practically wire to wire. They grabbed a 21-14 lead midway through the first half and never really looked back. Even when the Bulldogs tried to claw their way back, the Musketeers slammed the door shut with a sick 13-4 run over the final three-and-a-half minutes of the first half, heading into the break up 41-31. They kept pushing in the second, extending the lead to 59-41 with twelve-and-a-half minutes left and hitting 69-50 with eight minutes to go. For the rest of the game, Xavier kept at least a 14-point cushion, showing that 4-0 record is no fluke. Jovan Milicevic chipped in 12 points and Nikos Chitikoudis added 11, proving this team has depth. Plus, their record against current SEC members since 2003-04? A stout 31-17. That’s a statement right there.
Mississippi State Can’t Keep Up, But Hubbard’s Still Chasing History
Mississippi State, now sitting at 3-1, just couldn’t find an answer for Xavier’s attack. Josh Hubbard led the Bulldogs with 12 points, and RJ Johnson added 11, but it wasn’t enough to make a real dent. Hubbard, though, is on the verge of some serious history, just three steals shy of becoming only the ninth player in SEC history to hit 2,000 points, 300 assists, and 100 steals. That’s a massive achievement for the guy, even if Friday night wasn’t his team’s best showing.
Xavier’s got Cleveland State up next on Tuesday, while Mississippi State gets a chance to rebound against UCF, also on Tuesday. Can Xavier keep that perfect record rolling? We’ll be watching!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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