• Official Statistics 
• Official Statistics (PDF)
• Postgame Notes & Quotes (PDF)

STARKVILLE, Miss. - A pair of freshman recorded season highs and senior Charles Rhodes matched his season high in lifting the Mississippi State Bulldogs (14-5, 5-0 Southeastern Conference) to an 88-68 thrashing of the visiting in-state rival and 15th-ranked Ole Miss Rebels (15-3, 2-3) in front of a near-record Humphrey Coliseum crowd Saturday afternoon. The win extended State’s current win streak to nine games, including a perfect 5-0 mark in the SEC.

Overall, the Bulldogs have now won 10 of the last 12 games over the Rebels.

Leading five Bulldogs scoring in double digits was all-SEC selection Charles Rhodes, who hit a career high 12 shots from the floor on just 14 attempts to record 26 points along with six rebounds. Freshmen Riley Benock and Elgin Bailey pitched in 12 and eight points, respectively, to each set a new season standard in that category. Jamont Gordon scored 13 points and dished out six assists. MSU sophomores Jarvis Varnado and Barry Stewart each recorded 12 points on a combined 9-of-16 effort from the floor, and Varnado also grabbed eight rebounds and swatted four shots.

Dwayne Curtis led the Rebels with 18 points on an 7-of-11 effort from the floor along with 11 rebounds to record the game’s only double-double. Freshman phenom Chris Warren managed 15 points on just 5-of-20 shooting, including a 2-of-10 mark from long range.

Mississippi State established a 38-31 lead at the halftime buzzer and managed to keep a safe distance from their opponents up until the 14:42 mark of the second period when MSU led 49-42. The Bulldogs would then go on a 6-0 run to stretch the lead to 55-42. State would continuously extend its lead from that point forward.

Ranking second nationally in both blocks per game and field goal percentage defense, State blocked eight Rebel shots on the afternoon along with holding the league’s second-best scoring team to just 36.8 percent from the field and 68 points – the squad’s lowest point total of the season.  Meanwhile, the Bulldogs shot a total of 56.7 percent from the field in the game, their second-best outing of the campaign.

MSU remains the only undefeated team in SEC play at a perfect 5-0 mark, matching State’s best league start since 1993-94. In addition, head coach Rick Stansbury remains undefeated versus the Rebels at home with a 10-0 mark and has posted more wins over the in-state rivals than any other team.

The Bulldogs will now hit the road to Fayetteville, Ark., to face the Arkansas Razorbacks (13-5, 2-2) this Wednesday, Jan. 30. Tipoff for the contest is set for 7 p.m. and the game will be televised by Raycom Sports.