Texas saw its SEC opener slip away in heartbreaking fashion Saturday night, falling 101-98 in overtime to Mississippi State after a furious finish and a clutch performance from Bulldogs star Josh Hubbard.
Hubbard tied his career high with 38 points, drilling a massive 3-pointer late in regulation and sealing the game with free throws in overtime as Mississippi State improved to 9-5 overall and 1-0 in SEC play.
Jayden Epps added 27 points, and Achor Achor chipped in 10 points and 13 rebounds as the Bulldogs extended their winning streak to five.
The loss snapped Texas' two-game winning streak and dropped the Longhorns to 9-5 (0-1 SEC) in a game that featured big runs, momentum swings, and late-game drama from start to finish. Texas was carried by a monster performance from Dailyn Swain, who poured in a career-high 34 points with 14 rebounds before fouling out with 1:42 remaining in the second half. Tramon Mark added 20 points, including a late three and a coast-to-coast layup in overtime, while Matas Vokietaitis finished with 19 points. The Longhorns trailed 48-43 at halftime, despite Swain's 18 first-half points, as Hubbard scored 20 of his own in the opening 20 minutes to keep Mississippi State in control.
Texas clawed its way back in the second half and briefly looked poised to steal the opener, taking a seven-point lead when Swain converted a 3-point play with 2:17 remaining in regulation.
Mississippi State responded with composure. The Bulldogs closed regulation on a 7-0 run, capped by Brandon Walker's putback with 17 seconds left to force overtime tied at 86-86.
In the extra period, Hubbard took over.
He scored to open overtime, then completed a three-point play to push Mississippi State ahead 96-90. Texas had one last surge, tying the game at 96 when Mark buried a three and followed it by stripping Hubbard and finishing at the rim with 51 seconds left.
But Hubbard answered again, knocking down a cold-blooded jumper from beyond the arc to put the Bulldogs back on top. After Mark split free throws on back-to-back trips, Hubbard iced the game with two from the line with six seconds remaining.
Both teams struggled early before finding rhythm. Mississippi State led 11-6, Texas answered with a Vokietaitis dunk that sparked rapid lead changes, and the game settled into a back-and-forth battle that never found separation until the final moments.
Texas showed resilience and fire in its conference debut, but late execution and foul trouble proved costly.
The Longhorns now turn the page quickly as SEC play continues, knowing they were one or two plays away from a very different result.