The ball arched through the air following a corner shot. The net swooshed with the made basket. The crowd leapt to its feet and erupted.
At the center of it all was Josh Hubbard.
The freshman made waves in his debut performance at Humphrey Coliseum on Saturday and helped lead Mississippi State to an 87-63 win over UT Martin. Hubbard was electric off the bench, scoring a team-high 22 points — 15 of which came from behind the arc — while pulling down three rebounds and dishing out three assists. He shot 7-of-12 from the floor, including a whopping 63 percent from three-point range.
Although he was able to get a taste of college basketball action in the Bulldog's season-opening victory over Arizona State on Wednesday, Hubbard's first time playing on his home court was something that he could once only dream about
"As a little kid, I watched Mississippi State basketball all the time," Hubbard said. "To wear the jersey and to play under [head coach Chris Jans] and to play in the Hump is definitely amazing and a blessing for sure."
The Madison, Mississippi, native is used to big moments. He set the Magnolia State high school record for most points scored all-time during his senior year at Madison Ridgeland Academy and helped lead the program on multiple postseason runs. However, none of that could totally ease the butterflies in his stomach as he started his career at the next level.
"The team told me that I would be nervous, that it's normal for a freshman," Hubbard said. "They experienced it too, so that made me feel a little better."
Among Hubbard's biggest influences has, unsurprisingly, been Jans. Since the standout athlete's arrival in Starkville, the pair has worked tirelessly to perfect certain skills and improve in many areas. Jans has taken an interest in getting the young star ready for the moments when his name is called to compete against veteran student-athletes.
"Coach Jans got me prepared and instilled a lot of things to me to help me in those situations," Hubbard said.
The second-year MSU head coach sees something special in Hubbard. Freshmen like him are few and far between, and he has the potential to take MSU to the next level this season and for years to come.
"[Hubbard]'s ahead of most freshmen across the country," Jans said. "He's in the higher percentile of being prepared to transition to this level of basketball."
Jans went on, explaining exactly what makes Hubbard such a unique rookie.
"He understands the relationship between work and success," Jans said. "He's got a presence about him that he doesn't walk around or make decisions like a freshman."
Hubbard's role might be more limited than he was used to in high school, but that simply doesn't matter to him. He's a team player through and through who will do whatever is asked to see State succeed.
"I look at it from a team perspective," Hubbard said. "Personally, I just want to help the team in any way possible that I can."
Hubbard and the Dawgs will be back in action on Tuesday as they host North Alabama at the Hump. The long season has just begun, and one thing seems certain: the exciting rookie, Hubbard, has plenty more left in the tank.
