Mississippi State Bulldogs land talented Big East scorer from transfer portal

We now know who the Bulldogs are going to pair with Josh Hubbard in the backcourt, and like Hubbard, he's a player capable of huge scoring nights.
Mar 1, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Georgetown Hoyas guard Jayden Epps (10) dribbles the ball past Marquette Golden Eagles guard Zaide Lowery (7) during the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
Mar 1, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Georgetown Hoyas guard Jayden Epps (10) dribbles the ball past Marquette Golden Eagles guard Zaide Lowery (7) during the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Mississippi State basketball has been tasked with a complete reload of the roster as they look towards head coach Chris Jans' fourth season. Though leading scorer and prolific shooter Josh Hubbard should be back, nearly every other major contributor is gone. The Bulldogs have landed a handful of quality transfers to get back into shape, and now they've added an outstanding piece for their backcourt.

Georgetown transfer guard Jayden Epps commits to Mississippi State Bulldogs

Mississippi State added another big-time scorer to their backcourt with the commitment of Georgetown transfer Jayden Epps. The 6-2 guard averaged 12.8 points per game for the Hoyas in 2024-2025.

Jayden Epps began his career at Illinois, where he averaged 9.5 points in the 2022-2023 season for an NCAA Tournament team. As a sophomore, he transferred to Georgetown under new head coach Ed Cooley. Epps had a breakout season with the Hoyas in 2023-2024.

He led Georgetown with 18.5 points and 4.2 assists per game, making 39.2% of his field goals. Despite the Hoyas' struggles, Epps shined with 12 games of at least 20 points and seven 30-point performances, posting a career-high 34 against Jackson State. He was the third-leading scorer in the Big East.

Epps was named preseason 3rd Team All-Big East going into last season. With more surrounding talent, Epps production slipped to 12.8 points and 2.3 assists. However he had his most efficient year as a three-point shooter (34.4%) and had five 20-point performances, including a season high 27 on 11-15 shooting in a win over Syracuse.

Jayden Epps is a strong addition for Chris Jans and the Bulldogs. He gives the Bulldogs a legitimate No. 2 scorer alongside Josh Hubbard in the backcourt and is another piece capable of going off for a big game at any given time. He is a bit of a volume scorer who can be prone to quiet games, and like Hubbard, he's not shy to shoot the three-ball even when the shot isn't falling.

That said, he should fairly reliably provide double-digit scoring games for State, and on nights where both he and Hubbard are getting the shot the fall, that'll be as formidable a backcourt duo as their is in the SEC. With his addition, MSU can fill out a quality starting five for next season. They've got some good pieces on the bench as well, but they can now look to find more upside in the portal for their final roster spots.