STARKVILLE, Miss. -- An early lead for Louisiana Tech (0-1) would not be enough as the Mississippi State Bulldogs (1-0) won by a final score of 75-45 in Humphrey Coliseum Saturday.

The game marked head coach Kerry Rupp?s first regular season game on the Louisiana Tech sideline.

?For us to be a good team, we have to execute a game plan,? Rupp said. ?This is a game where we needed to be patient and play to the third and fourth side of the floor. We needed to make them really have to defend, and we let it get away from us and let them play their game. This was a good team and good learning experience for us.?

Tech stayed tight with Mississippi State thanks to field goals from senior Keith Smith, junior James Loe and sophomore Kyle Gibson in the early-goings to tie the game 6-6 with 15:53 left in the first half. Junior Adrian Rogers gave Tech an 8-6 lead at the 14:00 mark, while Loe extended the lead 10-6 with 11:35 on the clock.

After a 10-0 run by State, junior Drew Washington scored his first basket with 6:18 left in the first half to cut State?s lead to 16-12. Mississippi State outscored Tech 14-2 for the remainder of the first half and led 30-14 at the half.

Mississippi State held on in the second half for the win.

Sophomore Kyle Gibson led Tech scorers with 15 points and 15 rebounds. Senior Keith Smith and junior JC Clark added six points apiece, while junior Adrian Rogers added nine rebounds.

Tech will return to action Friday, Nov. 16, for its home opener against UL-Lafayette at 7 p.m. in the Thomas Assembly Center.