STARKVILLE (AP) — Quinndary Weatherspoon scored 25 points, including a career-high five 3-pointers, to lead Mississippi State to a 77-54 victory over Missouri-Kansas City on Thursday night.

Weatherspoon was 9-of-15 from the field and 5-of-8 beyond the arc. He also had seven rebounds and four assists, and has scored 52 points in his last two games.

“It was just my teammates finding me when I was open,” Weatherspoon said. “I was knocking shots down and I am very confident going into the SEC schedule. I feel like I am playing my best basketball right now.”

Tyson Carter added 11 points and made three 3-pointers for Mississippi State (9-3).

Kyle Steward had 15 points to lead UMKC (7-8). LaVell Boyd added 14 points.

Mississippi State took advantage of UMKC’s slow offensive start to take an early 16-4 lead. UMKC missed 10 of its first 11 shots and MSU held a double-digit lead for much of the first half.

“That was our best defensive effort that I can remember in a while,” Mississippi State coach Ben Howland said. “Last year this team killed us with their ball screens. We are getting better and defense is a big part of what we have to improve. But we stayed in front of the basketball tonight. Our individual defense was really good, especially from I.J. (Ready) and Lamar Peters.”

Weatherspoon scored 18 points in the first half and Mississippi State built a 44-28 advantage at the half. The Bulldogs shots 53 percent in the first half.

“Offensively, they were clicking on all cylinders, for sure,” UMKC coach Kareem Richardson said. “We lost (Weatherspoon) a few times but he is a heck of a player. He plays at a calm pace and just has that calm, old-school pace about his game.”