TUPELO, Miss. — KeShawn Murphy dropped a career-high 18 points in Mississippi State basketball’s 72-54 win against North Texas, but it was his matter-of-fact comments after the game that left teammate D.J. Jeffries in disbelief.

Murphy was asked when he knew he had it going Sunday.

“When I made my first shot,” Murphy responded.

Jeffries couldn’t keep himself from laughing.

“When I saw the ball go in the net,” Murphy added. It wasn’t enough to keep Jeffries from chuckling at the boldness yet simplicity of the comment.

But for Murphy, it’s the reality of the potential his coaches have stressed since he arrived at Mississippi State (9-2) in 2021. He has the ability to score any night, with his 6-foot-10 frame accompanying his threat to connect on 3-pointers, and it doesn’t take much for his confidence to show on that side of the ball.

It’s why he could be the X-factor for Mississippi State come March Madness.

“I love him, but he knows where his deficiencies are,” coach Chris Jans said postgame. “He’s just got to get better on the defensive end. He’s got to get tougher on the defensive end. He’s got to rebound harder, if you will, and be assignment-correct all the time.

"The offensive part is easy for him. He’s very skilled. He’s very talented. When he’s motored up and he can get to the point where he can defend like we want him to, he provides a whole different look for us.”

Bad luck has kept Murphy from consistently reaching the level of play he did against the Mean Green (5-5).

He didn’t play as a freshman (2021-22) because of a variety of injuries. He worked his way into the rotation last season, appearing in 19 games, but another injury suffered in the heart of SEC play — combined with struggles on the defensive end — kept him from playing a key role for the NCAA Tournament team.

This offseason, when it appeared he was finally headed toward a clean slate, he suffered a foot injury that sidelined him for the first five games. Through the frustrations of another obstacle, it was veteran teammates such as All-SEC forward Tolu Smith and Cameron Matthews — who were alongside him during previous injuries — who lifted him.

“I want to thank the guys that stayed here,” Murphy said. “The guys I’ve been with for three years. They’re really the ones that encouraged me, seeing my growth as a player. And Jans believing in me as a player to be able to come and still help. It’s really just a bought-in program that helped me moving forward.”

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Murphy brings a dimension to Mississippi State that even Smith — who hasn’t played this season but is expected back soon from injury — doesn’t. Murphy, as he showed against North Texas, can slot into a center role when MSU goes small. He can play the wing when it goes big.

He can play with his back to the basket, but he also can play a forward role similar to Jeffries. His versatility gives Mississippi State options in tournament play when the type of opponent can be vastly different from one or two nights prior.

Smith’s return will be massive for Mississippi State’s postseason aspirations. However, if Murphy grows in the areas Jans identified as deficiencies, his return to the court could be part of any glory the Bulldogs achieve in three months.

“He’s a wonderful human being,” Jans said. “He’s got a great personality. Sometimes you’ve got to have a different playing personality on the floor than you do off the floor, and that’s the hurdle we’re trying to get him over. A lot of the veteran guys were really there for him. I’m glad for him that he had this game. Hopefully, he can continue.”

Stefan Krajisnik is the Mississippi State beat writer for the Clarion Ledger. Contact him at skrajisnik@gannett.com or follow him on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, @skrajisnik3.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: KeShawn Murphy might become X-factor for Mississippi State basketball