College basketball's regular season officially began Monday, and Dee Bost picked up where he left off last season, leading the Bulldogs to an opening night win over Eastern Kentucky, 76-66, with 23 points, leading all scorers.Bost hit on 7 of 15 shots from the floor, including 4-for-8 from 3-point range. The senior point guard with dazzling speed and quickness added six rebounds, six assists and a pair of steals, though he exhibited some of the same casualness with the ball that cost Mississippi State some games last season, turning the ball over five times.
The Bulldogs ended last season on a sour note, losing in the quarterfinals of the SEC to Vanderbilt, 87-81, ending their season without an invite to either the NCAA or NIT tournament.
Bost, who missed the front end of last season, returned to the team in January, but could only help the Bulldogs to a 9-8 record, exclusively against SEC opponents. He managed to lead the team in assists per game, averaging 6.2, but also committed an average of 3.5 turnovers per outing.
The game was part of the opening round of the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer, which is being played at various venues across the country.
UTEP transfer Arnett Moultrie added 13 points and 10 boards for a double-double in his first game as a Bulldog, sitting out last season according to NCAA rules. Freshman Rodney Hood added 12 points on 5-for-9 shooting including a pair of 3-pointers.
