There’s a big SEC matchup on tap for Saturday, March 2, as the Mississippi State Bulldogs will hit the road to take on the No. 11 Auburn Tigers. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. ET from Neville Arena in Auburn, Alabama, and the game will air on ESPN2. Mississippi State is looking for its second upset victory over Auburn this season, beating the Tigers 64-58 at the end of January.
Mississippi State (19-9, 8-7 SEC) is coming off a two-point loss at home to No. 16 Kentucky. That ended a modest five-game win streak for the Bulldogs, who will look for better success on the road as they are 2-5 in their last seven games away from Starkville. Mississippi State’s best player is forward Tolu Smith, who averages 17.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. Guard Josh Hubbard averages 15.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists. The best aspect of the Bulldog’s team is their perimeter defense as they allow the third-worst shooting percentage from three-point range according to Ken Pom. Auburn went a combined 6-24 from beyond the arc when they lost to Mississippi State earlier this season.
Auburn (21-7, 10-5 SEC) is coming off an eight-point loss on the road to No. 4 Tennessee. They have alternated wins and losses recently, going 2-3 over their last five games. The Tigers should be able to find the win column at home on Saturday, as they have dropped only two games on their home court all season, and one was to then-No. 20 Baylor back in November. Auburn is led by forward Johni Broome who averages 16.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. Forward Jaylin Williams and guard Chad Baker-Mazara each average double-digit points and at least 3.7 rebounds and two assists per game.
Mississippi State vs. Auburn odds from DraftKings Sportsbook
Spread: Auburn -9.5
Total: 146
Moneyline: Auburn -485, Mississippi State +370
It wouldn’t be surprising to see this game stay lower scoring like their first matchup. Both teams excel at limiting their opponents’ shooting percentage. To Auburn’s credit, when they have won recently, they are winning by a large margin. The Tigers’ closest win over their last five has been 14 points. Still, The Bulldogs had their number back in January, and if they can limit Auburn’s success from beyond the arc, they should be able to keep it a single-digit game, even if they don’t come away with a win.