Johni Broome scored 17 points and No. 11 Auburn stifled visiting Mississippi State’s offense in the first half of a 78-63 victory in Southeastern Conference play on Saturday.
Denver Jones added 15 points and Jaylin Williams and Chad Baker-Mazara scored 10 points each for the Tigers (22-7, 11-5 SEC), who took the lead for good 21 seconds into the game and allowed just two field goals in the first 11:53 to take command.
The Bulldogs (19-10, 8-8) found their offense in the second half, but couldn’t get closer than eight points after halftime.
Freshman Josh Hubbard, who had scored season-highs of 32 points and 34 points in MSU’s last two games, scored just three of his 23 points in the first half. Tolu Smith III finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
The Bulldogs made just 1 of 10 3-pointers in the first half, but the first shot of the second half was Hubbard’s 3-pointer that trimmed the Tigers’ lead to 39-25.
Hubbard made another 3-pointer and assisted on a 3-pointer by Shakeel Moore that got Mississippi State within 43-33.
Broome answered with a 3-pointer, but back-to-back baskets by Smith and one by Moore pulled the Bulldogs within eight points.
Williams answered with two free throws and Auburn rebuilt the lead to 58-43 on consecutive 3-pointers by Jones and Lior Berman.
Consecutive field goals by D.J. Jeffries and Smith cut the lead to 58-47 and MSU got within 11 points twice more.
Jones’ 3-pointer and two free throws by Williams helped the Tigers increase the lead to 69-52 with 4:28 remaining.
The Tigers scored the first six points of the game and five straight points by Chaney Johnson gave them a 13-5 lead.
Smith made two free throws for the Bulldogs before Auburn pushed the lead to 20-7 on five straight points by Jones.
Cameron Matthews made one free throw and added a layup that end a field-goal drought of more than seven minutes for MSU, trimming the lead to 22-10.
K.D. Johnson made a 3-pointer to start a 7-0 run that gave the Tigers a 19-point lead.
The Bulldogs scored 10 points in 2 1/2 minutes before Chaney Johnson beat the buzzer with a 3-pointer that gave Auburn a 39-22 halftime lead.
–Field Level Media