Takeaways: No. 11 Auburn beats Mississippi State 78-63
The No. 11 Auburn Tigers beat the Mississippi State Bulldogs 78-63 at home this afternoon.
Auburn never trailed in this game. The Tigers were thoroughly in control throughout the first half but allowed the Bulldogs to make it a game in the second.
Auburn was able to hold on, however, and get back into the win column.
What are the biggest takeaways from the game?
Auburn took care of the basketball
Auburn limited itself to 10 turnovers which led to only 13 points for Mississippi State.
On the other hand, Mississippi State turned the ball over 13 times which led to eight points for Auburn.
Taking care of the ball has been a priority for Auburn this season and that focus paid off in this game.
Auburn's depth shined
Auburn had 26 bench points while Mississippi State had only 13.
Chaney Johnson was Auburn's leading scorer off the bench with eight points. Mississippi State's leading bench scorer, D.J. Jeffries, had six points.
Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl has been talking about Auburn's depth since the fall and it has continued to be a factor throughout the season.
That depth will be beneficial as the Tigers look to make a run in the NCAA Tournament later this month.
Auburn did not perform well on the boards
The Bulldogs convincingly beat the Tigers on the glass on both ends of the floor.
Mississippi State out-rebounded Auburn 36-30 total, 14-8 on the offensive end and it was tied at 22 on the defensive end.
Rebounding was a difference-maker when the two teams last met in January. The Tigers were able to overcome their struggles in that area in this game and pick up the win.
Auburn is now 22-7 on the season and 11-5 in SEC play.
What's Next?
The Tigers return to action on Tuesday when they take on the Missouri Tigers on the road at 8 p.m. CT. The television broadcast can be found on SEC Network and the Auburn Sports Network broadcast can be streamed anywhere on the Auburn Athletics app.
