MSU Seeks Third SEC Road Win At Auburn

Tuesday, February 7

Auburn, Ala.

8:00 PM

Mississippi State

Auburn

Mississippi State is back on the road Tuesday at Auburn.

MSU Seeks Third SEC Road Win At Auburn

February 06, 2017 | Men's Basketball

MSU Game Notes Tennessee Game Notes Auburn Game Notes SEC Notes Watch ESPN

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Following one of the biggest come-from-wins in school history, Mississippi State looks to stay in the win column on Tuesday when it travels to Auburn.

Tip at Auburn Arena is set for 8p.m. on ESPNU with Mike Couzens and Brooke Weisbrod handling the broadcast. The game can also be heard on the MSU radio network with veterans Jim Ellis and Richard Williams on the call.

MSU stands at 14-8 on the season, 5-5 in league play after rallying from 19 down to turn back Tennessee on Saturday, 64-59. Mario Kegler paced the Bulldogs with a career high 17 points, while Schnider Herard and Xavian Stapleton each posted double-doubles.

Auburn enters the contest 15-8, 4-6, after upsetting Alabama 82-77 in Tuscaloosa to earn the season sweep.

THE SERIES
The Tigers lead the all-time series 74-69 with a 45-23 advantage in Auburn. MSU has won four of the last six outings.

COACHES
Ben Howland is in his second year at MSU and 21^st overall. As a head coach in four different stops, he is 429-231 with a 28-25 mark with the Bulldogs.

Bruce Pearl is in his third year at Auburn and owns a 41-48 ledger. In 22 years overall, he's 503-195.

QUOTABLE
"We're just focused on one game at a time trying to win each and every game that we play in its own value and motivation. We are trying to get a win against really good teams. Our league is good." — MSU coach Ben Howland on his team.

NEXT 2
At home against South Carolina on Feb. 11 and at Georgia on Feb. 14.

BULLDOG BITES

Mississippi State has won four of the last six against Auburn and six out of the last 10.
Against Tennessee, MSU overcame a 19-point deficit, it's largest in a win since rallying from 17 down last year against Vanderbilt.
The Bulldogs' largest deficit to overcome was 20 in 2002 (30-10, 6:37|1H) at home against Kentucky in a 74-69 overtime win.
Against Tennessee, MSU won for the first time this season in six games when having fewer assists than its opponent (11-9).
Mario Kegler had a career-high 17 points against UT as he surpassed 200 for his career (216).
The Bulldogs shot 30.9 percent (21-68) against the Vols, marking the first time MSU won when shooting 35 percent or worse since beating Arkansas (.350, 21-60) 57-55 on March 1, 2005.
Also against UT, Xavian Stapleton recorded his first-career double-double with career-highs in points (14) and rebounds (11). Schnider Herard had his second double-double (12 pts., 15 rbs.). It was the first time since the Arkansas game last year MSU had two players with a double-double in the same game (Gavin Ware, Quinndary Weatherspoon).
MSU seeks its 15th win this season, the most since having 21 in 2012.
KenPom.com has MSU as the least experienced team of all 351 DI programs.
MSU had a season-high 19 second-chance points against the Vols, the most since also having 19 a year ago versus UT Martin.
Tyson Carter leads all SEC freshmen in free throw shooting percentage with at least 25 attempts at .893 (25-28).
Sophomore guard Quinndary Weatherspoon is third in the SEC with his 17.0 scoring clip. MSU hasn't had a player average 18-plus since Darryl Wilson in 1996 (18.0).
Five times this season, MSU has rallied from deficits of 10-plus points to win.
Mississippi State has two players with 10-plus, 30-minute games this year — Quinndary Weatherspoon (15) and I.J. Ready (11).