Mississippi State
14-6,3-4SEC
#8 Auburn
16-4,5-2SEC
State Earns Another Top-10 Win With Victory Over No. 8 Auburn
January 27, 2024 | Men's Basketball
Dawgs claim thrilling 64-58 triumph.
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State (14-6, 3-4) earned itself yet another Top-10 win courtesy of a thrilling 64-58 victory over eighth-ranked Auburn (16-4, 5-2) in front of a packed crowd at Humphrey Coliseum on Saturday afternoon.
In a low-scoring affair, the Dawgs got the job done.
"I know it isn't always aesthetically pleasing for everybody, but you get into conference games against good teams, and you've got to slow it down a little bit and it becomes somewhat of a rock fight," head coach Chris Jans said. "That was a classic rock fight this afternoon."
Both teams were locked in a defensive battle through the first 20 minutes of action. The Bulldogs held the Tigers to a shooting percentage of just 28 percent and forced three turnovers. Key shots by forward Cameron Matthews and guard Shakeel Moore helped the home squad maintain an advantage early.
State dominated under the basket, pulling down 27 total rebounds to Auburn's 14 over the first 20 minutes. Eleven of those boards were on offense, resulting in seven second-chance points.
Matthews made his mark known on both ends of the court through the opening frame, scoring eight hard-fought points and pulling down six rebounds. Moore added five points while starting center Tolu Smith III netted four points and hauled in five boards of his own.
The teams were tied at 21 points apiece heading into the locker room, setting the stage for an intense second-half battle.
Josh Hubbard, who made his first start in the matchup, came out of the locker room on fire. The freshman quickly netted seven points to help his team push forward, and a host of fellow Dawgs made big plays when necessary to thwart the Tigers' attempts to seize momentum.
Auburn took a one-point lead with just under eight minutes remaining in the contest, but that was the only time the Tigers would be able to pull ahead. Smith made an easy dunk to reclaim the lead for State, and the team never trailed from there.
Hubbard made a crucial three that gave his team a two-possession edge and electrified the Hump with under two minutes remaining. Despite his rookie status, the Madison, Mississippi, native was unfazed as he made the game-changing play.
"He's not afraid to take the big shots, he's been doing it his entire life," Jans said.
Moore sank two massive free throws with 30 seconds left to put the game nearly out of reach. Well-rounded forward DJ Jeffries sank three free throws of his own, and when the final buzzer sounded, a party was ignited in the Hump.
Hubbard explained how it felt to win such a big game in front of a loud and proud fanbase.
"A lot of kids dream about moments like that, you know. Sold-out crowds and playing in those types of environments is definitely fun," Hubbard said.
Matthews finished with his second double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds and had another impressive day on defense. Hubbard, who scored a game-high 17 points, shared what the senior means to the team.
"[Matthews] means a lot on both ends, and he brings that energy, he brings that fire to the team," Hubbard said. "He's one of our captains, one of our leaders."
Moore's 12 points made him the third Bulldog to score in double figures, while Smith did a little bit of everything with nine points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Up next, Mississippi State will travel to Oxford to take on Ole Miss in a Magnolia State showdown on Tuesday. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. CT.
