Can the Bulldogs Maintain Their Momentum After Outscoring the Tigers?
The Mississippi State Bulldogs secured a hard-fought victory over the Auburn Tigers with a final score of 64-58. The Bulldogs' season record now stands at an unranked position, while the Tigers hold an 8th rank in their standings. Both teams displayed resilience, but it was the home team that emerged victorious in this conference game.
The Bulldogs started off matching the Tigers point-for-point in the first half, both teams scoring 21. However, it was in the second half where Mississippi State pulled ahead with an impressive 43 points to Auburn's 37. This surge was critical for their win at Humphrey Coliseum before a crowd of 9,175 fans.
Mississippi State showed superior accuracy from two-point range with a solid shooting performance of 56 percent compared to Auburn's 41 percent. The home team also dominated rebounds with a total of 45 against Auburn's 30, which included grabbing more offensive rebounds (12) that led to crucial second-chance points (12). Defensively, they were strong as well, pulling down an impressive number of defensive rebounds (30).
Auburn wasn't without its merits; they excelled at free throws making them at an exceptional rate of 88 percent and matched Mississippi State's fast break points (12). They also managed to capitalize on turnovers better than their opponents by scoring more points off turnovers (16).
Key players from Mississippi State contributed significantly; their field goal percentage stood at a respectable figure of 44 percent and they made five three-pointers out of twenty-one attempts. Although less efficient from beyond the arc than usual with only a success rate of about one quarter shots made, it did not deter them from taking control when needed.
As for assists and ball handling, both teams were relatively close – Mississippi State had eleven assists to Auburn’s twelve but had slightly less favorable assist-to-turnover ratio.
Looking ahead for fans who follow every move by Mississippi State Bulldogs: The next challenge will be against Ole Miss Rebels on January 30th at The Pavilion at Ole Miss located in Oxford. This away game is scheduled for a tip-off time around seven thirty PM Central Time and will be broadcast nationally on SEC Network channel six hundred eleven.