The Auburn men's basketball team prevailed against Mississippi State, 76-58, in Starkville, Miss., Saturday.
It was the Tigers' first win in Starkville since 2000, ending an eight game losing streak.
The win was the Tigers' second against the Bulldogs and its 19th win overall. The victory gave the Tigers the second place position in the SEC Western Division.
"I am real proud of my team," said Auburn head coach Jeff Lebo. "I thought the one thing that we did do was that we took the ball to the basket at key times. (MSU) didn't shoot the ball very well and that certainly was a big factor in the game."
Frankie Sullivan led the Tigers with 14 points, while Lucas Hargrove and Rasheem Barrett both scored 12 points, and Brendon Knox added 10.
All Tigers who played scored at least six points.
"In previous years, we were always at the bottom of the SEC, and now playing at the end of the year for something means a lot to me personally, because we are just not playing to be playing," said Lucas Hargrove, junior Auburn forward. "Now, we are playing for postseason hopes."
Auburn took a 38-21 lead into halftime, which was its largest first-half lead. The Tigers kept a double-digit advantage over the Bulldogs throughout the second half.
"Defensively, we were awfully quick and got a lot of deflections and a lot of 50-50 balls," Lebo said. "Our play off the bench was terrific. Lucas, Knox and Frankie Sullivan were the big difference in the game in outscoring Mississippi State 36-0 in bench points."
Auburn also outscored Mississippi State from the field, made 28 of 57 shots, while the Bulldogs only shot 20 of 57.
The Bulldogs triumphed in rebounds, the Tigers, however, led in points scored off turnovers. Auburn scored 21 points off 18 MSU turnovers, while MSU only scored eight points off 10 Auburn turnovers.
"I do not think we had what we needed to win (Saturday)," said MSU head coach Rick Stansbury. "We have had some tough losses this season, but I do not think I have gone into the locker room this season after a tough loss thinking our guys did not leave it all on the floor."
Auburn's 76-58 victory over MSU tied the Dec. 22, 1983 win (73-55) over MSU for the largest margin of victory in Starkville.
The Tigers hit the court again against the Crimson Tide on March 3 at the Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa. Alabama has won its last three games, including its first road win in three years.
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