The newly anointed No. 1 Tigers return home from a two-game road trip for a top-15 matchup in Neville Arena against No. 15 Mississippi State with All-American Johni Broome.
The Tigers narrowly escaped South Carolina in a 66-63 victory and moved to 15-1 on the season and 3-0 in SEC play but did so with Broome absent for most of the second half.
With wins over Texas and South Carolina this week and the former No.1 squad Tennesse suffering a 30-point loss at Florida, the Tigers vaulted their way to the top spot.
“It’s deserving considering the schedule we’ve played, the great teams we’ve beaten, and the job this team has done,” said head coach Bruce Pearl, whose team previously earned the No. 1 ranking for three weeks in 2022. “It matters to me because making history at Auburn matters, and representing the SEC.
Broome landed on teammate Chaney Johnson's leg and injured his ankle. After starting every game for the Tigers this season, he has been ruled out indefinitely and was the front-runner for the Wooden Award.
“We’re still a really good team,” said Pearl. “I have confidence that all our guys can step up their scoring. Everybody has an opportunity. We have enough talent to have everybody do a little bit more. I think that’s the best way to approach his loss.”
The Tigers welcome Mississippi State, the first game quad-one game for Auburn this season and the first of five consecutive quad-one games.
In the Bulldogs' most recent matchup, Mississippi State had its eight-game win streak snapped by No. 6 Kentucky, 95-90, at home.
The Bulldogs are 4-1 in quad-one games this season, with the only loss to Kentucky. They are also 3-0 in true road games. This will mark the first of three consecutive quad-one games for the Bulldogs.
Players to Watch
Auburn: Chaney Johnson
With the absence of Broome, the Tigers will need to find someone to match the physicality and inside touch that Broome provided the team, and the Tigers believe Chaney Johnson is the right man for the job.
“He can be truly unstoppable,” center Dylan Cardwell said. “The sky’s the limit for someone like Chaney, who can guard one through five, dribble from coast to coast, shoot fadeaways, make tough shots. There’s nothing this guy can’t do on the court.”
Johnson is averaging 10.1 points per game on 60.2 percent from the field and scored 26 points against Georgia State after Broome exited the game with a dislocated shoulder.
The Tigers will need Johnson to step up to ward off a road-tested Bulldogs team looking for their first win in Auburn since the 2014-15 season.
Mississippi State: Josh Hubbard
The sophomore guard earned All-SEC Second Team honors in his freshman year at Mississippi State and has shown no signs of slowing down.
Hubbard is averaging 17.0 points and shooting 37.3 percent on 3-point attempts. Hubbard is also second in the SEC in made 3-pointers and ranks third nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio at a 4.25/1 clip.
The last time Hubbard visited Neville Arena, he scored 23 points and made six 3-point attempts in a 78-63 loss.
Denver Jones will be a tough matchup for the scoring threat at all three levels, but the Bulldogs will need Hubbard to continue to excel if they want to avoid their second conference loss of the season.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
Craig Noyes is a senior from Kensington, Maryland, majoring in journalism. He joined The Plainsman in January 2023.
You can follow him on X (Twitter) at @CraigNoyes58
