Auburn Beats Mississippi State in SEC Tournament Opener

Defense Leads Tigers to 79-61 Victory Over Bulldogs

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

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The Auburn Tigers defeated the Mississippi State Bulldogs 79-61 in the opening round of the SEC Tournament. Auburn's strong defensive performance, holding Mississippi State to just 61 points, was the key to the victory. The Tigers forced nine turnovers and held Mississippi State's leading scorer, Josh Hubbard, to just 22 points on 2-of-8 shooting from 3-point range.

Why it matters

This win advances Auburn to the second round of the SEC Tournament, where they will face off against the Tennessee Volunteers. The Tigers' defensive effort showed they can shut down high-powered offenses, which will be crucial as they look to make a deep run in the tournament.

The details

Auburn held a six-point lead with four minutes remaining, but then went on a 14-2 run to close out the game. The Tigers forced nine turnovers in the second half and converted those into 12 points. KeShawn Murphy led Auburn with four steals and two blocked shots to go along with 14 points. Tahaad Pettiford also had a strong defensive performance with one steal and two blocked shots.

  • The game was played on Wednesday, March 11, 2026 in the opening round of the SEC Tournament.
  • Auburn and Mississippi State had previously met on February 18, 2026, with Mississippi State winning 91-85.

The players

Steven Pearl

The head coach of the Auburn Tigers basketball team.

Josh Hubbard

The leading scorer for the Mississippi State Bulldogs, who was held to 22 points on 2-of-8 shooting from 3-point range.

KeShawn Murphy

The Auburn player who led the team with four steals and two blocked shots.

Tahaad Pettiford

The Auburn guard who had one steal and two blocked shots in the game.

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What they’re saying

“I thought that was as good as our defense played in a while. Seventy-one possessions, 61 points — that's what it's supposed to look like. Thought we did a good job of executing some of the new things that we were doing defensively. Ran ball-screen covers we really hadn't done all year.”

— Steven Pearl, Head Coach, Auburn Tigers (on3.com)

“Getting the ball out of his hands, not letting him get it back and let their other guys beat us. Our guys did a great job doing that, especially KO early in the game.”

— Tahaad Pettiford, Guard, Auburn Tigers (on3.com)

What’s next

Auburn will face the Tennessee Volunteers in the second round of the SEC Tournament on Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 2 p.m. CT. The Volunteers defeated the Tigers 77-69 in their previous matchup on January 31, 2026.

The takeaway

Auburn's stifling defense was the key to their victory over Mississippi State in the SEC Tournament opener. The Tigers' ability to shut down the Bulldogs' high-powered offense, especially limiting leading scorer Josh Hubbard, shows they have the defensive capabilities to make a deep run in the tournament. This win sets up an intriguing second-round matchup against Tennessee, where Auburn will look to avenge their earlier loss and continue their strong defensive play.