Auburn Dominates Mississippi State with a 22-Point Victory: Game Highlights from January 14, 2025

AUBURN, Ala. — — Chad Baker-Mazara netted 20 points, leading No. 1 Auburn to a victory over No. 15 Mississippi State with a score of 88-66 on Tuesday evening in their inaugural game without standout center Johni Broome.

Chaney Johnson, who took Broome’s spot in the starting five, recorded 17 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks for Auburn (16-1, 4-0 Southeastern Conference). Broome is sidelined indefinitely due to a left ankle sprain he incurred last Saturday during Auburn’s 66-63 triumph at South Carolina.

Baker-Mazara made 8 of 11 shots, including 3 of 5 from beyond the arc. Miles Kelly and Denver Jones contributed 13 points each, while Tahaad Pettiford chipped in with 12.

Mississippi State (14-3, 2-2) struggled with a shooting percentage of just 35%. Josh Hubbard scored 17 points but struggled, going only 2 of 12 from the field.

Insights

Mississippi State: Chris Jans’ squad has shown significant offensive improvement this season, yet their shooting has been inconsistent. The Bulldogs converted only three of their 24 attempts from three-point range.

Auburn: The Tigers demonstrated their ability to defeat a strong opponent even without their top player. Bruce Pearl mentioned that each player needed to elevate their performance in Broome’s absence, and they succeeded on Tuesday.

Pivotal moment

Auburn established control right from the start, launching a 10-0 run to commence the game, with Baker-Mazara scoring the last eight points of that stretch.

Significant statistic

Auburn matched the number of blocks (9) to the total field goals made by Mississippi State in the first half, heading into halftime with a 19-point advantage.

Looking ahead

On Saturday, Auburn will face No. 23 Georgia, whereas Mississippi State will host No. 21 Mississippi.

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