Mississippi State @ Auburn preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 26, 2019 ) Auburn 84, Mississippi State 92

Mississippi State is enjoying its longest winning streak in Southeastern Conference play since 2008 and looks to have all but punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009. The Bulldogs bid for their sixth straight victory on Saturday when they visit Auburn, which owns a sterling 13-2 mark at home this season.

Tyson Carter has stepped up in the wake of fellow guard Nick Weatherspoon's suspension for an undisclosed violation of team rules, recording a season-high point total for the second time in four games with 22 in Tuesday's 68-49 victory over Missouri. "Nick is a big part of our team. Losing him, that's a big loss, but I just (see) it as an opportunity. My teammates have a lot of confidence in me," Carter told The Clarion-Ledger. Auburn gained a bit of confidence after bouncing back from a 27-point loss at Kentucky with its third win in four outings, highlighted by sophomore forward Chuma Okeke draining a fadeaway 3-pointer with 26 seconds remaining in Wednesday's 78-75 triumph over Georgia. The Tigers were without center Austin Wiley (lower leg) and guard Malik Dunbar (abdominal strain) and used just eight players in that contest, although coach Bruce Pearl told AL.com that Dunbar "may be" able to play on Saturday.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE (21-7, 9-6 SEC): Quinndary Weatherspoon, who tied a then-season high with 27 points in the Bulldogs' 92-84 victory over Auburn on Jan. 26, continued his sharp shooting by going 7-of-11 from the field for 20 points against Missouri. The senior guard has totaled 110 points on 38-for-63 shooting from the floor in his last five games while his 19.9 points-per-game average in SEC play is tops in the conference. Freshman forward Reggie Perry has stepped up his play since posting his second double-double of the season in the win over Auburn (10 points, 11 rebounds), notching four more double-doubles in his last nine games.

ABOUT AUBURN (19-9, 8-7): Bryce Brown, who leads the team by averaging 15.7 points per contest, has combined for just 15 points in his last two games while shooting 3-for-14 from 3-point range. The Tigers shot considerably better as a team in the last meeting with Mississippi State, connecting on 53.1 percent of their shots while draining 11 of 21 attempts from 3-point range. Brown had a club-best 18 points against the Bulldogs while Okeke had 16 on 6-of-10 shooting, including a 3-for-5 effort from 3-point range.

TIP-INS

1. Brown made 5 of 8 from 3-point range and finished with a game-high 23 points in Auburn's 76-68 win over Mississippi State last season.

2. Bulldogs junior G Lamar Peters, who had 16 points and 10 assists in the previous meeting with Auburn, has failed to score in two of his last three games overall and four times this season.

3. Auburn F Horace Spencer scored 10 points on Wednesday, his most since a 14-point outburst in a 103-52 win over Mississippi College on Nov. 14.

PREDICTION: Mississippi State 74, Auburn 61