AUBURN, Ala. -- Bryce Brown scored 18 points and Mustapha Heron added 17 to help Auburn hold off a Mississippi State comeback attempt and win 98-92 Tuesday night.
The Tigers (16-8, 5-6 Southeastern Conference) raced to a 20-point halftime lead behind a barrage of eight 3s, then held on for dear life when those outside shots quit falling.
Mississippi State (14-9, 5-6), which had just rallied from a 19-point deficit to beat Tennessee, couldn't quite stage a repeat performance after trailing 48-28 at halftime. The Bulldogs trimmed a 21-point deficit down to 91-86 with 51 seconds left to put a scare into Auburn.