The No. 11 Auburn Tigers host the Mississippi State Bulldogs this afternoon at Neville Arena.
Auburn will be looking to get back on track after a hard-fought loss to Tennessee on Wednesday and Mississippi State will be looking for a win after losing to Kentucky on a buzzer-beater.
What are the biggest things to watch for during the game?
Can Auburn contain Tolu Smith and Josh Hubbard?
Mississippi State has a dynamic forward-guard duo in Tolu Smith and Josh Hubbard.
Smith, a 6-foot-11 senior forward, leads the Bulldogs in scoring and rebounding, averaging 17.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. He also shoots 60.5% from the field.
Hubbard, a 5-foot-10 freshman guard, averages 15.9 points and 2.3 rebounds per game while shooting 38.9% from the field.
If Auburn can limit these two, it will be in a position to succeed today.
Who will win the rebounding battle?
Mississippi State won the battle on the glass in the last meeting between the two teams and that made the difference.
The Bulldogs have a slight advantage in the category on paper, averaging 39.1 per game to Auburn's 38.3.
The team that controls the boards will likely come out on top.
How much will Jaylin Williams play?
Veteran Auburn forward Jaylin Williams returned to action against Tennessee after missing the game against Georgia following a knee injury he obtained during the Kentucky game.
Williams played over half the game and scored 12 points. If Williams can move closer to carrying his normal load tomorrow, Auburn will be in a good position to win.
Will Auburn keep up its recent offensive success?
After struggling offensively against Kentucky, Auburn has had two of its best performances on that end of the floor this season against Georgia and Tennessee.
If Auburn can keep up that pace offensively, it should not have too much to worry about today.
Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. CT. The television broadcast can be found on SEC Network and the Auburn Sports Network broadcast can be streamed anywhere on the Auburn Athletics app.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email daniel.locke@1819news.com.
Don't miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every weekday morning.
