Preview: Auburn Tigers at Mississippi State Bulldogs STARKVILLE, Miss. (Interstat) — Two Southeastern Conference men’s basketball teams looking to build momentum will meet Wednesday night when the Auburn Tigers visit the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Humphrey Coliseum. Auburn (14-11) arrives having lost four of its last five games, including a 75-88 defeat at Arkansas on Saturday. The Tigers’ offense has largely run through dynamic guard Tahaad Pettiford, who is averaging 21.3 points and 5.1 assists over his last seven contests. He scored 29 points with seven assists in the loss to the Razorbacks. Mississippi State (10-13) is coming off one of its best performances of the season, a 90-78 road victory over rival Mississippi on Saturday. Guard Josh Hubbard powered that win with 32 points and six assists, continuing a torrid scoring stretch. Hubbard has averaged 24.3 points over his last four games, including a 31-point effort in a loss to Tennessee. While the Bulldogs have struggled for consistency, their home win over Ole Miss provided a boost. They will look to carry that energy against an Auburn team that has found wins hard to secure in recent weeks. The Tigers’ last three losses have all been by single digits, indicating tight contests that could swing either way. The matchup features a contrast in recent trajectories. Auburn seeks to halt a skid and improve its conference standing, while Mississippi State aims to prove its latest victory was a turning point. The backcourt duel between Pettiford and Hubbard, two of the SEC’s most explosive scorers, will be central to the outcome. This is the first of two scheduled meetings between the programs this season. Following this game, Auburn will host Kentucky on Saturday, while Mississippi State travels to face South Carolina. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. EST Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026.