STARKVILLE, Miss. (Interstat) — A surging Mississippi State squad looks to continue its dominant start when it hosts an Auburn team seeking a statement road win to open Southeastern Conference play on New Year’s Day. The No. [Rank TBD] Lady Bulldogs (13-1) enter Thursday’s contest at Humphrey Coliseum having won 12 consecutive games since a Nov. 20 loss at Texas Tech. Their offense has been explosive, averaging 95 points during a current five-game homestand that concludes against the Tigers. Freshman guard Favour Nwaedozi has been a catalyst, coming off a 30-point performance in just 25 minutes in a 112-54 rout of Samford on Dec. 28. Over her last six games, she is averaging 19 points. Auburn (11-3) has won two straight but faces a steep rise in competition after a home-heavy non-conference schedule. The Tigers’ three losses have come by an average of 6.3 points, including an overtime defeat at Syracuse. Guard Mya Petticord, who scored 21 points in Monday’s 64-48 win over Jackson State, leads an Auburn attack that will need efficiency against Mississippi State’s high-pressure defense. The Lady Bulldogs have won the last four meetings in the series. Auburn’s last victory in Starkville came on Jan. 21, 2018. This game marks the conference opener for both teams. Mississippi State’s early SEC slate is daunting, with games against Oklahoma, Tennessee and a trip to rival Ole Miss following this matchup. Auburn begins a challenging January that includes games against Tennessee, Texas and defending national champion South Carolina. Tipoff is set for [Time TBD] on Thursday. The game will be televised on [Network TBD].