Mississippi State Bulldogs guard Shawn Jones Jr. (5) drives the ball as Auburn Tigers take on Mississippi State Bulldogs at Neville Arena in Auburn, Ala., on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. Auburn Tigers lead Mississippi State Bulldogs 46-27 at halftime. / Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Five Auburn players scored in double figures and the No. 1 Tigers survived their first test without their best player, Johni Broome, prevailing 88-66 over visiting No. 15 Mississippi State on Tuesday.

The record-breaking Neville Arena crowd cheered loudly as Auburn won the opening tip. It didn’t take long for Chaney Johnson -- Auburn’s 6-foot-7 forward who was filling in for the injured Johni Broome -- to get the ball on his way to the rim.