Auburn Tigers vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs Picks and Prediction for Wednesday, February 18, 2026

By: Jake Allman Published 02/18/2026, 12:30 AM ET

On Wednesday, Auburn heads to Starkville for an SEC matchup against Mississippi State at 9:00 PM ET on ESPN2 at Humphrey Coliseum. The Tigers sit at 14-11 overall and 5-7 in conference play, while the Bulldogs are 12-13 and 4-8 in the SEC. ESPN’s matchup predictor gives Auburn a 63.6 percent edge. Mississippi State has gone 7-6 at home this season, while Auburn has been up and down on the road. Slam dunk your bets with our College Basketball picks.

Auburn Preview

Auburn enters this one on a four-game losing streak, falling to Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Alabama, and Tennessee. The Tigers still average 84.0 points per game and shoot 46 percent from the field, but recent results show defensive lapses with 88, 84, and 96 points allowed in three of the last four losses. Keyshawn Hall leads Auburn with 20.7 points per game on 45.5 percent shooting, and Tahaad Pettiford adds 3.6 assists per contest. Auburn’s +5.0 scoring margin on the season suggests the talent is there, but consistency has been missing in SEC play.

Mississippi State Preview

Mississippi State comes off a strong 90-78 road win over Ole Miss, powered by Josh Hubbard’s 32-point performance. The Bulldogs average 77.4 points per game and allow 78.4, so margins are thin most nights. Hubbard leads the way at 21.4 points and 3.6 assists per game, though he is shooting 33.3 percent from three. Mississippi State rebounds well at 39.8 boards per game and blocks 4.4 shots per contest, which could matter against an Auburn team that prefers to score inside and in transition.

Auburn vs Mississippi State Prediction

The key matchup is Auburn’s offense against a Mississippi State group that has struggled over the last 10 games, going 2-8 while allowing 82.2 points per game in that span. Auburn averages 84.0 points, and scores 5.6 more per game than Mississippi State typically allows. If Hall and Pettiford control tempo and limit turnovers, the Tigers should find clean looks.

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Prediction: Auburn 82, Mississippi State 76

Auburn’s scoring and overall efficiency give the Tigers the edge, even on the road.

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