GAME NOTES: Having just ended a three-game losing streak, the Mississippi State Bulldogs will try to string a pair of wins together as they travel to face the Auburn Tigers in an SEC battle at Auburn Arena.

Mississippi State defeated Vanderbilt by a slight 57-54 margin Saturday to put a stop to the team's three-game slide. It was the Bulldogs' first victory in SEC play this season. Now they'll look for their first road win, as they head into Wednesday at 0-4 away from home.

Auburn is also coming off a victory, as the Tigers were able to down South Carolina, 71-68, Saturday at home. The Tigers have now won two of their last three games, and will try to climb above the .500 mark in SEC play (2-2). Auburn is 9-1 at home this season.

Auburn owns a 73-67 all-time series advantage over Mississippi State, and won the most recent clash between the sides last February, 92-82.

The Bulldogs endured a low-scoring affair against Vanderbilt to pick up their first conference win on Saturday. Mississippi State shot just 38.6 percent from the floor in the game, while holding Vandy to 38.5 percent shooting. The difference in the win was at the free-throw line, where the Bulldogs outscored the Commodores, 20-9. I.J. Ready netted 11 points to pace Mississippi State in scoring, but he turned the ball over seven times in the victory. Fred Thomas scored 10 points, and Gavin Ware pulled down a team-best 13 rebounds for the Bulldogs.

Mississippi State will have to step up its offensive effort if the team wants a shot at making a run to the postseason. The Bulldogs are currently netting just 60.1 ppg this season, which is by far the lowest total in the SEC. But the team counters at the defensive end where the Bulldogs allow just 59.6 ppg. Thomas currently leads the team in scoring, averaging 10.4 ppg on just 36.1 percent shooting. Roquez Johnson, who had eight points in the win over Vanderbilt, is the only other MSU player averaging double figures this season at 10.3 ppg. Ware is close though, netting 9.5 ppg with a team-best rebounding effort at 6.4 boards per outing.

Somehow Auburn was able to overcome a relatively poor shooting performance (36.5 percent from the floor) against South Carolina to take a three-point victory at home. The Gamecocks connected on 50 percent of their tries from the field, but the Tigers heavily outscored USC from the free-throw line, 26-8, in the victory. KT Harrell netted a team-best 24 points, while Antoine Mason added 14 points. Cinmeon Bowers tallied a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds in 33 minutes of action. Auburn survived the contest which featured six tied scores and six lead changes.

Harrell has been phenomenal on the offensive end of the floor for the Tigers this season, as he checks in with a team-best 16.9 ppg mark - behind only Arkansas' Bobby Portis for the conference lead. Bowers though is behind no one in the SEC when it comes to rebounding. The big man averages 11.2 rpg for Auburn, and completes his double-double average with 13.3 ppg. Mason is second in scoring with 14.4 ppg for Auburn, which is netting 67.7 ppg this season as a unit.

The Auburn defense may be struggling to contain opponent scoring this season, but that shouldn't matter as the Tigers host the worst scoring offense in the conference Wednesday. Auburn should be able to pull ahead with relative ease with Harrell and Mason leading the offensive charge.