No. 5 Auburn beats Mississippi State in OT, clinches share of SEC championship

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WSFA) - It took a round overtime, but the No. 5 Auburn Tigers triumphed over the Mississippi State Bulldogs Wednesday night in Starkville, clinching a share of the Southeastern Conference championship.

Auburn’s K.D. Johnson shined during OT, putting up 12 points for the Tigers in their 81-68 victory.

“I live for those moments,” Johnson said. “It’s a blessing. We decided to catch fire at the right time and get the W.”

Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl called it “probably one of the best regular-season wins I’ve had in a long career, to win a championship on the road at a really good place against a really good team and a really good coach, with our backs against the wall.”

Auburn has improved to 79-70 in the all-time series with Mississippi State and has now won four straight in the series.

Auburn (26-4, 14-3) also tied its program record with its sixth SEC road win and 14th conference win.

The Tigers can claim the outright SEC championship with a victory at home Saturday vs. South Carolina Auburn. It will be the first game played in Neville Arena, which Auburn Arena will be formally renamed to on Friday.

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