Earlier in the week, while discussing Auburn, I explained why I think the Tigers deserve their No. 1 ranking but acknowledged I also find it hard to believe they're actually the best team in the country without the injured Johni Broome.
Can I update that, please?
Because, good lord, they might be! Or, at least, they certainly looked like they might be in their first game without their best player.
Final score: Auburn 88, Mississippi State 66.
In a Tuesday night matchup of teams ranked in the top 15 of the Associated Press Top 25 poll, Auburn dominated the Bulldogs from the opening tip to the final buzzer — all while Broome was on the bench in street clothes, with his left foot in a boot, unavailable against Mississippi State and for an undetermined number of future games because of an ankle sprain suffered in Saturday's win at South Carolina. Eventually, the injury might matter -- but it simply didn't against Mississippi State.
The score was 10-0 barely two minutes in, 46-27 at the half and so lopsided in the final 20 minutes that the outcome was never in doubt. Auburn held the Bulldogs to 34.9% shooting from the field, including 12.5% from 3-point range. Mississippi State finished with 16 turnovers and just five assists, which led to Tigers coach Bruce Pearl complimenting his starters afterward.
"That starting five," Pearl said, "is as good a defensive-unit as you can put out there on the floor."
With the 22-point victory, Auburn remains No. 1 in Wednesday morning's updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings for the eighth consecutive day. Next up for the Tigers is Saturday's game at Georgia. After that, they're off until they host Tennessee on Jan. 25 in what would be, according to Wednesday morning's Top 25 And 1, a top-five showdown.
Top 25 And 1 rankings
Rk | Teams | Chg | Rcrd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Chad Baker-Mazara finished with 20 points and two rebounds in Tuesday's 88-66 win over Mississippi State. The Tigers' next game is Saturday at Georgia. | -- | 16-1 |
| 2 |  | Curtis Jones finished with 26 points and two steals in Saturday's 85-84 overtime win at Texas Tech. The Cyclones' next game is Wednesday against Kansas. | -- | 14-1 |
| 3 |  | Kon Knueppel finished with 25 points and three assists in Tuesday's 89-54 win over Miami. The Blue Devils' next game is Saturday at Boston College. | -- | 15-2 |
| 4 |  | David Joplin finished with 30 points and four rebounds in Tuesday's 85-83 win at DePaul. The Golden Eagles' next game is Saturday against Xavier. | 2 | 15-2 |
| 5 |  | Zakai Zeigler finished with 16 points and eight assists in Saturday's 74-70 win at Texas. The Vols' next game is Wednesday against Georgia. | 2 | 15-1 |
| 6 |  | Jaxson Robinson finished with 22 points and eight rebounds in Tuesday's 81-69 win over Texas A&M. The Wildcats' next game is Saturday against Alabama. | 2 | 14-3 |
| 7 |  | Denzel Aberdeen was 1-of-5 from the field in Tuesday's 83-82 loss to Missouri. The Gators' next game is Saturday against Missouri. | 3 | 15-2 |
| 8 |  | Labaron Philon was 0-of-8 from the field in Tuesday's 74-64 loss to Ole Miss. The Crimson Tide's next game is Saturday at Kentucky. | 3 | 14-3 |
| 9 |  | Jaden Akins finished with 14 points and five steals in Sunday's 78-68 win at Northwestern. The Spartans' next game is Wednesday against Penn State. | -- | 14-2 |
| 10 |  | Hunter Dickinson finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds in Saturday's 54-40 win at Cincinnati. The Jayhawks' next game is Wednesday at Iowa State. | 1 | 12-3 |
| 11 |  | Jackson Shelstad finished with 17 points and eight assists in Sunday's 82-81 win at Penn State. The Ducks' next game is Saturday against Purdue. | 2 | 15-2 |
| 12 |  | Cameron Matthews was 2-of-10 from the field in Tuesday's 88-66 loss at Auburn. The Bulldogs' next game is Saturday against Ole Miss. | 2 | 14-3 |
| 13 |  | C.J. Cox finished with 23 points and four steals in Sunday's 104-68 win over Nebraska. The Boilermakers' next game is Wednesday at Washington. | 1 | 13-4 |
| 14 |  | PJ Haggerty finished with 25 points and four rebounds in Saturday's 74-70 win over East Carolina. The Tigers' next game is Thursday at Temple. | 1 | 13-3 |
| 15 |  | Malik Dia finished with 23 points and 19 rebounds in Tuesday's 74-64 win at Alabama. The Rebels' next game is Saturday at Mississippi State. | 1 | 15-2 |
| 16 |  | Kylan Boswell finished with 22 points and seven rebounds in Tuesday's 94-69 win at Indiana. The Illini's next game is Sunday at Michigan State. | 1 | 13-4 |
| 17 |  | Solomon Washington was 1-of-6 from the field in Tuesday's 81-69 loss at Kentucky. The Aggies' next game is Saturday against LSU. | 5 | 13-4 |
| 18 |  | Vladislav Goldin finished with 19 points and seven rebounds in Sunday's 91-75 win over Washington. The Wolverines' next game is Thursday at Minnesota. | -- | 13-3 |
| 19 |  | Alex Karaban finished with 19 points and six rebounds in Saturday's 68-60 win at Georgetown. The Huskies' next game is Saturday against Creighton. | -- | 13-4 |
| 20 |  | Graham Ike finished with 21 points and five rebounds in Saturday's 88-75 win over Washington State. The Zags' next game is Thursday at Oregon State. | -- | 14-4 |
| 21 |  | Emanuel Sharp finished with 15 points and four rebounds in Saturday's 87-57 win at Kansas State. The Cougars' next game is Wednesday against West Virginia. | -- | 12-3 |
| 22 |  | Ian Martinez finished with 18 points and three assists in Saturday's 81-79 win over Boise State. The Aggies' next game is Wednesday at UNLV. | -- | 16-1 |
| 23 |  | Asa Newell finished with 15 points and five rebounds in Saturday's 72-62 win over Oklahoma. The Bulldogs' next game is Wednesday at Tennessee. | -- | 14-2 |
| 24 |  | John Tonje finished with 17 points and four rebounds in Tuesday's 70-68 win over Ohio State. The Badgers' next game is Saturday at USC. | -- | 14-3 |
| 25 |  | Caleb Grill finished with 22 points and three rebounds in Tuesday's 83-82 win at Florida. The Tigers' next game is Saturday against Arkansas. | NR | 14-3 |
| 26 |  | RJ Luis Jr. finished with 19 points and three rebounds in Tuesday's 63-58 win over Georgetown. The Red Storm's next game is Saturday at Seton Hall. | -- | 15-3 |
