Auburn hosts Mississippi State for an SEC showcase on Tuesday night. It's time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Mississippi State-Auburn prediction and pick.

The Bulldogs are 14-2 on the season, ranking them 15th in the AP Top 25. They are coming off a loss to No. 6 Kentucky at home after not losing a game since November 29 to Butler. The SEC is stacked with talented teams. Many don't include the Bulldogs in the conversations as threatening teams, but that should not be the case. This team has great wins against UNLV, SMU, No. 18 Pitt, and No. 21 Memphis. They now take on the No. 1 team in the country on the road for what will be their biggest game of the season to date.

Auburn jumped Tennessee in the latest AP Poll to become the top team in the country. Johni Broome has established himself as one of the best players in the country and led many sportsbooks in odds to win the John Wooden Award for the nation's top player prior to his injury. Broome injured his ankle against South Carolina in their last matchup and did not return, and Auburn snuck out a win. Broome is expected to miss some time but the good news is he won't need surgery. At 15-1, Auburn aims to keep their win streak alive before they go on the road to No. 23 Georgia.

Here are the Mississippi State-Auburn College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel 

College Basketball Odds: Mississippi State-Auburn Odds

Mississippi State: +7.5 (-110)

Moneyline: +275

Auburn: -7.5 (-110)

Moneyline: -350

Over: 152.5 (-110)

Under: 152.5 (-110)

How to Watch Mississippi State vs. Auburn

Time: 7:00 ET/4:00 PT

TV: SEC Network

*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*

Why Mississippi State Will Cover The Spread/Win

Sophomore Josh Hubbard is establishing himself as one of the best scorers in the SEC. At 17.0 points per game, he is 9th in the conference in points and is 6th among qualified players in three-point percentage at 37.3%. It will be up to Hubbard to lead his team on Tuesday night. A big night for Hubbard could lead to the Bulldogs keeping this game close.

Claudell Harris Jr. is second on the team in scoring at 11.2 per game. They contain four players who average between nine and ten points which showcases a deep team. Hubbard is their go-to guy, but they have proven to score in other ways. Keshawn Murphy is a key factor in this contest averaging 9.8 points, shooting 52.9% from the floor, with 7.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 1.0 steals per game. Mississippi State is 25th in the country in points per game at 83.9.

The Bulldogs have a slightly better chance as Auburn will be without Johni Broome. Not having to go up against a dominant force like that could be what propels Mississippi State to cover this spread.

Why Auburn Will Cover The Spread/Win

Even without Broome, the Tigers are still a loaded team stacked with scoring ability. There are five other players who average north of ten points per game. Chad Baker-Mazara is who to watch for this game. He averages 12.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. He is another large part of why the team shoots at such a high level. Auburn is 7th in the nation shooting 50.6% from the field, 9th in field goals made, 40th in three-point percentage, and 9th in points at 86.6 per game.

Auburn also defends harder than most teams. They block 7.0 shots per game which is the most in the nation with UConn being right behind them at 6.8. Furthermore, Auburn's +20.5 point differential is a big reason why the Tigers are still primed to cover this spread at home without their top player.

Final Mississippi State-Auburn Prediction & Pick

This is going to be a great game to begin the Tuesday slate. Not having Broome may be costly at times but the Tigers are still a very deep team. I expect them to cover this spread at home. They are 10-6 against the spread and the Bulldogs are 9-7.

Final Mississippi State-Auburn Prediction & Pick: Auburn -7.5 (-110)