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03/11 16:34 CDT Overton scores 22 as Auburn beats Mississippi State in Southeastern Conference Tournament 77-61 Overton scores 22 as Auburn beats Mississippi State in Southeastern Conference Tournament 77-61 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) --- Kevin Overton scored 22 points, including 15 in the second half, as No. 12 seed Auburn rallied past No. 13 seed Mississippi State 77-61 on Wednesday in the first round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament. The win helps Auburn's NCAA Tournament chances under first-year coach Steven Pearl. The Tigers entered the SEC Tournament on the bubble after finishing as the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament on their way to the Final Four a year ago. Auburn (17-15) erased a 33-30 halftime deficit and dominated after the break, outscoring Mississippi State 47-28. Overton led the charge with six 3-pointers and five assists as Auburn found its rhythm from the perimeter in the second half. KeShawn Murphy added 15 points and nine rebounds, while Keyshawn Hall finished with 14 points and Tahaad Pettiford contributed 11. Mississippi State (13-19) saw its streak of three straight NCAA Tournament appearances come to an end. Josh Hubbard finished with 22 points on 8-of-25 shooting for the Bulldogs. Jayden Epps added 14. The Tigers gradually took control midway through the second half as Overton connected on consecutive 3-pointers to turn a tight game into a multi-possession lead. Auburn pushed the margin into double digits down the stretch.

Up next Auburn faces No. 5 seed Tennessee on Thursday in the second round. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball