Auburn can’t afford SEC tourney slip vs. Mississippi State

Auburn faces a must-win game against Mississippi State in the Southeastern Conference tournament's first round on Wednesday in Nashville, Tenn.

The 12th-seeded Tigers (16-15) sit squarely on the NCAA tournament bubble, the last team in according to ESPN's Bracketology and the first team out on Bracket Matrix entering theh week.

The Tigers ranked 40th in Monday's NET rankings but have lost eight of their last 10, including Saturday's 96-84 defeat at then-No. 16 Alabama that dropped Auburn to 4-12 in Quad 1.