Hubbard hits program-record 10 3s, scores 46 as Mississippi State blows big lead, beats Auburn

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STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Josh Hubbard made a program-record 10 3-pointers and scored a career-high 46 points Wednesday night as Mississippi State blew an 18-point lead and then rallied to beat Auburn 91-85.

Hubbard, a 6-foot junior, broke the previous mark of eight 3s (done six times) before halftime, making 9 of 12 from behind the arc and scoring 35 points, two more than Auburn (33), as the Bulldogs took a 16-point lead into the intermission.

Hubbard, who has scored at least 30 points in three consecutive games, also set the Mississippi State (13-13, 5-8) record for points in an SEC game, breaking Bailey Howell’s mark of 45, set against LSU on Feb. 22, 1958. Howell also holds the record for points in a game with 47 against Union on Dec. 4, 1958.

Auburn (14-12, 5-8) has lost five games in a row.

Keyshawn Hall led the Tigers with 29 points and 10 rebounds. Tahaad Pettiford scored 21 and Kevin Overton added 15 points.

Hubbard made a layup with 1:11 left and, after Hall made 1 of 2 free throws, hit a corner 3-pointer that gave Mississippi State an 85-83 lead 27 seconds later. Achor Achor blocked consecutive shots by Hall, Ja’Borri McGhee made two free throws, and Jamarion Davis-Fleming blocked a layup attempt by Overton with 14 seconds left.

KeShawn Murphy put back his own miss to give Auburn its first lead at 64-63 with 8:50 remaining.

The Bulldogs scored the first seven points and Hubbard had 13 — which included back-to-back-to-back 3s — as they jumped to a 21-6 lead about eight minutes into the game.

Auburn: Hosts Kentucky on Saturday.

Mississippi State: Plays Saturday at South Carolina.

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