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.

The record-breaking Neville Arena crowd cheered loudly as Auburn won the opening tip. It didn’t take long for Chaney Johnson -- Auburn’s 6-foot-7 forward who was filling in for the injured Johni Broome -- to get the ball on his way to the rim.

A pair of top 15 teams at the top of the SEC meet up on Tuesday, Jan. 14 when the No. 1 Auburn Tigers host the No. 15 Mississippi State Bulldogs at Neville Arena in Auburn, Ala.