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.

Auburn, the newly minted No. 1 team in the country, will put their top billing to the test when No. 15 Mississippi State comes through Eastern Alabama.

Chad Baker-Mazara scored 20 points, and No. Auburn beat No. Mississippi State 88-66 on Tuesday night in its first game without star center Johni Broome.