Auburn 78, Tennessee State 73: Chris Denson scored 17 points and host Auburn had four starters reach double figures to hold off Tennessee State.

Tahj Shamsid-Deen added 16 points for Auburn (4-1), which has won three straight games. KT Harrell pitched in with 14 points for the Tigers, who also got 13 and a a team-high six rebounds from Allen Payne.

Jacquan Nobles finished with 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including 6-of-9 3-pointers, to lead Tennessee State, which fell to 0-7 on the season and lost its ninth straight game overall. Kennedy Eubanks and Patrick Miller each compiled 17 points for the Tigers and Miller's eight assists were a game-high total.

Auburn struggled to distance itself from Tennessee State early on, leading by no more than five at any point in the first half and taking a slim 36-33 lead into halftime. Shamsid-Deen had 14 points at the break, while Payne had totaled eight points to go with four rebounds and three steals.

After the break, Tennessee State refused to go away, never trailing by more than seven and pulling to within 59-58 on a 3-pointer from Nobles with 6:38 to play before Auburn answered with eight straight points. Tennessee State followed with a 12-5 run, capped by another 3-pointer from Nobles to inch within 72-70 with 40 ticks remaining but would get no closer as Denson and Payne helped Auburn finish off the win at the free-throw line.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Auburn improved to 34-3 all-time against Ohio Valley Conference teams in its second win in as many tries over Tennessee State. ... Tennessee State drained 9-of-20 3-pointers, while Auburn knocked down only 2-of-13 from beyond the arc. ... Eubanks finished with a game-high nine rebounds for Tennessee State, which failed to win the battle on the boards for the seventh straight game, finishing even with Auburn in this one 28-28.