AUBURN, Ala. – Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum will ultimately go up in smoke. Thanks to its occupant’s last game in the building, Mississippi State’s NCAA hopes could get there first.

The Bulldogs’ surge to a possible at-large bid was slowed in a 89-80 loss to Auburn in the final game in the Tigers’ 42-year-old gym.

A crowd of 9,927 watched the SEC’s only two teams with more than 700 3-point attempts launch a combined 57 from the arc, but it was their Tigers who hit them most efficiently.

Senior guard Tay Waller had hit 21 of his last 31 3-point attempts coming in and knocked down 6 of 11, more than half the makes in an 11 for 24 night for Auburn.

Waller had 22 points, and forward Brendon Knox almost tripled his average production with 21 points and a rare inside presence for the Tigers (15-15, 6-9 SEC).

For MSU, the loss puts greater emphasis on the Bulldogs’ regular season finale Saturday at home against No. 16 Tennessee. A win would be a big RPI lift and a resume builder come Selection Sunday.

“We thought about it a lot. We knew we couldn’t lose this and get in the tournament,” MSU point guard Dee Bost said. “It’s a big loss on our resume. Now we have to go out and get a big win.”

Auburn’s RPI of 148 won’t help the Bulldogs (21-9, 9-6 SEC), who began the night at 55. Beating Tennessee, with its RPI of 16, would offer some measure of damage control.

An Arkansas loss at Tennessee means the Bulldogs can finish no worse than tied for first in the Western Division with Ole Miss – which guarantees MSU the division’s No. 1 seed thanks to a pair of wins over the Rebels.

Waller got going early and helped Auburn keep the Bulldogs at arm’s length, though the Tigers could never put them away.

State was effective pounding inside with Jarvis Varnado in the first half, but Auburn shot 59. 4 percent from the field and led 46-37 at the break.

Bost, who did not score in the first half, put up 25 in the second, a game-high. His 3-pointer from the wing tied the game at 65 with 9 minutes, 8 seconds to play.

But every time the Bulldogs got close, Auburn had an answer, and it wasn’t always Waller.

“In the first half we didn’t have that edge, and it was very obvious Auburn had that edge,” MSU coach Rick Stansbury said. “In the second half I thought our kids played with the aggression you’ve got to play with.”

The Bulldogs faltered with a chance to assert themselves in a tie game. They were unable to get a stop after Bost’s tying 3-pointer as Knox scored with a rebound on the other end.

Then, after Bost missed two free throws, and Ravern Johnson misfired on a quick jumper, DeWayne Reed hit a 3 to make it 70-65.

A Bost 3-pointer from the wing with 7:02 left made it 70-68, but the Bulldogs missed their next six shots, all of them 3-point attempts. State finished 12 for 33 behind the arc.

Stewart added 18 for MSU, Johnson 16 and Varnado 14 but only four after halftime.

“I am so excited for our seniors,” Auburn coach Jeff Lebo said. “I wanted to win this one so bad for them to send them and the arena out the right way.”