Auburn @ South Carolina preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 22, 2019 ) Auburn 77, South Carolina 80

Although it finished fourth in the powerful SEC, South Carolina figures to need a lengthy run in the conference tournament to gain any at-large consideration for the NCAA Tournament. The fourth-seeded Gamecocks begin what they hope will be a fruitful weekend with a matchup against No. 5 seed Auburn in the quarterfinals of the SEC tourney Friday in Nashville, Tenn.

"We've lost games. I understand. I'm not here to say we belong," South Carolina coach Frank Martin told reporters after Saturday's 66-46 win over Georgia in the regular-season finale. "But I'm here to say put ours against anybody on the bubble." The Tigers picked up their first conference tournament victory in four years with an 81-71 win over Missouri in the second round Thursday. Auburn, ranked 24th in the country, has won five games in a row - tied for a season high - and seven of its last eight. Senior forward Chris Silva scored a career-high 32 points on 11-of-12 shooting to lead South Carolina to an 80-77 win over the Tigers at home in the lone encounter during the regular season.

TV: 3 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT AUBURN (23-9): Senior guard Bryce Brown nailed five 3-pointers en route to 17 points in the win over Missouri while nine of his teammates scored at least five points in a deep, balanced attack that could help the team survive the long weekend. "We're continuing to make history," coach Bruce Pearl told the SEC Network postgame. "It's a good Missouri team. It's March. This basketball team is 5-0 in the month of March right now." Senior forward Horace Spencer notched his second double-double Thursday with 11 points and 10 rebounds while chipping in season highs of four blocks and four steals.

ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (16-15): The Gamecocks lean heavily on Silva, an All-SEC first teamer who is averaging 20.3 points and 9.8 rebounds over his last four games and leads the team in both categories at 14.8 and 7.5, respectively. Freshman standout A.J. Lawson (13.9 points) has missed three straight games with an ankle injury but could return for this one. Senior guard Hassani Gravett averaged 15.3 points over the final four games of the regular season to boost his season mark to 11.6.

TIP-INS

1. Silva is 19-of-42 from 3-point range this season - 5-of-6 over the last two games - after hitting 5-of-13 over his first three seasons combined.

2. Tigers C Austin Wiley (8.2 points, 4.9 rebounds) has missed the last five games with a leg injury but was in uniform for the second round.

3. The teams last met in the conference tournament in 2014, when South Carolina won a first-round matchup.

PREDICTION: Auburn 74, South Carolina 73