Lehigh @ Auburn preview

Auburn continues to pull out narrow victories to keep its unbeaten streak alive. The ninth-ranked Tigers will hope for a little more breathing room at the finish line when they host Lehigh of the Patriot League on Saturday.

Senior guard Samir Doughty caught fire with 11 of his 24 points in the final four-plus minutes to help Auburn remain one of four undefeated teams in the country with a 79-73 victory over North Carolina State on Thursday. The win followed up a six-point triumph over Saint Louis and a three-point decision against Furman, and Auburn opened the season with three victories by 10 points or fewer. "Auburn basketball's not going to be as pretty this year, and I don't know whether it will be as successful or effective," Tigers coach Bruce Pearl told reporters. "But I do know that we've got some very strong pieces." The Mountain Hawks carry a five-game losing streak into Auburn and they own just one win over a Division I team.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, SEC Network

ABOUT LEHIGH (3-7): Sophomore forward Jeameril Wilson scored a season-high 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting in a 78-65 loss to Yale last time out on Dec. 7. Senior guard Jordan Cohen, the team's leader with 13.9 points and 3.9 assists per game, chipped in 12 and five, respectively, against the Bulldogs. Junior center James Karnik ranks second to Cohen in scoring (12.5) after putting up 15 in the loss, and he is second among Patriot League players with eight boards per contest.

ABOUT AUBURN (10-0): Doughty scored a total of 21 points on 6-of-18 shooting over his previous two games before hitting 6-of-12 shots while recording a season-high four assists in the win over the Wolfpack. He averages 18 points per game to lead a quartet of players posting double digits in scoring, with senior center Austin Wiley (10.6) leading the way on the boards at an average of 8.8. Senior guard J'Von McCormick is averaging 17 points his last two games after being held to single digits in six of his first eight contests.

TIP-INS

1. Wiley and McCormick are a combined 45-for-81 from the foul line.

2. Cohen is 10-for-28 from 3-point range. His teammates are a combined 41-for-137.

3. This marks the first meeting between the programs.

PREDICTION: Auburn 78, Lehigh 58