Georgia @ Auburn preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 27, 2019 ) Auburn 78, Georgia 75

No. 5 Auburn remains one of two unbeaten teams in the nation after a close call against Vanderbilt, and the Tigers host Georgia on Saturday looking to extend their season-opening win streak to 15 games. Senior guard J’Von McCormick’s two free throws in the final minute and a big game from freshman forward Isaac Okoro lifted Auburn to an 83-79 victory Wednesday, giving the Tigers their 11th straight victory against SEC foes dating back to last season.

Okoro finished with 23 points on 6-for-9 shooting from the field and went 10-for-14 from the free throw line, while senior center Austin Wiley added his sixth double-double of the season with 13 points and 12 rebounds for the Tigers. “We hung in there, didn’t panic, and made enough plays to finish the job,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl told reporters after the Tigers won for the 26th time in their past 27 games. Georgia earned a signature win last weekend at No. 22 Memphis but was unable to follow up Tuesday at home against No. 13 Kentucky, losing a six-point halftime lead in a 78-69 defeat. “I told them that what we’re getting ready to deal with on Saturday will be tougher than anything we’ve done all year,” Georgia coach Tom Crean told reporters postgame in looking ahead to the Auburn contest.

TIME: Noon ET. TV: ESPNews

ABOUT GEORGIA (10-4, 0-1 SEC): Freshman guard Anthony Edwards scored 23 points on 8-for-17 shooting against Kentucky and is third in the SEC in scoring at 18.7 points. Senior guard Jordan Harris played his best game of the season with 10 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals, but junior forward/center Rayshaun Hammonds fouled out with nine points and four rebounds (below his averages of 13.7 points and 8.7 boards). Senior guard Donnell Gresham Jr. was scoreless against Kentucky after registering 23 points across his previous two games.

ABOUT AUBURN (14-0, 2-0): Senior guard Samir Doughty was held to six points Wednesday but leads four players averaging double-figures scoring at 15.6 points. Okoro is shooting 57.7 percent from the field and scoring 13.6 points per game, and in his past three outings is averaging 17 points, six rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 65.2 percent on two-point attempts. Wiley ranks second in the SEC in rebounding (9.4 per game) and is shooting 57.3 percent from the field.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The matchup features two of the top scoring offenses in the SEC, as Auburn is second at 82.1 points and Georgia ranks fourth at 80.0.

2. Auburn leads the all-time series 95-94 and has won the past four meetings.

3. Saturday’s game was moved from its original 6 p.m. ET start time due to the threat of severe weather in Auburn.

PREDICTION: Auburn 85, Georgia 72