Auburn @ Georgia preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 12, 2019 ) Georgia 78, Auburn 93

Auburn will try to improve its NCAA Tournament prospects and tune up for the final stretch of the SEC regular season when it visits struggling Georgia on Wednesday. The Tigers are coming off an 80-53 loss at No. 4 Kentucky on Saturday and were 23rd in the NET rankings - a position that appears to be good enough to get them in the Big Dance.

Auburn's performance Saturday won't do wonders for its resume, though, with coach Bruce Pearl telling reporters: “I am surprised that we were not competitive. I thought we legitimately had the chance to come in here and play with them.” The Tigers are 2-7 in Quadrant 1 games and can improve that record with such contests remaining versus Mississippi State, at Alabama and against No. 7 Tennessee. The Bulldogs are coming off a 72-71 loss at Ole Miss on Saturday and have dropped their last three games by a total of six points with their only SEC victory coming against winless Vanderbilt. "I feel like the atmosphere is really just improving because I feel like everyone is trying to keep pushing and seeing what they need to work on individually,” Georgia senior guard Turtle Jackson told reporters.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT AUBURN (18-9, 7-7 SEC): Senior guard Bryce Brown (team-high 15.9 points) scored six points Saturday - his lowest total since totaling three versus North Carolina State on Dec. 19 and only his second conference game with fewer than 11. Junior guard Jared Harper (15.1 points, club-best 5.9 assists) scored 12 against Kentucky but didn't have an assist after recording at least one in his previous 71 games. Sophomore forward Chuma Okeke (11.3 points, 6.6 rebounds) is averaging 14 points in his last six contests after scoring 14 on Saturday.

ABOUT GEORGIA (10-17, 1-13): Sophomore forward Nicolas Claxton leads the club in scoring (12.7 points), rebounding (8.9), blocks (2.4), assists (2.0) and steals (1.1) but was held to 13 points and five rebounds while being shut out in the other categories against Ole Miss. Sophomore forward Rayshaun Hammonds (12.6 points, 6.3 rebounds) had 16 points and five boards on Saturday after recording his second double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds in a 68-67 loss to Mississippi State on Feb. 20. Junior guard Jordan Harris (6.6 points) scored 15 on Saturday for his third straight career-high performance and has reached double figures in five straight games along with eight of his last nine.

TIP-INS

1. Brown has 1,466 points and needs 67 to pass Marquis Daniels and move into 10th place on the school's all-time list.

2. Georgia is trying to avoid the school record for SEC losses in a season, which is 16 set in 1973-74.

3. Auburn has won three straight meetings by a combined 46 points, including 93-78 on Jan. 12 behind 22 points and seven assists from Harper.

PREDICTION: Auburn 93, Georgia 78