Missouri @ Auburn preview
Neville Arena
Last Meeting ( Jan 24, 2018 ) Auburn 91, Missouri 73
Two teams in desperate need of a win square off Wednesday, when Auburn hosts Missouri for an SEC matchup. Auburn has lost three straight contests to fall out of the top 25, while Missouri has dropped five of its first six conference games.
It has been a precipitous fall for Auburn, which was ranked as high as No. 7 before its recent swoon, but things might not be as bad as they seem. The three consecutive losses have come by a total of 13 points, and two of them were against ranked opponents. “Step back from everything else, we’re 13-6 and we’re ranked 26 in the country, and our NET is 25. That’s where we are right now,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl told reporters. “I want to give them the confidence. There’s a lot of teams in the country that would trade places with us right now.” Missouri is among them, especially after squandering a 14-point lead in the final 2 1/2 minutes of an 86-80 overtime loss to LSU at home on Saturday.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network
ABOUT MISSOURI (10-8, 1-5 SEC): The game against LSU went from what would have been an impressive win, especially without sharp-shooting guard Mark Smith (12.6 points, 5.5 rebounds) in the lineup, to a devastating loss. Smith leads the SEC in 3-point shooting (47.5 percent) and Jordan Geist (13.4 points) isn’t afraid to let it fly from long range, but Missouri has struggled to find a consistent third option. Jeremiah Tilmon (9.9 points, 5.8 rebounds) is capable of putting up big numbers but has a hard time staying out of foul trouble.
ABOUT AUBURN (13-6, 2-4): Auburn has struggled defensively in conference play, allowing 80 points per game - up from its season average of 69.4. That has made it tough to keep pace, even with a lineup anchored by high-scoring guards Bryce Brown (16.9 points) and Jared Harper (15.3, 6.6 assists) and forward Chuma Okeke (10.4, 6.1 rebounds). Auburn has missed Austin Wiley (10.8 points, 6.1 rebounds), who has been sidelined for three games with a lower leg injury - especially on the defensive glass.
TIP-INS
1. Missouri leads the SEC in 3-point shooting (38.4 percent) and has made at least eight shots from beyond the arc in 14 of its 18 games.
2. Missouri is 7-0 when committing fewer turnovers than its opponent but is averaging a whopping 16.5 in conference play.
3. Auburn has sent opponents to the foul line 176 times in six SEC games while attempting 113 free throws - a deficit of 10.5 per contest.
PREDICTION: Auburn 76, Missouri 69