Mississippi @ Auburn preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 9, 2019 ) Auburn 67, Mississippi 82

Mississippi is making a bid for its first trip to the NCAA Tournament in four seasons and can take another step toward reaching that goal when it visits Auburn on Wednesday night in a Southeastern Conference matchup. The Rebels have answered a four-game losing streak with back-to-back victories and look to complete a season sweep of the Tigers.

Ole Miss rode a 31-point performance from Breein Tyree to an 80-64 win at Georgia on Saturday to move to 6-4 in conference play, the first time it has been above .500 through 10 games in the SEC since last going to the NCAAs in 2014-15. The Rebels breezed to an 82-67 over the Tigers on Jan. 9 behind a double-double from Terence Davis to earn their 11th victory in the last 13 meetings. Auburn blew an early 16-point lead in Saturday's 83-78 loss at No. 21 LSU, snapping an impressive three-game winning streak in which its margin of victory was 23.0 points. The Tigers did sweep the season series a year ago and will take a 12-1 home record into the rematch after being held to a season-low point total at Ole Miss.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network

ABOUT MISSIPPIPPI (16-7, 6-4 SEC): Leading scorer Tyree labored through a miserable performance in the first matchup against Auburn, managing five points on 1-for-10 shooting, but he has been on a tear over the past five games, averaging 24.0 points after matching his career high at Georgia to go over 1,000 for his career. Backcourt mate Davis torched the Tigers for 27 points and 12 rebounds last month and is averaging 19.9 points in his last five matchups against Auburn. Davis has scored in double figures in 12 consecutive games and is averaging 17.6 points over the past five contests.

ABOUT AUBURN (16-7, 5-5): Like Ole Miss, the Tigers are led by the backcourt tandem of Bryce Brown and Jared Harper, who average 16.7 and 15.6 points, respectively and have combined to knock down 142 3-pointers for a team that shoots an SEC-best 37.7 percent from long range. The duo was only 11-for-38 from the floor in the first matchup, including 3-for-14 by Harper, who scored 25 points and connected on 5 of 8 3-pointers at LSU. Brown, who is shooting 41.1 percent from behind the arc for the season, attempted a staggering 19 3-point attempts, making seven, in a 23-point effort at Ole Miss.

TIP-INS

1. Auburn ranks fourth in the country, making an average of 11.3 3-pointers.

2. The Rebels lead the conference are rank No. 9 nationally in free-throw percentage (77.0).

3. Tigers F Chuma Okeke scored only five points in the first matchup but is averaging 12.0 points in the last eight games.

PREDICTION: Auburn 83, Mississippi 81