Auburn Hosts Ole Miss With Tournament Hopes on the Line

The Auburn Tigers host the Ole Miss Rebels Wednesday at Neville Arena. Auburn is coming off of a heartbreaking loss to Vanderbilt that featured the Commodores making a layup with one second remaining to secure the win. The Tigers are sitting at 18-9 and have lost four out of its last five games. On the other hand, Ole Miss is 10-17 on the year, coming off of an overtime loss to Mississippi State on Saturday.

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Tournament Implications

Auburn comes into this game desperate for a win.

Auburn basketball's recent slump has hurt the Tigers' NCAA Tournament seeding, according to most bracketology experts. https://t.co/vgIIcLQdBl

— MontgomeryAdvertiser (@MGMAdvertiser) February 22, 2023

The Tigers are used to making the big tournament in March, but its recent slide has made the margin for error slim. Auburn’s most notable win of the season has come against No. 13 Arkansas and with four regular season games remaining, the opportunity presents itself. With games against Kentucky, No. 2 Alabama and No. 11 Tennessee, Auburn has a chance to boost its resume and help its seeding. Recent predictions have Auburn at best a No. 9 seed and at worst a No. 11 seed. Early in the season, Auburn was a projected five seed. The late slide means that tonight’s game against the Rebels could be considered a must win.

The Bottom Line

Auburn is sixth in the SEC with a record of 8-6 against conference opponents with a 12-2 home record. The Rebels have struggled against the SEC, holding a record of 2-12 against conference opponents. Additionally, the team is currently on a three-game losing streak. Against ranked opponents, Ole Miss is 0-4 while Auburn is 1-2.

The Stats

The Tigers average 72.5 points per game while opponents are scoring 64.8 points against the team. Auburn is shooting 43.9% from the field and 30% from 3-point range.

Ole Miss is averaging 67.1 points per game and is allowing 68.5 points per game to opponents. The Rebels are shooting 41.8% from the floor and 28.8% from beyond the arc.

Key Players

Auburn is led by forward Johni Broome, who is averaging 14 points per game on 52.4% shooting to go along with a team high 8.9 rebounds per game. In the matchup earlier in the season, Broome scored 19 points with 11 boards against the Rebels. Guard Wendell Green Jr. has been a huge contributor for the Tigers, averaging a team high 4.3 assists to go along with 13.6 points per game.

Guard Matthew Murrell leads the Rebels offensively. He’s averaging 14.4 points per game on 36.3% shooting. The last time the two teams played, Murrell filled the stat sheet with 24 points, six rebounds and four assists. Forward Jaemyn Brakefield has also been important for the Rebels, averaging 10.5 points on 53.8% shooting to go along with 5.6 rebounds per game.

Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. in Auburn.