Tigers head into Wildcat territory looking to steal a win

With just three games remaining on its schedule, Auburn heads to Lexington, Kentucky, to face John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats. 

After losing to Vanderbilt, Auburn bounced back with a 78-74 win over Ole Miss on Wednesday.

“It was just one of those games you had to fight till the end and finish it,” said Zep Jasper. “It wasn’t a pretty game, but as long as we got the win, that’s all that matters.” 

Wendell Green Jr. led Auburn’s offense with 23 points: six field goals and 11 free throws. Following close behind, Johni Broome had eight field goals, one three-point field goal and two free throws. Broome also added six blocks and eight rebounds, which led the team.

The veterans, Jaylin Williams and Allen Flanigan had a good night in the paint. With 12 points, Williams had four field goals, two three-point field goals, and two free throws. Flanigan had three field goals, one three-point field goal, four free throws and six defensive rebounds. 

“(Flanigan) looks like he’s flying like he was a couple of years ago before the injuries. He’s got a lot of diversity to his game,” said head coach Bruce Pearl. “He can shoot. He can knock down three balls. He’s a physical defender and rebounder.”

Auburn and Kentucky have been competitors since the 1920s, but the Wildcats dominate the series, 92-22. But in January 2022, the Tigers grabbed a victory with an 80-71 win in Neville Arena. 

Pearl always talks about making history with his players, and Auburn is close to making history against Kentucky. In 35 years, the Tigers have yet to have two regular-season wins over the Wildcats in a row, but Saturday could be the day Pearl and his Tigers make program history. 

“No matter how many games they lost this year, they’re still one of the best teams in the conference. They still got a great coach, one of the greatest coaches that ever coached college basketball,” Jasper said. “They came in here last year with a hostile environment and lost, so I expect these guys to come out and play tough. So, we got to play harder.” 

Kentucky sits third in the SEC, while Auburn is fifth. Both teams are built similarly. 

The Wildcats and the Tigers are strong at rebounding. Kentucky is nationally ranked 28th with 38 per game. Whereas Auburn is 50th, averaging 37 a game. 

“We are one of the top 20 teams in the country as far as defense, so we got to stand down and make sure we guard and hold them under 70,” Flanigan said. “We got to get the win, so it puts a little pressure on our shoulders to get out there.”

Auburn and Kentucky are equally matched in the paint. The Wildcats shoot 46% on field goals and 36% on three-point field goals compared to the Tigers’ 44% field goal-percentage and 30% three-point percentage. 

Oscar Tshiebwe is a weapon for the Wildcats. Kentucky’s forward is strong on rebounds, averaging 12.7 a game. His impressive rebounding ranks him second in the nation behind Purdue’s Zach Edey. The Congo native is strong in the paint as he shoots 56% from the field, ranking him 45th in the country. 

“He’s one of the best guys I’ve been around….He’s a hard worker,” Jasper said. “He’s a guy that’s a team player who wants to see his team win, but just like him, I want to see my team win and succeed too.”

Auburn has a tough schedule in the last few games of the regular season. The Tigers are under pressure as they will face Kentucky, No. 2 Alabama and No. 11 Tennessee within the next week. 

“We all know that the pressure is on us. I, being one of the older guys and a leader on the team. The pressure is on,” Jasper said. “Since these are my last few games, I’m gonna pour my heart out for the fans, my family and friends, and everyone who loves this team.”

The Auburn Tigers and the Kentucky Wildcats matchup is on Saturday at 3 p.m. CST on CBS.