No. 22 Auburn is set to face No. 1 Houston this afternoon at Legacy Arena. Here's what our staff expects of the upcoming matchup:
Reid Farris, Assistant Sports Editor: Houston 87-82
Auburn's squad is full of talent and fight which will certainly give the high ranked Cougars a run for their money but I just do not think the Tigers have fully gelled together as a unit yet. I could see someone like Sebastian Williams-Adams having a big breakout out game to to give Auburn a good shot at Houston but in the end I just do not think it will be enough to overcome the tough Cougars squad in Birmingham.
Rory Garvin, Sports Reporter: Houston 85-76
Auburn’s young squad will get exposed by the veteran Cougars in this one. Unlike last year, the Tigers are a much smaller team, and that won’t bode well against one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the country. I expect Auburn to keep it close behind the raucous crowd at Legacy Arena, but it won’t be enough.
Braden Hensley, Sports Writer: Auburn 85-81
It is difficult to bet against the No. 1 team in the nation, especially after reaching the finals earlier this year, but with Auburn’s offense thriving and Keyshawn Hall averaging 24.3 points per game, I believe this matchup will be closer than many expect. Houston has not surpassed 80 points in a game this season, whereas Auburn has yet to score fewer than 90, and its point differential beats Houston’s by six. The Cougars will need to score more than they have all season against the new-look Tigers, or their defense will need to find a way to stop an Auburn offense averaging 94.3 points per game.
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