Auburn Men’s Basketball will return to Neville Arena on Tuesday, February 10th for what seems as a pivotal SEC matchup against the No. 19 Vanderbilt Commodores, with both teams looking to rebound and get back on track after disappointing losses this weekend. The Commodores enter this game looking for a strong, bounce-back performance, while the Tigers seek to avoid back-to-back losses at home for the first time in nearly four years.
Vanderbilt has a record of 19-4 (6-4 SEC) and snapped their three-game winning streak on Saturday in a heartbreaking fashion; the Commodores lost 92-91 against the Oklahoma Sooners, who had lost nine straight games prior to the contest. Vanderbilt trailed Oklahoma for almost the entirety of the matchup and at one point were down by as many as 15 points before almost completing an electric comeback. Despite this loss, Vanderbilt is off to its best 23-game start since the 2007-08 season, yet head coach Mark Byington stressed that his team must clean up moving forward.
Leading the way for Vanderbilt is their breakout sophomore Tyler Tanner, who has emerged as one of the SEC’s most dynamic players and efficient scorers. Tanner ranks fifth best in the conference, averaging 18.6 points per game. He put up a career-high 37 points against Oklahoma, including 15 points in the final two minutes of the game. His increased role has been crucial with the Commodores dealing with injuries on the backcourt. The second-leading scorer Duke Miles and veteran guard Frankie Collins have both missed time this season with knee injuries, forcing Tanner to have to pick up much of the offensive load.
The pressure on Vanderbilt will only intensify on the road, where Vanderbilt has not won at Auburn since 2016. The Commodores bring one of the nation’s strongest and most explosive offenses, ranking 12th in the nation with 88.9 points per game. However, they will face a tough test in a hostile, passionate environment.
On the other hand, Auburn, who is 14-9 (5-5 SEC) enters this matchup following a 96-92 loss at home to their rival, the Alabama Crimson Tide, in which the Tigers gave up 59 second-half points after holding a double-digit lead before halftime. Head coach Steven Pearl emphasized the importance of a quick turnaround as Auburn prepares for another opponent with a highly-powered and well-equipped offensive.
Despite performing inconsistently this season, Auburn’s offense has been well-led by Keyshawn Hall, one of the SEC’s best scorers. Hall ranks second in the SEC at 21 points per game and has been on an offensive tear recently, averaging 23.8 points over his last five games. His scoring ability has kept the Tigers competitive as they continue to fight to rise in the SEC standings and stay in the NCAA March Madness conversation.
Auburn’s defense will need to play harder and improve after allowing an average of 78.4 points per game, the third-highest in the entire SEC. Limiting Tanner’s scoring and slowing Vanderbilt’s offensive rhythm will be the keys to success if the Tigers hope to protect their home court.
With tournament implications on the line for both of these teams, Tuesday’s matchup will act as a vital SEC showdown. Vanderbilt looks to redeem themselves and secure a rare road win in Auburn, while the Tigers look to reassert themselves as a contender and build much-needed momentum in the season’s final stretch.
Tipoff is at 6 p.m. CST.
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Lila is a freshman majoring in journalism sports production. She started with The Plainsman in the fall of 2025.
