The Auburn Tigers return to Neville Arena for another SEC matchup against the Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday, February 28, for the second of two meetings this year. With only three games remaining in the regular season, both teams are looking to secure a much-needed win heading into March.
The Tigers are coming off a disappointing road trip to Norman, resulting in a 91–79 loss to the Oklahoma Sooners earlier this week, bringing their record to 15–13 (6–9 SEC).
“Saturday is a must-win... We have to play desperate. We have to play hungry. We have to do everything opposite of what we did tonight,” said head coach Steven Pearl. “We were entitled tonight. We were selfish tonight on the defensive end. We had no urgency. That’s unacceptable.”
While the Tigers fell short overall, Kevin Overton was a standout Tuesday night with 26 points and seven rebounds, leading the Tigers alongside Keyshawn Hall, who also had 26 points and six rebounds against the Sooners. Hall remains a player to watch this weekend, averaging 20.8 points per game (4th in the SEC). Tahaad Pettiford also remains a major contributor to the team, despite scoring fewer than 10 points in the last two games following his four-game 20+ point streak. While Hall and Pettiford often lead the team offensively, coordination issues remain between the two. Without both playing to their full potential, a win against this defensively dominant Ole Miss team will be challenging.
Pearl has been trying to push his team to play with more defensive intensity and not underestimate their opponents, and Ole Miss is a perfect example of a bottom-half team the Tigers should not take for granted. Auburn must try to reignite the fire that was burning against Kentucky last Saturday, amplifying its home-court advantage even further. If Auburn’s powerhouse players can be offensively cohesive and the team can step up defensively, it is likely they can secure the win against the Rebels.
As for Ole Miss, the Rebels have had an underwhelming season, winning only three of their conference games thus far. While they are fairly dominant defensively, ranking fifth in the SEC; their offense falls short more often than not, averaging 74.2 points per game, which ranks last in the conference. The Rebels are led by senior guard AJ Storr, who is averaging 14.6 points per game (20th in the SEC). This is Storr’s first season with Ole Miss after playing for St. John’s, Wisconsin, and Kansas. In their last game, Ole Miss lost 106-99 in double overtime to LSU, who ended their five-game losing streak with the win over the Rebels, bringing Ole Miss's conference record to 3-12.
Historically, the matchup leans in Auburn’s favor with an overall record of 31–28. Ole Miss has not beaten Auburn in Neville Arena — or at all — since 2021, which puts the Tigers on a 10-game winning streak they hope to extend this weekend.
As we quickly approach the end of the regular season, Auburn is looking to grab as many wins as possible to punch its fifth straight ticket to the NCAA Tournament. Using its home-court advantage against a team that has also struggled in SEC play would certainly help push the Tigers in that direction and allow them to begin playing at the level of competition they hope to see in March.
Be sure to tune in to the conference matchup at Neville Arena at 7:30 p.m. CST as the Tigers try to sweep the series against the Rebels.
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