COLUMBIA, Mo. — The University of Missouri men’s basketball team welcomes the nation’s top-ranked team into Mizzou Arena Tuesday evening for a 7:30 p.m. showdown. Mizzou hosts Auburn, who is fresh off a top-20 win against Kentucky, on SEC Network. Dave Neal and Daymeon Fishback have the call on SEC Network, while Mike Kelly and Chris Gervino will have the game on Tiger Radio Network.
Mizzou split a pair of games on the road last week, dropping a close matchup against Alabama after a 25-point road victory at Ole Miss. The Tigers’ win at Ole Miss tied for the third-largest margin of victory ever against an SEC opponent and the program’s second-best field goal percentage in an SEC game.
MIZZOU HEADLINES
- Mizzou heads into Tuesday’s game with the ninth-strongest strength of schedule in the country according to the ESPN Basketball Power Index. The Tiger’s rank third in the SEC, behind Alabama and Tennessee.
- The Tigers are 1-2 against top-25 teams this season, but 1-0 against top-25 teams at home. Mizzou picked up a top-15 win against Alabama back on Jan. 8, 92-86.
- Since entering SEC play, Jarron Coleman has become a consistent threat for the Tigers. He ranks third in the SEC with a 39.5 three-point field goal percentage against conference opponents, and is also 11th in rebounding (5.83) and eighth in assists (4.17).
- Javon Pickett is in the midst of a five-game stretch all with double-digit scoring. It is the largest stretch of his career, as he is averaging a personal-best 10.5 points per game in the SEC.
- Amari Davis went 16-of-20 from the floor in the Tigers’ pair of games last week. Davis averaged 17.5 points per game, including a 23-point outburst on a perfect 10-of-10 shooting at Ole Miss.
- In conference games, Mizzou ranks third in the SEC in three-point field goal percentage defense, allowing opponents to shoot just 29.4 percent from deep.
- Trevon Brazile sits at sixth all-time for blocks by a Mizzou freshman with 26. The Springfield, Mo. native has played in just 10 games and ranks second in the SEC for blocks in a conference game with 15.
- As a team, Missouri remains 8-1 this season when outrebounding its opponents, doing so in every win this season.
- Tuesday marks Mizzou’s 23rd all-time game against a No. 1 ranked team, as Mizzou is 4-18 all-time against them. Three of Mizzou’s four all-time wins against No. 1 have been in Columbia.
- The last time Mizzou hosted a No. 1 team was Jan. 29, 2015 where Kentucky won 69-53.
THE SERIES
- Auburn defeated Mizzou last season to take the 7-6 lead in the all-time series with an 88-82 win.
- Mizzou won the last meeting between the two teams in Mizzou Arena with an 85-73 win in 2020.
- The Missouri Tigers have a 4-2 record all-time against Auburn at home. Auburn last won in Columbia in 2019.
SCOUTING AUBURN
- Auburn comes into Mizzou Arena the day after earning the program’s first ever No. 1 ranking in the AP poll.
- The Tigers have won 15-straight, including a 7-0 start in SEC play.
- Auburn brings a pair of SEC Weekly Award winners into Columbia Tuesday as Walker Kessler and Jabari Smith won Player and Freshman of the Week.
- Kessler ranks second in the nation in blocked shots per game, and is the only player to have more against SEC competition than Mizzou freshman, Trevon Brazile.
- As a team, Auburn leads the nation in total blocks and win percentage while being top-20 in scoring offense and steals per game.
- Jabari Smith leads the team in scoring with 15.7 points per game on 45.9 percent shooting. He averages over two three-pointers per game and 6.3 rebounds.
- Kessler is the team’s leading rebounder at 7.4 per game.
- Auburn has held opponents to a 39.2 percent field goal shooting this season, the second-best in the SEC.
UP NEXT
Mizzou will face back-to-back top-25 opponents as they take on No. 23 Iowa State in Ames on Saturday as part of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. It will be the Tigers’ first game against the Cyclones since 2018. The game is slated for 1:30 p.m. tip on ESPNU.
FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For all the latest information on Mizzou Men’s Basketball, please visit MUTigers.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Tigers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook @MizzouHoops. Fans should call 1-800-CAT-PAWS for tickets or buy online today!
