Feb. 26, 2018
#14 Auburn at Arkansas
(2017-18 RECORD: 24-5, 12-4 SEC) vs. (2017-18 RECORD: 20-9, 9-7 SEC)
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| Tue, Feb 27 | 8 p.m. |
AUBURN, Ala. ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" With two games remaining on its regular season schedule, No. 14 Auburn still maintains a one-game lead in the race for the Southeastern Conference title. Should the Tigers triumph at Arkansas Tuesday night, they will have earned every bit of their third conference crown in program history.
"It's going to be a hard one," junior guard Bryce Brown said. "We're going to have to fight from the beginning of the first half to the end of the second half. We know it's going to be a tight game ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬¦ there is a lot on the line for them and there's a lot on the line for us."
The Razorbacks, currently in a four-way tie for third in the SEC standings, are in search of a double-bye in the upcoming league tournament and tout a 14-2 record at Bud Walton Arena this season.
"Arkansas is really good," head coach Bruce Pearl said. "They've won nine out of their last 11 (against us). It's a matchup of two of the best offensive teams in the league."
Tuesday night's showdown pits the SEC's top scoring offenses against one another as Auburn pours in 84.3 points per game, while Arkansas scores 82.2. The two teams have combined to score 90-plus points in a game 19 times this season.
The Tigers defeated the Razorbacks earlier this season in Auburn Arena, 88-77. In that game, five players scored in double figures, led by Mustapha Heron's 17 and Desean Murray's 15. Auburn buried 11 of 20 3-pointers, while limiting Arkansas to shoot just 4 of 19 from downtown.
Coach Pearl and the Tigers know they'll have to play well to win in front of what is expected to be the largest crowd they'll face all season.
"If we are good enough to either go there and win or play with those guys right now at this moment, who are we going to see in the NCAA Tournament that is going to be any tougher than Arkansas at Arkansas? I don't know if it will be anybody, and that's what we're going up against. But that's the opportunity that we've had all year long."
Tuesday's game at Arkansas is scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m. CT from Bud Walton Arena. Rod Bramblett and Sonny Smith will have the radio call on 93.9 Tiger FM, online at AuburnTigers.com and on the TuneIn app. The game will also be televised on SEC Network with Kevin Fitzgerald and Jon Sundvold on the call.
Player to watch: Jared Harper
As Jared Harper goes, the Auburn Tigers go. The sophomore recently capped a team-best 20-game streak in which he scored in double figures. Harper has dished out seven or more assists in 14 games, leading the SEC. The Mableton, Ga. native has also buried 55 shots from behind the arc, one higher than his total of 54 from his freshman campaign.
Inside the series: Arkansas
Auburn trails its series against Arkansas 33-18 all-time. The Tigers are looking for its fourth home-and-home season sweep over Arkansas since the Razorbacks joined the SEC in 1992 (1993, 2003, 2009).
Auburn defeated Arkansas 88-77 at Auburn Arena on Jan. 6 in the two teams' first matchup this season. Five Tigers scored in double figures, led by Mustapha Heron's 17 points, as Auburn never trailed and led by as many as 21 points in the second half.
Auburn trails 20-4 in games played in Fayetteville, including 19-3 at Bud Walton Arena. The Tigers are looking to win consecutive games in Fayetteville for the first time in series history, as Auburn defeated Arkansas 90-86 in Bud Walton Arena on Feb. 17, 2016, behind 27 points from then-freshman Bryce Brown on 9-of-14 shooting from 3-point range, one 3-pointer off Lance Weems' single-game Auburn record.
The Razorbacks have won nine of the last 11 meetings against Auburn.
Getting it done on the road
Auburn is the only team in the SEC with a winning road record in conference play at 5-3. The Tigers' five road SEC wins are their most since winning six in the 1998-99 season and just the second time they've won at least five in the last 30 years. Auburn has won five road SEC games nine times in program history.
Tigers from deep
Auburn has hit 11 3-pointers in a game 13 times so far this season. The Tigers are 159 of 421 (.378) from downtown in SEC play this season.
Auburn has made at least 11 3s in 44 of 124 games (35 percent) under head coach Bruce Pearl compared to just 124 of 855 from the creation of the 3-point shot in the college game in 1986-87 to him taking over as Auburn's head coach prior to the 2014-15 season.
Take a timeout
Click here to vote for Bruce Pearl and Children's Harbor in the Coaches Charity Challenge. The coach with the most votes after four rounds wins $100,000 for their charity. Each charity will receive money for every round their representative coach is voted through.