BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The 2018-19 Auburn men's basketball team has learned when and where it will take on its Southeastern Conference foes as the league office announced the SEC slate Friday.
"I'm not sure we are worthy of the schedule that the conference has given us this year," head coach Bruce Pearl said. "To get an opportunity to play Kentucky and Mississippi State twice - two teams that will be picked in the top four or five of our league - that just doesn't happen for Auburn basketball.
"While I'm grateful, this schedule is all we want. It is one of the toughest in the country. There will be nine or 10 teams that have a chance to make the NCAA Tournament. It is going to be the team that is able to handle adversity, withstand the grind and get better throughout the season that is going to win the championship."
Each SEC team plays the other 13 teams at least one time during 18-game schedule. They will then play their three permanent opponents a second time with the remaining two games changing annually.
Auburn opens the annual slate with a pair of road trips to Ole Miss (Jan. 9) and Texas A&M (Jan. 16) sandwiched around the home SEC opener against Georgia on Jan. 12.
The Tigers then entertain Kentucky on Jan. 19 before hitting the road for games at South Carolina (Jan. 22) and Mississippi State (Jan. 26).
The longest homestand of the conference schedule follows shortly thereafter as Auburn hosts three consecutive games inside Auburn Arena. The Tigers will take on Missouri (Jan. 30), Alabama (Feb. 2) and Florida (Feb. 5).
Auburn then alternates between home and road games for the next four league matchups. During that stretch, the Tigers travel to LSU (Feb. 9) and Vanderbilt (Feb. 16) and entertain Ole Miss (Feb. 13) and Arkansas (Feb. 20).
Auburn closes the regular season with three of the final five contests on the road. However, two of the last three will take place on The Plains.
The Tigers hit the road for back-to-back games at Kentucky (Feb. 23) and Georgia (Feb. 27) before returning home for their second duel with Mississippi State (March 2).
Auburn wraps up the SEC schedule at Alabama (March 5) and vs. Tennessee (March 9) inside Auburn Arena.
The SEC Tournament returns to the Music City when Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. hosts the event from March 13‐17, 2019.
The SEC is coming off another successful season as 10 teams advanced to postseason play in 2018, including a league‐record eight teams that received NCAA Tournament bids. The league posted its best regular‐season non‐conference winning percentage (77.4 percent) in more than a decade, a number that includes a 6‐4 win in the fifth annual Big 12/SEC Challenge.
All of Auburn's SEC games will be carried on the Auburn Sports Network. Television information and start times will be announced at a later date.
Auburn 2018-19 SEC Schedule
Jan. 9 (Wed.) - at Ole Miss
Jan. 12 (Sat.) - Georgia
Jan. 16 (Wed.) - at Texas A&M
Jan. 19 (Sat.) - Kentucky
Jan. 22 (Tue.) - at South Carolina
Jan. 26 (Sat.) - at Mississippi State
Jan. 30 (Wed.) - Missouri
Feb. 2 (Sat.) - Alabama
Feb. 5 (Tue.) - Florida
Feb. 9 (Sat.) - at LSU
Feb. 13 (Wed.) - Ole Miss
Feb. 16 (Sat.) - at Vanderbilt
Feb. 20 (Wed.) - Arkansas
Feb. 23 (Sat.) - at Kentucky
Feb. 27 (Wed.) - at Georgia
March 2 (Sat.) - Mississippi State
March 5 (Tue.) - at Alabama
March 9 (Sat.) - Tennessee
March 13-17 (Wed.-Sun.) - SEC Tournament (Nashville, Tenn. - Bridgestone Arena)
