AUBURN, Ala. – On its way to the Final Four, Auburn's 2018-19 team earned a program-record 30 wins. None of those victories came against Ole Miss, a distinction the 2019-20 Tigers hope to achieve Tuesday night in Oxford.
"I think it matters to our veterans to be able to do things that last year's team couldn't do," Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said.
The Rebels swept the series a year ago, winning Auburn's SEC opener 82-67 in Oxford, and then handing the Tigers a rare defeat at Auburn Arena in mid-February.
"That's a high bar that was set (last year)," Pearl said. "And our guys now – many of them were in supporting roles, not starting roles, as they're trying to make their own history. That's why I think getting off to a 15-0 start, or being 17-2 right now, or the chance to beat Ole Miss when we couldn't a year ago, I do think that affects our guys because they are about trying to make history and representing Auburn basketball.
"The losses to Ole Miss last year were difficult, so I think they're motivated. Motivation alone is not going to get it done, though."
Last season, Auburn went 15-2 at home, with the only losses coming to this week's opponents: Ole Miss and Kentucky.
"We were 0-4 last year against these two teams [in the regular season]," Pearl said.
Despite winning both games last week against South Carolina and Iowa State, Auburn dropped one spot to No. 17 in this week's Associated Press poll.
"We're excited about the opportunity to go down there and try to keep building on the success that we had this past week. We still have a ton to prove and this is an opportunity to continue to maintain our ranking."
Auburn (17-2, 4-2) and Ole Miss (10-9, 1-5) will tip off at 8 p.m. CT from The Pavilion. Andy Burcham 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 ESPNU with Kevin Fitzgerald and Barry Booker on the call.
Player to watch: Samir Doughty
Samir Doughty got his groove back last week, scoring 29 combined points against South Carolina and Iowa State. One of the most improved players in the SEC, Doughty has doubled his scoring output from a season ago, averaging 14.6 points per game this year compared to 7.3 points per contest last year.
Inside the series: Ole Miss
The Tigers and Rebels square off for the 138th time Tuesday night. Auburn holds a 75-62 advantage in the series all-time, despite losing both matchups last season.
Auburn's win at Oxford in 2018 snapped an eight-game losing streak at Ole Miss. In total, the Rebels have won nine of the last 10 at home in the series. The Tigers are 4-15 in Oxford since the turn of the millennium.
Head coach Bruce Pearl is 6-9 against Ole Miss all-time with a pair of those wins coming as Auburn's head coach - both in 2018. Pearl is 7-3 against Ole Miss head coach Kermit Davis, including 7-1 when Davis was leading Middle Tennessee.
Hot Start
Auburn is off to one of the best starts in program history. With a win, the Tigers would improve to 18-2, matching the 2017-18 SEC championship team for the fourth-best 20-game start to a season. Listed below are the best 20-game starts to a season in program history.
| Rank | Record | Year |
| 1. | 19-1 | 1927-28 |
| 19-1 | 1958-59 | |
| 19-1 | 1998-99 | |
| 4. | 18-2 | 2017-18 |
| 5. | 17-3 | 1959-60 |
| 17-3 | 1962-63 | |
| 17-3 | 1999-00 |
Solid against tough competition
Auburn boasts the best record in the SEC against Quadrant I and II opponents at 6-2 (.750) this season. The Tigers are tied with Kentucky for the second-most Quadrant I and II wins, trailing only LSU with eight.