AUBURN, Ala. – It was around this same time last year that Auburn went to Kentucky and got beat, 80-53. It was a demoralizing loss at the time, but it was also a turning point. The Tigers would win the next 12 games in a row en route to the first Final Four appearance in program history.
Win No. 12 on that magical run came against none other than Kentucky in the Elite Eight. Last month, Auburn made it two straight over the Wildcats with a 75-66 victory at home. Since 2016, Auburn has won four of the last seven in the series.
The Tigers, clearly not intimidated, can make it three straight Saturday at Rupp Arena.
"I think (the recent success) is important because we see that they're human," Auburn senior Anfernee McLemore said. "A lot of people see those big names like Kentucky, North Carolina and Kansas, and it's easy to be intimidated by them. We know that. We both strap up our shoes the same way, and we can go out and compete with them.
"They obviously have a lot of talent on their team, but we bring a lot of chips on our shoulders that we can play hard, play together, and play to win. We've shown that we can compete with them on numerous occasions, and hopefully we can come out with a win."
Winning at Kentucky has not come easy for Auburn, however. The Tigers are 2-48 all-time playing in Rupp Arena. But this year's team, like last year's group, is all about making history. A win Saturday would certainly accomplish that. It would also keep Auburn in the race for the SEC regular-season title. The Tigers (24-4, 11-4) are two games back of Kentucky with three games left to play.
The top-15 matchup is scheduled to tip off at 2:45 p.m. CT from Rupp Arena. 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 CBS with Ian Eagle, Bill Raftery and Tracy Wolfson on the call.
Player to watch: Isaac Okoro
In his first game back after missing three straight contests due to injury, Isaac Okoro poured in 10 points on 3-of-4 from the floor in a win vs. Ole Miss. The Tigers are 23-2 when the freshman is in the lineup this season and 1-2 when he does not play. In his first matchup with Kentucky, Okoro had 14 points to go along with three rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Inside the series: Kentucky
Saturday marks the 116th meeting between the Tigers and Wildcats in series history. Kentucky holds a 94-21 advantage overall, but Auburn has won four of the last seven meetings, including three of the last five.
The Tigers will look to make history in many ways Saturday. Auburn has won just twice against the Wildcats in Lexington all-time with both victories coming under former head coach and current radio analyst Sonny Smith. The Tigers won 75-67 on Jan. 15, 1983 and, thanks to a game-winning 3-pointer by John Caylor, they earned a 53-52 result on Jan. 9, 1988.
Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl is 8-14 in his head coaching career against Kentucky. Pearl is 4-5 against the Wildcats at Auburn, including a 3-1 record at Auburn Arena, and he is 7-11 all-time against current Kentucky head coach John Calipari.
Auburn vs. Top 25
Last season, Auburn set a program record by defeating six top-25 teams, including five in a row from the SEC Tournament title to a trip to the Final Four. The Tigers have won both of their matchups against top-25 competition this season, taking down No. 13 Kentucky (75-66) and No. No. 18 LSU (91-90 in OT) in a span of seven days.
Auburn has won seven of its last eight games against the AP Top 25, which is the best stretch in program history by far. The next-closest similar streak was when the Tigers defeated six of nine ranked foes between the 1984-85 and 1985-86 seasons.
The chase for 25
Auburn is one win away from its fourth 25-win season in program history. The Tigers have won at least 25 games in 1998-99 (29), 2017-18 (26) and 2018-19 (30). Two of the three previous 25-win seasons have come under head coach Bruce Pearl.