AUBURN, Ala. – There were seven SEC games Saturday. The home team won six of those seven games, including Auburn who took down No. 13 Arkansas in Neville Arena in what was arguably the team's biggest win of the season.
However, the Tigers now must go on the road for four of their next six games.
Next Game:
at Ole Miss
Jan. 10, 2023
8 p.m. CT
TV: ESPNU
Radio: Auburn Sports Network
"Four of our next six are on the road, so obviously, you can see what kind of mood I'm in this week," Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl joked at his press conference Monday.
"The one thing this league can do, it can be unmerciful. Four of the next six are on the road. But it also provides you an opportunity. The opportunity as a basketball coach or as a student-athlete to play the 13th-ranked team in the country, a team that has been to two Elite Eights the last two years at home, not everybody gets that opportunity.
"When I say I'm grateful, I mean personally and professionally I'm grateful to our crowd to give me a chance to be in that setting where I know we have some advantages. Now that doesn't mean you're always going to take advantage of them. But we have."
Saturday's win kept Auburn in the Top 25. In fact, the Tigers moved up a spot to No. 21. But they won't have those same advantages Tuesday night on the road at Ole Miss.
It's a quick turnaround against a team that has given Auburn trouble away from home.
"(The Arkansas win) is in our past. We enjoyed it. Now we're trying to move past it and get ready for Ole Miss," senior forward Jaylin Williams said. "They have a lot of good offensive plays, so we're just trying to get prepared for them and just keep moving on."
No. 21 Auburn and Ole Miss will tip off at 8 p.m. CT from The Pavilion in Oxford, Mississippi. 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 Carolyn Peck on the call.
PLAYER TO WATCH: JOHNI BROOME
Sophomore big man Johni Broome extended his double-digit scoring streak to nine straight games with his fourth double-double of the season against No. 13 Arkansas. He recorded a near triple-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks. It marked his 39th career double-double and third straight this season, becoming the first Auburn player since Austin Wiley in 2019-20 to have a double-double in three straight games. Broome currently leads the Tigers in points per game (12.9), rebounds (123) and blocked shots (39).
INSIDE THE SERIES: OLE MISS
Auburn leads 79-64 in the all-time series with Ole Miss. The Tigers swept the regular-season series a year ago for the third time in the past five seasons. Walker Kessler led the charge in Auburn's 80-71 victory on the road with 20 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocks. It was just the 26th road win for Auburn in 67 games played at Ole Miss in the series.
MAKING CHARITY COUNT
Auburn shot 77.3 percent from the free throw line in Saturday's win over Arkansas, its third best performance of the season from the charity stripe. The Tigers have five players shooting 70 percent or better when going to the line this season with Wendell Green Jr. (80.5), K.D. Johnson (78.3), Chris Moore (75.9), Jaylin Williams (73.5) and Allen Flanigan (72.2).
STATEMENT VICTORY
Auburn's upset of No. 13 Arkansas on Saturday was among the top home wins against in the Bruce Pearl Era. It was also the largest margin of victory (+13) against a top 15 opponent in Neville Arena history.
W, 72-59 (+13) vs. No. 13 Arkansas on Jan. 7, 2023
W, 80-71 (+9) vs. No. 12 Kentucky on Jan. 22, 2022
W, 88-82 (+6) vs. No. 12 Missouri on Jan. 26, 2021
W, 75-66 (+9) vs. No. 13 Kentucky on Feb. 1, 2020
W, 84-80 (+4) vs. No. 5 Tennessee on March 9, 2019
W, 75-70 (+5) vs. No. 14 Kentucky on Jan. 16, 2016