AUBURN, Ala. – In terms of matchups and recent history, it was as difficult a start to the SEC slate as Auburn could have asked for with a road trip to Arkansas and Texas A&M at home. And yet, the Tigers picked up wins in both games and are 2-0 to start league play.
Next Game:
vs. LSU
Jan. 13, 2024
5 p.m. CT
TV: SEC Network
Radio: Auburn Sports Network
But it doesn't get any easier Saturday with LSU coming to town in what will be the only matchup of the day involving two teams that are 2-0 in the SEC. Auburn, LSU, Alabama, Georgia and Kentucky are the only teams still undefeated in the league.
"The league is obviously pretty competitive after just two games," Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said. "You could see how wild this race is going to be and how challenging it's going to be to survive.
"We start off the season playing two teams ranked in the preseason top five, and now you've got LSU coming in – who wasn't in anybody's preseason top five, but they're undefeated in league play. They beat Texas A&M 68-53 at Texas A&M where they outrebounded A&M by six. We were out rebounded by A&M by 10. That's a 16-rebound difference. A&M shot 25 percent. LSU is fourth in the league in field-goal percentage defense. They're first in the league in forcing turnovers. They're first in the league in steals. They're more athletic than even Texas A&M.
"It will be a very up-tempo game. LSU likes to play fast. They've got great depth. They like to run. Again, they're just really athletic."
LSU has won four straight overall while Auburn, ranked No. 16, is riding an eight-game winning streak where it has won every game by at least 11 points. It's Auburn's longest winning streak since opening last season with eight straight victories.
The battle of the Tigers will tip off at 5 p.m. CT from Neville Arena. Andy Burcham and Sonny Smith have the radio call on 94.3 FM, online at AuburnTigers.com and on the Auburn app. The game will be televised on SEC Network with Mike Morgan and Mark Wise on the call.
Fans attending the game are encouraged to wear white to white out Neville Arena.
PLAYER TO WATCH: JAYLIN WILLIAMS
Graduate senior Jaylin Williams has been playing like a man on a mission and putting himself in position to be a SEC All-First Team selection for the first time. He poured in a game-high 22 points with four monstrous dunks in the Tigers' win over Texas A&M and has turned in four 20-point outings in the team's current eight-game winning streak.
Heading into Saturday's LSU contest, Williams ranks fourth in the SEC with an offensive efficiency rating of 132.8 per KenPom. Led by Williams, Auburn has six players among the top 40 in the conference offense efficiency rating.
INSIDE THE SERIES: LSU
LSU leads 87-70 in the all-time series with Auburn, but Auburn has taken the last two, including a 67-49 win on the road last year. Jaylin Williams and Wendell Green Jr. both scored a team-high 14 points, and Auburn held LSU to 29 percent shooting from the field. It was Auburn's first win in Baton Rouge since 2017.
Auburn has won four of the last six games overall and three straight on its home court. Overall, Auburn is 39-35 at home in the series and 5-3 in Neville Arena.
STREAKING ON THE PLAINS
At eight games, Auburn is currently tied with College of Charleston, Western Illinois, Western Carolina, Fairfield, Nevada, McNeese State and Texas Tech for the seventh-longest win streak in the country. Utah State and Samford are tops having won 14 in a row followed by Grand Canyon (12), Georgia (10), Memphis (9) and Dayton (9).
With a win on Saturday, Auburn would have its longest winning streak since winning 19 straight games during the 2021-22 season. The Tigers boast a 19.0-to-8.8 assist-to-turnover ratio and have shot a higher field-goal percentage in every game during the win streak.