Game Preview and Open Thread - Auburn @ Missouri

Auburn hits the road for the third time in the last four games tonight as they take on Missouri and an interesting Tiger team way out in CoMo.

The Tigers (good ones) enter tonight’s game at 17-2 overall, 5-1 in the SEC, and may have broken a barrier in the second half against Georgia. Call me crazy, but that huge run out of halftime against the Bulldogs felt like a watershed moment that gave Auburn an edge that they may not have previously had. Mustapha Heron got going (highlighted by the dunk of the year on the Plains), and Auburn boat-raced the Bulldogs out of the building.

Now, the Tigers become highwaymen once again.

After playing at Mississippi State and at Alabama, it’s the third of our last four games on the road, and this time we make the longest trek in the league. Auburn won 77-72 at Missouri last year, but Cuonzo Martin’s got himself a different and tougher team this season.

Missouri doesn’t really have any great wins (they did beat Tennessee last week), but they don’t have any bad losses aside from a 77-59 loss at Utah early in the year. They lost by four to West Virginia, by six to Illinois, by two to both Florida and Arkansas, and they’re coming off of a 60-49 defeat at the hands of Texas A&M.

This was supposed to be a team led by a surefire lottery pick in Michael Porter Jr., but the freshman had lower back surgery early on in the season and hasn’t played since the season opener. Either way, there are plenty of talents that Martin can turn to.

Missouri still has Kevin Puryear, who went for 30 points on Auburn in the SEC Tournament last year. He’s averaging only 9.4 ppg this season, but the 6’7 forward will still pose a size threat to Auburn on both ends of the floor. He hasn’t started the last few games, and has been coming off the bench.

The leading scorers on this team are 6’3 guard Kassius Robertson (15.2 ppg) and 6’6 forward Jordan Barnett (14.5 ppg), and you can be sure that 6’10 forward Jeremiah Tilmon and 6’11 forward Jontay Porter will be on the floor to start. After seeing how the length of Alabama frustrated us, I wouldn’t be surprised to see nearly everyone try to put their biggest lineups on the floor.

If Auburn can get through Missouri, we’ll get to enjoy three of the next four at home, beginning this weekend with LSU. Tune in for the late game tonight, people! War Eagle!

HOW TO WATCH AND LISTEN - Auburn @ Missouri - 8 pm CST - Columbia, MO

TV: SEC Network

Radio: Auburn Sports Network