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Auburn Clashes with Missouri in a Battle of the Tigers at Mizzou Arena

As the Auburn Tigers prepare to face off against the Missouri Tigers at Mizzou Arena, fans are eager to see if their team can bounce back from a recent loss. The upcoming game, scheduled for March 5th, is not just another conference match-up; it's a chance for redemption.


Feb 14, 2023; Auburn, Alabama, USA;  Auburn Tigers guard Wendell Green Jr. (1) drives past Missouri Tigers forward Noah Carter (35) during the first half at Neville Arena. Mandatory Credit: Julie Bennett-USA TODAY Sports

In their last outing on February 17th against Kentucky Wildcats, AUB fell short by 11 points in a game that ended with a score of 59-70. Despite this setback, there were positive takeaways that could signal success in Columbia. The Auburn defense managed to block five shots and steal the ball eight times. However, shooting was an issue as they only hit 31 percent from the field and an abysmal 18 percent from beyond the arc.


Contrastingly, when AUB hosted South Carolina Gamecocks on February 15th, they showcased what they're capable of when firing on all cylinders – an impressive offensive explosion led them to a dominant victory with over 100 points scored. Their field goal percentage was through the roof at 61 percent overall and even more impressive from three-point land where they shot at an incredible rate of 60 percent.


Feb 14, 2023; Auburn, Alabama, USA;  Auburn Tigers guard Allen Flanigan (22) shoots over Missouri Tigers guard Kobe Brown (24) during the second half at Neville Arena. Mandatory Credit: Julie Bennett-USA TODAY Sports

The key for Auburn will be consistency; replicating their performance against SCAR rather than UK will be crucial. They'll need to tighten up their shooting while maintaining defensive intensity that can create turnovers and fast-break opportunities.


Missouri will not make it easy though; as hosts, they'll have both home-court advantage and crowd support behind them. It's essential for AUB players to stay focused amidst these challenges and execute Coach Pearl's game plan effectively.


Feb 14, 2023; Auburn, Alabama, USA;  Auburn Tigers forward Chris Moore (5) and Auburn Tigers guard K.D. Johnson (0) celebrate a score over the Missouri Tigers during the first half at Neville Arena. Mandatory Credit: Julie Bennett-USA TODAY Sports

Looking ahead at strategies for success against Missouri: Auburn must capitalize on second-chance points which were lacking in their previous games – only ten against Kentucky compared to twenty by Kentucky themselves – while also improving assist-to-turnover ratio which stood better during their win over SCAR (3.67) than during their loss (1).


Fans should mark their calendars for this thrilling encounter between two fierce competitors sharing not just a conference but also a name – Tigers vs Tigers is always bound to be exciting basketball theatre.


The showdown takes place on March 5th at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, MO starting promptly at 8:00 PM CT. Those unable to attend can catch all the action live on SEC Network TV channel or follow along with live updates online.

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