It is day three of the SEC Tournament in Nashville, and we finally get a chance to watch Auburn begin its journey toward a tournament championship.
First on the menu for the Tigers is a rematch with No. 5-seed South Carolina, who defeated Arkansas on Thursday to advance to the SEC Tournament quarterfinals. The game will be a rematch of a game played on Valentine’s Day in Neville Arena that Auburn won, 101-61. [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] and [autotag]Jaylin Williams[/autotag] each crossed the 20-point mark while [autotag]Chad Baker-Mazara[/autotag] led the team in rebounds with five.
Will South Carolina get the revenge that they desperately crave? ESPN is not giving them much of a chance.
According to the latest data from its’ matchup predictor, ESPN is forecasting an 84% chance of an Auburn victory, which would set the Tigers up a date with either No. 1-seed Tennessee or No. 9-seed Mississippi State on Saturday at noon CT.
The Tigers hold an advantage in every major category, with the widest margin being points scored per game. Auburn averages 83.5 points per game while the Gamecocks score 72.6. Auburn’s defense was too much for South Carolina to handle in the first meeting between these two squads, as they outshot the Gamecocks, 61% to 35%, from the field.
It did not help matters that three players — Collin Murray-Boyles, BJ Mack, and Meechie Johnson — scored 90% of South Carolina’s points. As usual, Auburn spread wealth in the game as eight players scored at least six points, with three reaching double-figures.
The Tigers and Gamecocks square off at 2:30 p.m. CT at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Click here to get the full preview of Friday’s game.
Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__