Game thread: Tigers face tough second-round matchup with Auburn

Missouri won its first-round SEC Tournament matchup with Georgia on Wednesday night, and a winnable contest against South Carolina awaits in the quarterfinals if the Tigers win Thursday.

The problem is that Missouri suffered the worst loss of the Cuonzo Martin era earlier this season against its second-round opponent, the No. 22 Auburn Tigers. That 92-58 loss at Auburn Arena came at the end of MU’s worst stretch of the season, which saw the team drop six of its first seven games to start conference play. Expect a better performance from Missouri this time around, but make no mistake, this is not a favorable matchup.

Another marquee performance from Geist, who dropped a career-high 30 points against the Bulldogs in Round 1, would certainly help the Tigers’ cause. More important, however, he needs to receive support from Jeremiah Tilmon, Torrence Watson and some of the other impact players who went quiet in the tournament opener.

The Details

Opponent: No. 22 Auburn Tigers (22-9, 11-7 SEC)

Time: About 2:28 p.m. CT

Where: Bridgestone Arena; Nashville, Tenn.

Is Mizzou Receiving Top 25 Votes? Nope.

What Does Vegas Say? Auburn, -9.5

What Does ESPN’s Basketball Power Index Say? Auburn, 87.1%

Where To Watch: SEC Network

Radio: Tiger Radio Network // Sirius/XM -119/199

Twitter: @MizzouHoops

Facebook: Mizzou Men’s Basketball

The Review

Recap | Geist’s big night carries Tigers past Georgia

Links | Missouri gets another chance to (ahem) beat Auburn in the SEC Tournament

Study Hall | Mizzou 71, Georgia 61

Dive Cuts | Mizzou basketball turns its eye to the future

Five Questions

1. Will Jeremiah Tilmon or Torrence Watson score more points?
2. Are the Tigers within six points of the lead at halftime?
3. Will Missouri commit more or less than 15.5 turnovers?
4. Predict the score!
5. Who is your trifecta?