Prior to each Mizzou hoops game this season, we will get Tiger fans set with The Starting Five. In this feature, we'll give you the anticipated starting lineups for each team, break down keys to a Missouri win and offer up a prediction.
Here is the breakdown of tonight's game against Auburn.
OFF THE BENCH: Bruce Pearl goes with a nine-man rotation. All nine play at least 13 minutes a game. No one else on the roster plays as many as three minutes. Chuma Okeke is the top man off the bench, averaging 7.5 points and 5.7 boards in 20 minutes. Horace Spencer has started six games and averages 4.8 points and 5.2 rebounds. Davion Mitchell and Malik Dunbar will see significant time as well.
OFF THE BENCH: Essentially, Kevin Puryear is Cuonzo Martin's bench right now. Puryear is averaging 9.4 points and 4.8 rebounds in a streaky junior season. Reed Nikko and Cullen VanLeer will play some minutes as well. Terrence Phillips has played five minutes or fewer in each of the last two games.
                        KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Use your size. Missouri is much bigger than Auburn, which doesn't start a player over 6-foot-7 and doesn't play anyone over 6-foot-8. But Auburn still has a +6 rebounding margin this year and 6-foot-3 Desean Murray averages better than seven points a game. Tilmon, Porter and Puryear all struggled against a big Texas A&M front line (though Tilmon did have a solid stretch in the second half). Missouri needs to get the ball in the paint on offense and keep Auburn off the glass on defense.
2. Pick up the pace. Missouri has slowed way down in SEC play. The defense has been good, but the offense also isn't getting many easy opportunities. The Tigers made a run at Arkansas and A&M when they got out and got some transition opportunities. Halfcourt offense hasn't really been a strength so far.
3. Make some shots. It sounds elementary, but when the ball goes in the basket, Missouri is really good. When it doesn't, they look dreadful. Mizzou shot 27.8% at Texas A&M. That won't beat anyone in this league. The Tigers don't have to light it up, but they've got to get some shots to go in...especially early. The Tigers are averaging 23.75 points per game in the first half in their last four games. That number has risen to 36 points per game in the second half, but the first half struggles have been too much to overcome in two of those four.
                      TIP TIME INFORMATION
TIPOFF: 8:00 p.m. Central
TELEVISION: SEC Network/WatchESPN
RADIO: The game will be broadcast on the Tiger Radio Network. For a list of affiliates, click here.
                       THE BOTTOM LINE
Auburn has been the surprise of the SEC this year. Even without Daniel Purifoy and Austin Wylie, Pearl has the Tigers in the thick of the conference race. These are the type of wins that lock up tournament bids. It's not a must win for Missouri, but it's a giant opportunity. The Tigers have lost six times, but they've followed every loss with a win. We think they do it again.
PREDICTION: Missouri 77, Auburn 71
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Kassius Robertson bounces back to lead the Tigers with 21 points and four three-pointers.
