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 today's SEC Tournament game against Auburn.
OFF THE BENCH: Freshman Torrence Watson saw his streak of four consecutive 10-plus point games come to an end yesterday against Georgia, but he should still be the first guard off the bench for Missouri. Watson entered Wednesday shooting 56.3 percent from three-point range during the past four games. Ronnie Suggs will also be available to provide depth in the backcourt. Down low, expect Mitchell Smith to continue to split time with Kevin Puryear. Smith played well in the second half against Georgia, scoring six points while guarding Bulldog forward Nicolas Claxton. Reed Nikko has provided consistent minutes in backing up Jeremiah Tilmon all year.
OFF THE BENCH: Six-foot-six wing Malik Dunbar plays the most minutes of any of Auburn's reserves. He's averaging 7.2 points and playing more than 17 minutes per game. Forward Horace Spencer actually started Auburn's last game, a win over Tennessee, as part of the team's senior day festivites. He'll likely come off the bench again Thursday, but expect him to play 15 to 20 minutes. Freshman guard J'Von McCormick and sophomore forward Danjel Purifoy round out Bruce Pearl's regular rotation.
TIP TIME INFORMATION
TIPOFF: 2 p.m. (or 30 minutes after the Arkansas-Florida game)
LOCATION: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee
TELEVISION: SEC Network/WatchESPN
RADIO: The game will be broadcast on the Tiger Radio Network. For a list of affiliates, click here.
KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Take care of the ball. One reason Auburn is a tough draw for Missouri is that Auburn's greatest strength matches up with Missouri's biggest weakness. Auburn leads the nation in turnover percentage and ranks third in steals per possession. Missouri, on the other hand, has turned the ball over on 20.8 percent of its possessions this season. That ranks No. 318 nationally. Missouri turned the ball over 20 times in the two teams' matchup earlier this season, a 92-58 romp for Auburn. It can't afford to give Auburn that many easy points in the rematch.
2. Keep Tilmon on the floor. Jeremiah Tilmon wasn't a major factor in Missouri's win over Georgia Wednesday, but the team got away with it. That likely cannot be the case today. The one area in which Missouri could have an advantage against Auburn is down low. Auburn lost Austin Wiley to a season-ending injury earlier in conference play and as a result has no one taller than 6-foot-8 on its roster. Tilmon actually played well at Auburn earlier this season, scoring 15 points in 26 minutes, but the game got out of hand too quickly for it to matter.
3. Don't let Auburn get hot. The biggest issue in Missouri's last matchup with Auburn was that Auburn got hot from three-point range in the second half and quickly put the game out of reach. Auburn made 16 three's in the game and had five players make multiple shots from deep. Missouri doesn't have the scoring options to let that happen again. Missouri will need to do a better job of closing out on shooters or denying them looks on the perimeter in the first place, even if it means giving up the occasional easy two-pointer. If Missouri figures to have any chance, it will need this game to be played in the 60's.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Auburn might be the worst matchup in the SEC for Missouri. The duo of Harper and Brown can pressure the ball defensively due to their athleticism and are difficult to stay in front of on the other end. As Missouri saw in late January, If Auburn gets it going from three-point range, the game could get out of hand in a hurry. Missouri's best bet is to slow the game down, use its size advantage down low by feeding Tilmon and simply playing like it has nothing to lose. Auburn probably wins this game nine out of 10 times, but crazier things have happened in March.
Prediction: Auburn 78, Missouri 63
Player of the game: Fresh off a career-high 30 points, Jordan Geist ends his college career with another strong offensive showing. Geist scores 18, but it isn't enough to extend the season.
