NASHVILLE, TENN. • Of all the basketball contenders in the Southeastern Conference, Missouri had its most problems with Auburn this season. Cunozo Martin’s team took regular-season SEC champion Louisiana State to overtime after gagging away a 14-point lead. The Tigers got within two possessions of Kentucky in the final minute. Mizzou went 0-2 against Tennessee but stayed within single digits most of the night in Knoxville.
Auburn, though, was the team Mizzou couldn’t crack. Bruce Pearl’s high-octane undersized team feasts on turnovers and lets the 3-pointers fly. Mizzou was no match six weeks ago on the road in a 34-point drubbing.