Auburn Set to Face Tennessee in Top-11 SEC Duel

The No. 11 Auburn Tigers will go head-to-head with the No. 4 Tennessee Volunteers Wednesday night in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Five in a Row

Tennessee has had a great season so far and is ranked the highest they have been all season. After winning 10 out of their last 12, the team is looking for their fifth consecutive win Wednesday when they face the Tigers.

undoubtedly a top 10 game of the week pic.twitter.com/ovQwdv6Z91

— Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops) February 27, 2024

Shooting Stars

For the Volunteers, Dalton Knecht, Jonas Aidoo and Zakai Zeigler will be key assets in pulling off this win.

The Tigers rely heavily on Johni Broom, Jaylin Williams and Chad Baker-Mazara.

https://twitter.com/AuburnMBB/status/1762553198491971818

Auburn’s starting forward Jaylin Williams was out during their game against Georgia, and it is unknown if he will be stepping out onto the court in Wednesday’s game.

Auburn's Jaylin Williams (knee) will travel to Knoxville and is questionable for Wednesday's game against Tennessee, per Bruce Pearl.

Has not played since 2/17.

Averages 13 PPG and 4.7 RPG.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) February 27, 2024

Auburn was able to take down Georgia without Williams, 97-76, and if he is able to play on Wednesday, the Volunteers will face an additional challenge.

Williams averages 13 points per game and 4.7 rebounds.

Without William on the court, Auburn will most likely be relying on Baker-Mazara, mirroring their game against Georgia.

Climbing the Rankings

The Tigers were ranked No. 14 last week, but after their impressive 21-point win against Georgia, the team has bumped up three rankings to No. 11.

Auburn is 21-6 this season and 10-4 in the SEC.

Make or Break

If Auburn is hoping to gain an SEC title this season, it will be crucial for them to win the game Wednesday. The game against Tennessee will be a challenge, but the outcome will determine a lot for both teams.

The home court advantage should benefit Tennessee. Tennessee is 13-1 at home this season, and it will be impressive to see if they can take another win and keep their winning streak over in Knoxville.

Conversely, Auburn will return home Saturday and take on Mississippi State.

Will the Tigers pull out another win? Or will the Volunteers dominate again on their home court?