The No. 16 Auburn Tigers (16-4, 5-2 SEC) host the Vanderbilt Commodores (5-14, 0-6 SEC) at Neville Arena on Wednesday night.
Both teams find themselves on a little bit of a skid, Auburn's not nearly as bad as Vanderbilt's.
The Tigers have dropped two straight games. The Commodores have dropped 10 of their last 11 games and are still looking for their first SEC win.
What are three things to watch for during the game?
How will Auburn do against Vanderbilt's guard duo?
One of Vanderbilt's brightest spots this season has been its guard duo of Tyrin Lawrence and Ezra Manjon.
Lawrence, a 6-foot-4 senior from Monticello, Ga., is Vanderbilt's second-highest scorer with 14.3 points per game and leading rebounder with 5.1 per game. He also shoots 40% from the field.
Manjon, a 6-foot senior from Antioch, Calif., leads Vanderbilt in scoring with 15.1 points per game and averages 3.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. He also shoots 46.1% from the field.
Containing these players needs to be a priority for Auburn.
Will Auburn look more sharp at home?
Auburn played its last two games in two hostile environments, and its performance was affected.
Auburn has one of the best home-court advantages in college basketball and its performance at home almost always reflects that.
If Auburn is still struggling when it gets to play at home, that could be a sign of deeper problems.
How will Auburn perform from 3-point range?
Auburn is shooting 32.7% from 3-point range as a team so far this season. It has shot as high as 48% and as low as 11%.
The numbers tend to be better inside Neville Arena. Auburn tends to struggle more on the road with its 3-point shooting but has had below-average performances in the category at home as well.
Auburn is difficult to beat when its 3-point shots are falling, however, it has been an up-and-down spot for the team all year.
Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. CT. The television broadcast can be found on ESPN2, and the Auburn Sports Network broadcast can be streamed anywhere on the Auburn Athletics App.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email daniel.locke@1819news.com.
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