Fresh off a four-point loss to Alabama over the weekend, Auburn has a quick turnaround as the Tigers host No. 19 Vanderbilt on Tuesday night.
The Commodores are coming off a one-point loss to Oklahoma over the weekend, having lost four in their last seven games.
However, they will bring one of the league’s best scorers to Neville Arena in Tyler Tanner. Vanderbilt’s leading scorer, Tanner is coming off a 37-point outing against the Sooners and averages 18.6 points and 5.3 assists per game as the catalyst for the nation’s No. 12 offense at 88.9 points per game.
“I take every matchup personally,” said the Auburn guard Kevin Overton, who leads Auburn with 33 steals. “In terms of what I need to do to guard the ball. That’s going to be a collective effort, especially the way he’s playing right now.”
“Tyler Tanner is one of the best point guards in all of college basketball,” Auburn head coach Steven Pearl added. “He does a little bit of everything for them.”
He’ll be met by Auburn’s premier point guard, Tahaad Pettiford, who is coming off a Neville Arena career-high 25 points Saturday against Alabama while notching seven assists for the second straight game.
Duke Miles averages 16.6 points per game for Vanderbilt, and Tyler Nickel chips in 14.6 while ranking No. 5 nationally with a 45% clip from 3-point range.
Vanderbilt marks the Tigers' 13th Quad 1 game this season, and third straight.
“Great opportunity,” Pearl said. “Their analytics are off the charts, as far as their number in the NET (No. 14), but also their efficiencies on offense and defense. They’ve got some special players on their team. Really high-powered offense and they’re a very efficient defense as well.”
Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. on the SEC Network.
Pearl asked the Auburn faithful to replicate the rowdy environment from Saturday against Alabama.
“I know our guys appreciate it and so does our staff,” Pearl said. “Another great opportunity to bounce back and play a really good Vanderbilt team.”
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