Missouri Hosts Auburn in SEC Basketball Matchup

Columbia, Missouri (AP) -- The Missouri Tigers will host the Auburn Tigers in a key Southeastern Conference men's basketball matchup on Wednesday night at Mizzou Arena, with tipoff set for 7 p.m. EST, as both teams seek to build momentum in league play.

Missouri enters the contest on a three-game losing streak in SEC action, most recently falling 76-69 to Ole Miss on Saturday in Oxford, Mississippi. The Tigers squandered several late opportunities to take control, including a critical rebound battle that slipped away with under two minutes remaining, allowing the Rebels to extend their lead. Despite the setback, Missouri showed resilience, tying the score at 53-53 midway through the second half behind strong plays from senior Mark Mitchell and senior center Shawn Phillips Jr. Mitchell finished with 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, while Phillips added 12 points, highlighted by a powerful dunk that briefly shifted momentum before a technical foul disrupted the flow.

The Tigers have struggled to close out close games, going 1-0 in contests decided by less than four points overall but dropping their last two SEC outings by single digits. Coach Dennis Gates emphasized...