COLUMBIA, Mo. — There is no frying pan. It’s straight into the fire for Missouri’s men’s basketball team.
Mizzou (11-2) will open Southeastern Conference play at No. 2 Auburn (12-1) at 3 p.m. Saturday on the SEC Network, beginning league play in one of the harshest ways possible: by taking on a national title contender on the road.
Auburn’s only loss so far this season is on the road to Duke, when the Blue Devils won by six points. Otherwise, coach Bruce Pearl’s Tigers have beaten highly regarded teams such as Houston, Iowa State, North Carolina, Memphis, Ohio State and Purdue in nonconference play.