Auburn, Ole Miss Aim to Salvage Seasons in SEC Clash

Both teams have struggled in conference play and look to gain momentum heading into the SEC Tournament.

Feb. 28, 2026 at 7:48am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

This season has gone awry for Ole Miss and Auburn, with both teams sitting in the bottom half of the Southeastern Conference. Barring a Cinderella-like SEC tournament run, they are likely to miss out on March Madness. The Tigers and Rebels will look to get over recent rough losses and try to gain momentum to end the season when they meet on Saturday night.

Why it matters

Both Auburn and Ole Miss have underperformed this season, raising questions about the direction of their programs. This matchup represents a chance for one team to gain some positive momentum heading into the postseason, even if a tournament bid is unlikely at this point.

The details

Auburn (15-13, 6-9 SEC) had an up-and-down start to conference play but looked to be going in the right direction with back-to-back wins over then-No. 16 Florida and Texas at the end of January. Since then, the Tigers have lost six of seven. Ole Miss (11-17, 3-12) sits at the bottom of the SEC and has already lost to Auburn once this season, a 78-66 decision on Jan. 20. That game started the Rebels' current 10-game losing streak, their longest skid since 2002-03.

  • Auburn and Ole Miss last met on January 20, 2026.
  • Ole Miss has lost 10 straight games, its longest losing streak since the 2002-03 season.

The players

Keyshawn Hall

Leads the frontcourt attack for Auburn with 20.8 points per game.

Tahaad Pettiford

Heads the backcourt for Auburn with 14.4 points and 3.6 assists per contest.

Ilias Kamardine

Averages 11.3 points per game for Ole Miss.

Malik Dia

Averages 14.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game for Ole Miss.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We were entitled tonight. We were selfish tonight on the defensive end. ... So I got to change up how I'm coaching these guys. I got to ratchet up my intensity a little bit more, and maybe they'll start to play like I act.”

— Steven Pearl, Auburn Head Coach

“We had a couple of dumb fouls at the end of the game, and again, we had the ball in our hands with two chances tonight, and we didn't get it done.”

— Chris Beard, Ole Miss Head Coach

What’s next

The winner of this matchup will look to carry that momentum into the SEC Tournament, where they will hope to make an unexpected run and secure an NCAA Tournament bid.

The takeaway

This game represents a chance for both Auburn and Ole Miss to salvage something from what has been a disappointing season. While a tournament bid may be out of reach, a win could provide a much-needed boost of confidence heading into the offseason.