Sat Jan 04 23:20:00 UTC 2025: ## Auburn Tigers Ready for Brutal SEC Schedule After Dominant Non-Conference Run

**AUBURN, AL** – The No. 2 Auburn Tigers (12-1) are entering Southeastern Conference (SEC) play with a resounding victory over their non-conference schedule, boasting a nation-leading six Quad 1 wins. However, the team faces an unprecedented challenge: a conference featuring ten Top 25 teams and all sixteen teams holding at least ten wins.

Coach Bruce Pearl called the upcoming SEC schedule “the toughest in the history of college basketball,” emphasizing the need for resilience and adaptability. “The strong are going to be the only ones who survive,” he stated. Auburn’s lone loss came in a close contest against No. 9 Duke. Despite this, Pearl expressed immense pride in his team’s performance, highlighting their ability to win on neutral courts and away games.

Auburn’s impressive non-conference wins include victories over No. 4 Houston, No. 5 Iowa State, No. 12 North Carolina, No. 16 Purdue, Memphis, and Ohio State. This grueling schedule has prepared the Tigers for the SEC gauntlet, which begins Saturday against Missouri (11-2).

The Tigers’ SEC slate is daunting, including home and away matchups against No. 5 Alabama and No. 24 Ole Miss, as well as games against other ranked opponents like No. 1 Tennessee, No. 6 Florida, No. 12 Oklahoma, No. 17 Mississippi State, and No. 23 Arkansas.

Fifth-year senior Dylan Cardwell expressed confidence in the team’s ability to compete in the SEC, emphasizing the value of their non-conference experience. “I’m excited to play on the road in the SEC to see how we compete,” Cardwell said.

The Tigers tip off their SEC campaign against Missouri at Neville Arena at 3 p.m. CT on SEC Network. Before beginning conference play, Auburn will face Monmouth in their final non-conference game.

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