Study Hall: Mizzou 84, Auburn 74

Hey we like everything again!

It’s funny how the ebbs and flows of the season can get you angry and despondent, and then turn around and feel hopeful and excited a few hours later. Welcome to Mizzou Basketball 2025-26.

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During the month of December, Mizzou was playing like the worst team in the SEC, 126th in the country per BartTorvik.com. Since the calendar turned to 2026, the Tigers have flipped the script, playing pretty close to what we thought they’d be: currently the 29th team in the same metric. That’s 6th in the SEC.

We’re still in “small sample size” zone as it’s been just four games. Texas is 4th in the same metric, largely buoyed by their large win over Vanderbilt last night. But the results have felt fairly promising. More small sample size fun, Mizzou’s opponents so far in SEC play have entered their matchup against the Tigers with one victory (Auburn over Arkansas), and after facing the Tigers have yet to lose a game.Florida is 3-0, Kentucky is 2-0, Ole Miss is 1-0. So good luck to Auburn on Saturday.

Against Auburn, Missouri did what they needed to do. They beat a flawed team at home.

The win was the first over Auburn under Dennis Gates, and the last one since Xavier Pinson and Dru Smith each gave Bruce Pearl’s squad 28 points. Auburn may not be the same under Steven as they were under Bruce, but it’s still important game to cross off.

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Missouri played bad, then they were great, then they were horrifyingly bad, then they recovered and held on.

TEAM STATS

Missouri destroyed Auburn at the rim. If you read Matt Harris’s Lookahead on Rock M+ you knew that Auburn was vulnerable in the paint. Johni Broome isn’t patrolling the paint anymore, neither is Dylan Cardwell. This year the offense for the Tigers is still quite good, they’re 9th overall in efficiency per KenPom.com. But the defense has fallen to 91st, and 2 point FG defense is 230th. Teams shoot 53% on the season inside the arc against Auburn, Missouri did better…

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Publish date : 2026-01-15 23:11:00

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