Tigers Seek Momentum in SEC Clash of .500 Rivals AUBURN, Ala. (Interstat) — Two teams mired in nearly identical seasons of frustration will meet Tuesday night when the LSU Tigers visit the Auburn Tigers in a Southeastern Conference men’s basketball matchup. Both teams enter Auburn Arena with 15-14 overall records, each looking to halt a late-season slide and build momentum before their respective regular-season finales this weekend. The game is scheduled for a 9 p.m. EST tipoff. LSU (15-14, 5-11 SEC) arrives having lost seven of its last eight games, including an 83-67 home defeat to Oklahoma on Saturday. The visiting Tigers have struggled defensively, allowing an average of 86.4 points during that eight-game stretch. Their lone recent bright spot was a 106-99 double-overtime victory at Mississippi on Feb. 25. Auburn (15-14, 6-10) has fared only slightly better, dropping five of its last six contests. The home Tigers fell 85-79 to Mississippi on Saturday, despite a 24-point effort from guard Tahaad Pettiford. Pettiford, a dynamic scorer, will be a primary focus for Auburn. He is averaging 21.4 points over his last five games, including a 29-point, 7-assist performance at Arkansas on Feb. 14. His ability to create offense will test LSU’s vulnerable defense. LSU will counter with forward Michael Nwoko, who has been a consistent producer. He is coming off an 18-point, 4-assist game in the win at Mississippi and scored 15 points in a narrow loss at Texas. Nwoko’s interior presence will be crucial against an Auburn team that has shown defensive lapses. The first meeting between these teams this season resulted in an 88-82 Auburn victory in Baton Rouge on Jan. 10. In that game, Pettiford scored 22 points for Auburn, while Nwoko had 14 points and 7 rebounds for LSU. With both teams eliminated from contention for the SEC regular-season title, Tuesday’s game represents a critical opportunity to improve seeding for the upcoming conference tournament and to salvage a measure of consistency in a season defined by streaks of both wins and losses. The matchup hinges on whether LSU can contain Pettiford and Auburn’s perimeter attack, and if Auburn can find an answer for Nwoko inside. Following this game, LSU will host Texas A&M on Saturday, while Auburn will travel to face rival Alabama.