Auburn Tigers vs Ole Miss Rebels Picks and Predictions March 14th 2025

Auburn Looks to Bounce Back Against Ole Miss in SEC Quarterfinals

Auburn had a dominant regular season, securing the Southeastern Conference title and holding the No. 1 ranking for seven straight weeks. They are already a near-lock for a top seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament, but after dropping their final two regular-season games, the No. 3-ranked Tigers (27-4) have something to prove in the SEC Tournament.

The top-seeded Tigers will face eighth-seeded Ole Miss (22-10) in the quarterfinals on Friday afternoon in Nashville, and they are eager to show that their late-season stumbles were just a minor setback.

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Auburn’s Mindset: A Championship Mentality

Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl is making it clear that this weekend matters just as much as next weekend’s NCAA Tournament.

“We’re not at all bought into the theory of ‘next weekend is more important than this weekend.’ They’re both very important,” Pearl said. “This team has demonstrated that they’re great competitors. They don’t want to lose.”

The Tigers were on a six-game winning streak before falling to then-No. 22 Texas A&M (83-72) and then-No. 7 Alabama (93-91 in overtime) to close out the regular season. Those losses have left them with something to prove heading into the conference tournament.

“We definitely have a chip on our shoulder,” Auburn guard Denver Jones said. “We knew we could have won those last couple of games. I feel like there’s going to be a statement when we go in there and just play.”

With the extra time off, Auburn focused on refining their game in practice before learning on Thursday afternoon that Ole Miss would be their opponent. The coaching staff had a scouting report ready as soon as the matchup was set.

History on the Line for Auburn

Pearl has turned Auburn into a powerhouse, winning SEC regular-season titles in 2018 and 2022. However, in both of those years, the Tigers lost their first game in the SEC Tournament.

“Can we be one of only three programs to win both the SEC regular season and the SEC tournament?” Pearl said. “Can we surpass the 2019 team that got to the Final Four? There’s a lot of opportunity ahead of us.”

The Tigers are led by SEC Player of the Year Johni Broome, who has been a dominant force all season, averaging 18.6 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. His ability to control the paint will be crucial as Auburn looks to overpower Ole Miss for a third time this season.

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Can Ole Miss Flip the Script?

Auburn won both regular-season meetings against the Rebels in convincing fashion—92-82 on February 1 in Oxford and 106-76 on February 26 at home. However, Ole Miss guard Sean Pedulla believes his team has made adjustments since those losses.

“In both of those games, we didn’t play our best,” Pedulla told the SEC Network after hitting a clutch three-pointer just before the buzzer to lift Ole Miss to an 83-80 win over Arkansas in the second round. “We’ve got to fix the little things—box out, communicate on defense, stick with our rotations.”

Ole Miss bounced back from their second loss to Auburn by winning two of their final three regular-season games, including an impressive 78-76 victory over then-No. 4 Tennessee on March 5.

“We’re still a work in progress,” Pedulla said. “We’re still trying to get better.”

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Chris Beard’s Championship Mentality

Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard is keeping his team focused on the bigger picture. While his players were allowed to enjoy their win over Arkansas, he quickly put the moment in perspective.

“This was just our first game in the SEC tournament,” Beard said. “We came here to win a championship, and we’re working to improve our seed in the NCAA Tournament.”

Instead of the usual 12-hour celebration period for regular-season wins, Beard only gave his team two hours to soak in their victory before shifting focus to Auburn.

What’s at Stake?

Auburn wants to make a statement after their late-season losses and prove they are still one of the best teams in the country. Meanwhile, Ole Miss is fighting to strengthen their NCAA Tournament resume and prove they can compete with the conference’s elite teams.

The winner of this matchup will move on to face either No. 4 Tennessee or No. 13 Texas in the semifinals on Saturday. Auburn will look to dominate once again, while Ole Miss will try to pull off the upset and keep their momentum rolling.

With so much on the line, expect an intense battle in Nashville as Auburn looks to reestablish itself as the team to beat in the SEC.