Auburn’s backcourt has dealt with its share of scrutiny, particularly on the defensive end of the floor in the team’s first five losses of the season.

Everyone knows the trend by now: In each of those losses — against Memphis, at USC, at Georgia, at home against Texas A&M and at West Virginia — the opposing team’s guards have been unstoppable, each putting up game-highs (and in some instances, career-highs) in scoring. It was the Tigers’ biggest issue in each of those games.

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Auburn’s guards changed that tune last week in a rematch against Georgia and a tough road loss at Tennessee. The Tigers held Terry Roberts and Kario Oquendo to a combined 4-of-13 shooting in a 21-point blowout of the Bulldogs, as Georgia’s two best guards combined to attempt just two shots inside the arc (making one of them). In a 46-43 loss at Tennessee on Saturday, Auburn held Zakai Zeigler to three points on 0-of-10 shooting (including 0-of-7 from deep) and Santiago Vescovi to seven points on 2-of-7 shooting.

“I think our guards were kind of tired of hearing about how they’ve been getting lit up, and the way we guard, it’s not one guy,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. “It’s not just ‘Well this is the matchup.’ I thought our ones and twos did a phenomenal job against Zeigler and Vescovi, and I think our guards did a really good job against Georgia’s guards after being lit up the first time. If that can be the case again, we give ourselves a chance.”

Pearl is of course referring to Tuesday night’s matchup against Texas A&M. The Tigers (17-6, 7-3 SEC) travel to College Station, Texas, for a rematch with the Aggies (16-7, 8-2) at 6 p.m. on ESPN2.

Texas A&M won the first meeting at Neville Arena, snapping Auburn’s 28-game home winning streak thanks to a big-time performance by guard Tyrece Radford on Jan. 25. Radford had 30 points—one off his career high—in the Aggies’ 79-63 win on the Plains. He shot 8-of-17 from the field, including 3-of-7 from 3-point range, but made a living at the free-throw line, where he made 11 of his 12 attempts as Auburn’s guards struggled to stay in front of him.

“Texas A&M put 79 on us, you know, and that’s the highest total we’ve given up in league play,” Pearl said. “So, it starts with our ability to be able to guard them. Our defense has been good, acquires a tremendous amount of effort, energy and focus on things that we do in the scout. A&M’s guards are just so big, strong, physical, athletic. They just physically overpower guards in our league. A&M’s probably playing as well as anybody, right now, in the league. I’d say them and Alabama right now (are) probably playing the best.”

Radford has been Texas A&M’s second-leading scorer this season at 13.8 points per game and is averaging 19.6 points over the last five games, while fellow guard Wade Taylor paces the Aggies with 14.6 points per game. Taylor scored 15 on 6-of-9 shooting against Auburn last month.

Auburn knows it will have to collectively do better against both Texas A&M guards if it hopes to reverse its fortune in Tuesday’s rematch. Auburn hopes it can build off its last two defensive efforts, particularly the herculean showing at Tennessee as it hits the road for another opportunity at an all-important Quad 1 win.

“I feel like our guards are just trying to win at the end of the day, even though some of those guys, I mean, they had like their best games of the year those games,” forward Jaylin Williams said. “So, it’s just in their head, they want to be locked in. I know they try to lock out the noise of social media and stuff. They took it personal and adjusted to it, and they’ve been guarding a lot better.”

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.