The Auburn Tigers’ magical campaign continues tonight when they host the Ole Miss Rebels tonight at 6 PM CST in a conference showdown.

Ole Miss has dropped two straight games and arrives at Neville Arena looking to get back on the right track down the final stretch of the regular season. Per Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology, the Rebels are a projected at-large bid for the field of 68.

The oddsmakers favor Auburn ahead of tip-off as the Tigers are 12.5-point favorites across all major sportsbooks. The over/under for the game is 153.5.

Ole Miss vs. Auburn predictions and best bets

• Ole Miss +12.5: -108 at FanDuel
• Race to 20 Points – 1st Half – Auburn: -285 at DraftKings
• Denver Jones Over 1.5 Three Pointers Made: -140 at bet365

In their past ten games, the Auburn Tigers are just 2-8 against a 12.5-point spread. While the lines vary by matchup, the Tigers have been playing tighter contests lately. With Ole Miss still working to improve their standing for Selection Sunday, look for the Rebels to keep this one closer than expected.

Auburn had a shaky start against Ole Miss when they last played on February 1st. Despite falling behind 9-13 early, the team was first to 20 with an 11-1 run to get there. I expect them to start stronger with a home-court advantage, and I think they’ll repeat being the first to get to 20 tonight.

In that same previous matchup, the Tigers caught fire from three. Auburn shot just under 50% from the arch, and a large part of that was Denver Jones knocking down four of his seven attempts from deep.

While Jones may not repeat his dominant performance from the perimeter, the usage is worth noting. In ten of his last 11 games, Jones has had three or more three-point attempts. Expect him to hit a couple tonight.

Ole Miss vs. Auburn moneyline analysis

Why Auburn could win as the favorite

Best odds: -800 at DraftKings

Boasting a 25-2 record, the Auburn Tigers are looking to close out their final stretch of regular season games and ensure they are selected as the NCAA Tournament’s top-ranked team. They’ve remained the number-one team in the AP Poll for seven consecutive weeks and would like to make it eight with a win tonight.

Auburn’s dominance begins on the offensive end. They’re ranked first in KenPom’s offensive ratings with a score of 129.7. Ole Miss is 12 points behind at 117.7, ranked 36th in the country.

The offense primarily runs through the efficient play of big man Johni Broome, who has led the team in scoring 18 times this season. However, the Tigers have plenty of great pieces surrounding their star senior. Five other players on the roster average double-digit scoring and can catch fire to help elevate the team as needed.

Things don’t drop off on the defensive end, either. The Tigers are tied for the 10th-best defensive rating and hold opponents to a 29.4% success rate from three-point range. Limiting the opposition’s chances to create splash plays has helped them en route to their average +16.2 scoring margin, which is the sixth-best in the country.

As double-digit home favorites, it’s easy to back Auburn tonight in a moneyline pick. The team’s two losses came against current top-10 teams in the AP Poll, and Mississippi’s recent play has not matched that level of play.

Why Ole Miss could win as the underdog

Best odds: +625 at BetMGM

Ole Miss enters tonight’s game in seventh place in the SEC standings with a 19-8 overall record. They’re led by do-it-all point guard Sean Pedulla, who averages 14.8 points per game, along with 3.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds.

Aside from Pedulla, third-year guard Malik Dia has been key to the program’s scoring upside. The junior has averaged over 13 points per game since the start of conference play and become a key facet of the offense.

The Rebels do a good job of slowing down the game’s speed. They allow under 56 field goal attempts per game to their opponents, good enough for third-best in the SEC. They’re also highly well-balanced. They’re one of 19 teams with a KenPom rating in the top 40 for offense and defense.

Despite being just 4-6 in their last 10 games, the team has proven itself more than capable this season, with victories against Alabama, Louisville, and Arkansas all on their resume. Going on the road tonight won’t be easy, but the Rebels are plenty capable of turning in a performance that could shock the country and cement themselves as a higher seed in the field of 68.