Through 13 games, it's abundantly clear that the best player in college basketball this season resides in The Loveliest Village on the Plains.

The Missouri Tigers men’s basketball team opened the Southeastern Conference portion of its 2024-25 schedule with an 84-68 loss to No. 2-ranked Auburn on Saturday afternoon in Auburn, Alabama. Mizzou (11-3, 0-1 SEC) entered the game at Neville Arena seeking its first league victory since beating Tennessee in the SEC Tournament on March 10, 2023.

For Auburn, the loss comes at a time when the team is already reeling from the number of injuries that seems to keep piling up. The Tigers were without star transfer Taliah Scott for the ninth straight game due to a wrist injury, someone who could give a much-needed spark to Auburn’s backcourt offensively.

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Penn State’s men’s basketball team hits the floor at the historic Palestra in Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon for a Big Ten battle with the Indiana Hoosiers.

Gonzaga is back in the Los Angeles area Saturday for a West Coast Conference game against Loyola Marymount. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET. The Bulldogs