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

That was in Nashville, when the Tigers knocked off Tennessee 79-71 in the 2022-23 SEC Tournament. What followed is a 20-game losing streak that became 21 Saturday when Missouri fell 84-68 at Auburn in both teams’ SEC opener.

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.