Auburn basketball: Tigers to play New Mexico in 2019 Legends Classic

(Photo by Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire)

Auburn basketball is set to take on New Mexico on Nov. 25 in the first round of the 2019 Legends Classic at Barclays Center.

Bruce Pearl’s team is looking to build off the momentum of their Final Four appearance last season, and the Lobos will be one of the non-conference opponents on the schedule.

Richmond squares off against Wisconsin in the other first round matchup, with the winners and losers meeting the following day.

The Lobos finished 14-18 a season ago but should make strides in Paul Weir’s third season on the job.

The two teams have met just once previously, with the Tigers earning the victory back in 2015.

Lovell’s Analysis

What we know about Weir is that he likes his teams to play fast, so this should be a fun matchup considering the similarities between the two.

Of course, this event will be a good test for Auburn, as there will likely still be some adjustments being made early on in non-conference play.

The Tigers must replace the production of Jared Harper, Bryce Brown, Chuma Okeke, Horace Spencer, and Malik Dunbar, who all played key roles throughout the Final Four run.

But with several key returners in place to go along with a talented recruiting class, Pearl should have his team back near the top of the SEC standings once again.

For more SEC basketball coverage, follow me on Twitter @theblakelovell.