Tigers face must-win finale

It’s a must-win game.

Again.

The Auburn women’s basketball team has had its destiny on the line in each of its previous three Southeastern Conference games. The Tigers need at least seven SEC wins to be serious contenders for an NCAA Tournament bid.

After a 6-4 start to SEC play, AU has lost its last three conference games.

Thanks to that losing streak, Auburn (18-10, 6-7 SEC) heads into today’s regular-season finale against Arkansas in desperate need of a win.

“I think it goes without saying just how important Sunday’s game is for us,” head coach Nell Fortner said.

AU likely needs a win today and at least one win in next week’s SEC Tournament to impress the NCAA tourney’s selection committee. The Tigers are 8-9 since starting point guard Whitney Boddie was declared academically ineligible in December.

Arkansas (17-11, 2-11 SEC) has problems of its own.

The Razorbacks enter today’s game on a seven-game losing streak. They’re also without star center Lauren Ervin, who has missed the entire SEC season.

But Arkansas isn’t a pushover.

The teams’ previous meeting, a 73-68 Auburn win, wasn’t decided until the final buzzer.

That’s why Fortner is hoping for a noisy crowd at Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum for today’s 2 p.m. tipoff.

“We hope to have a lot of fans come out and support us in our last home game,” she said. “We’ll be honoring our three seniors — Tamela McCorvey, Alexis Ogubie and Juanitta Wallace — so it will be a special day for them.”

The game will not be televised.

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