Auburn gymnasts host Missouri Friday
AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 8 Auburn gymnastics team returns to The Plains for an SEC meet against No. 16 Missouri, Friday, Feb. 26. The two squads square off at 7 p.m. CT and the contest will be broadcast on SEC Network+.
“Missouri is a good team and a quality opponent for us,” head coach Jeff Graba said. “They have the ability to beat anybody and we have to be on our game Friday night. This is a team that will force you to make a mistake and we have to be ready for that.”
IN THE RANKINGS
In the first week of Regional Qualifying Score rankings, the Auburn (5-5, 2-3 SEC) stands eighth with team score of 196.495.
Rankings for the remainder of the season will be determined by Regional Qualifying Score. RQS is determined by the team total average with its home meets and three highest away meets, as well as dropping the team’s highest score. The same ranking goes for individuals with their high score dropped and at least three away scores counted.
The Tigers are among the top 10 in all four events. Auburn is seventh on vault (49.185), eighth on bars (49.200), tied for eighth on floor (49.270) and 10th on beam (49.050).
Individually, senior Caitlin Atkinson is ninth in the all-around with a 39.320 and tied for 10th on vault (9.885).
SCOUTING MISSOURI
The Missouri Tigers are the 16th-ranked team nationally in the first week of RQS rankings. The team is coming off a season-best score of 196.650 at home in a loss to No. 2 Florida. The Tigers set or tied 12 career highs against the Gators.
Freshman Morgan Porter is ranked 24th nationally in the all-around with a 38.980 and 27th on bars (9.855). Freshman Brittany Ward is tied for seventh on beam (9.880), while sophomore Kennedi Harris is tied for 21st on floor (9.880).
LAST MEETING
The teams last met at the 2015 SEC Championships, March 21, 2015. Auburn finished fourth with a 196.925, while Missouri came in seventh (195.700). In the regular season, Auburn topped Missouri in Columbia, 196.875-195.850.
UP NEXT
The Tigers take to the road one last time in the regular season, traveling to Athens, Ga., for a meet against Georgia. Auburn and the Bulldogs are set to face off at 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network +.
