AUBURN | The odds and history are certainly not on No. 15 Auburn’s side heading into Saturday’s showdown at No. 8 Kentucky.

The Tigers are just 2-48 in Lexington including a 2-28 record at Rupp Arena with the only wins coming in 1983 and 1988.

“Right now, Kentucky is absolutely in the driver’s seat,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. “They’re one home win against Auburn away from being conference champions. And they’re 48-2 in the last 50 times playing us there. It’s a monumental task to try to beat them there, so it’s going to take special and it’ll be historic.”

Kentucky has reeled off seven straight conference wins since a 75-66 loss at Auburn Feb. 1 to take a two-game lead over the Tigers in the conference standings with three games to go. A win and the Wildcats wrap up their 52nd SEC regular season championship.

An Auburn win and the Tigers close within a game of first place with two games to go. AU closes the regular season against Texas A&M and at Tennessee. UK finishes against Tennessee and at Florida.

“I guess it just shows historically how well Kentucky has been and fared against Auburn so it allows us to step up to the challenge to put another tick in the win column,” said senior Anfernee McLemore upon learning of AU’s 2-48 record in Lexington. “That is something we are all for, making history here. I think just going up there and being able to win in such a historic place would be great for us as a program.”

Auburn lost 80-53 at Rupp Arena last season, which was the final loss before going on a historic run through the SEC Tournament and to the Final Four before a one-point loss to Virginia. The Tigers have won two consecutive and four of the last seven games against the Wildcats.

"For us, I thought we played great the first time we played them," Pearl said. "I thought we played really hard. I thought we played — It was one of our most physical games. You have to be physical against Kentucky because they’re so physical offensively. The way they run their offense and the way they screen, and the way they move, they’ll hit you. A lot of teams can wilt underneath that.

"Our biggest struggles have been on the offensive end, making shots. Kentucky holds teams down to 38 percent or so, field goal percentage defense is one of the best in the league. They lead the league in blocked shots. So we try to get to the rim. They do a great job of trying not to foul and blocking shots, so that will be a challenge for us. We have to make shots up there to pull off this upset."

Tip-off is scheduled for 2:45 p.m. CT on CBS.