Bruce Pearl has been in this position before. After his No. 2 Tennessee team defeated No. 1 Memphis in 2008, the Volunteers jumped to the top spot in the rankings. That didn't last long, though, as Vanderbilt took down the Vols a couple of days later in Nashville.

Now, Pearl has Auburn at No. 1 after an 18-1 start and statement victory against No. 12 Kentucky on Saturday. Expectations are now as high as ever for this team, and each team will be aiming to be the first ones to take the Tigers off that perch.

"Everybody's going to be excited about playing us because of the number, because the prize on our head," Pearl said on Monday.

That begins with a matchup at Missouri on Tuesday night in Columbia against a team that has already proven they can play with top teams in the SEC, defeating Alabama while taking Texas A&M down to the wire. As Pearl mentions, Cuonzo Martin's team is tough in their place. Plus, the high ranking of the Tigers has started to bring out the best in everyone, including those fighting for an NCAA Tournament bid.

"Teams that are on the bubble can get off the bubble," Pearl said. "Teams that are 11 seeds can become a nine seed with a win like this. And so that elevates the level of the opponent's play … You saw it at Ole Miss, you saw it at Saint Louis."

Missouri, led by Alabama native Kobe Brown (13.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per game), is a team trying to work their way toward the bubble, so Pearl's squad will have to be ready. His message to the team is simple: stay who you are while reminding them of what happened to that 2008 Tennessee team.

"You just tell the kids -- you keep it 100," Pearl said. "You keep it real. You tell them these stories so they understand what can happen, and you hope that success won't change them. So far it hasn't."