SAVANNAH, Ga. — The SEC Volleyball Tournament returns for the first time since 2005, and No. 8 Auburn (16-10, 7-8) will face No. 9 Oklahoma (16-10, 7-8) in the second round on Saturday, Nov. 22 inside Enmarket Arena.
First serve is slated for Noon ET, and the match will be streamed live on SEC Network Plus. Kevin Barnett, Missy Whittemore and Leah Edmund will have the call.
QUICK HITS
Head coach Brent Crouch and the Auburn Tigers are building a season for the record books. Hitting .250 entering Saturday's match, this year's team would set the single-season record, beating the 2023 squad (.241).
Defensively, the Tigers will shatter the blocking record. The 2.80 blocks per set is nearly 0.3 blocks per set more than the 2022 team that set the previous record with 2.56. The number also ranks second in the SEC and No. 12 in the nation.
Both Kate Mansfield and Grace Havlicek are bringing in over 1.00 blocks per set. Mansfield's 1.50 per set ranks second in the conference and No. 10 in the country. The number would also set the Auburn single-season record, passing Kendal Kemp (1.48).
Lauren Dreves has also established herself as one of the best left sides in Auburn history. Averaging 3.83 kills per set, Dreves sits second in single-season school history.
The sophomore from Vancouver, Washington was also named to the All-SEC First Team on Wednesday. Dreves became the first Auburn athlete to be named to the first team since Jaunelle Hamilton and Brooke McCarley in 1999. She is the third athlete to be awarded all-conference honors in the Brent Crouch era.
Three players recorded double-doubles in the Tigers' contest at LSU last Friday. Dreves notched her team-leading eighth double-double with 24 kills and 15 digs. Meanwhile, Shanelle Puetz (21 assists, 11 digs) and Liz Markovska (17 kills, 10) digs each earned the feat as well. It was the second time this season that three or more players earned double-doubles in the same match.
LAST TIME VS.
The last time the Tigers and Sooners squared off, Auburn won in four sets, 3-1 (25-21, 19-25, 25-20, 25-17) in a battle in Norman back in October. Lauren Dreves tied her then-career-high 20 kills on .457 hitting to lead the Orange and Blue. The Tigers also delivered 11 aces in a dominant serving performance.
SCOUTING OKLAHOMA
After an opening-round win over Arkansas, head coach Aaron Mansfield and the Oklahoma Sooners bring a 16-10 record to the second round date with Auburn.
Outside hitter Alexis Shelton brought home a game-high 23 kills on .367 hitting with 10 digs to lead Oklahoma over the Razorbacks. Alyssa Flack (17 kills) and Emoni Bush (13 kills) also reached double figures as Oklahoma hit .343 in the match.
Offensively, the Sooners rank in the top five in the conference in aces per set (1.57), assists per set (12.53) and hitting percentage (.257).
Shelton continues to be the main offensive weapon. Her 4.01 kills per set ranks 10th in the SEC and 59th in the country. Meanwhile, KJ Burgess' .414 hitting percentage is second in the conference and No. 20 in the nation.
AUBURN-OKLAHOMA SERIES
Auburn and Oklahoma have only met five times in the two programs' history. Auburn carries a 2-3 record into the matchup. The Tigers and Sooners have split each of the last two meetings. Saturday will mark the third contest on a neutral floor between the schools and the first since 2011.