GAME NOTES: The Auburn Tigers set their sights on reaching .500 and ending a two-game skid, as they invade Littlejohn Coliseum on Sunday for non-conference action against the Clemson Tigers.

Bruce Pearl's first season at the helm of Auburn hasn't exactly gotten off to a fast start. The Tigers have struggled outside of their own building with just a 1-3 mark between road and neutral site games. Even the home court hasn't been an advantage of late, as Auburn enters this games off a 58-54 setback to Coastal Carolina at Auburn Arena on Dec. 5.

Brad Brownell's Tigers are sitting at 5-3 overall, thanks to wins in four of their last five games. The only loss over that span came against Rutgers (69-64) as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, but Clemson got back in the win column last time out, outlasting a good Arkansas squad on Dec. 7, 68-65 in overtime.

Auburn holds a 15-11 advantage in the all-time series with Clemson. After a 20-year hiatus, this series picked up again last year, with Auburn claiming a 66-64 narrow victory at home during the 2013-14 campaign.

Auburn has had problems early on in several areas, sporting negative margins in both scoring (-2.6) and rebounding (-3.4). Offensively, the Tigers generate a meager 64.4 ppg, a number that would be much better if not for 40.3 percent efficiency from the floor. Things could get better though, as guard Antoine Mason is close to returning to the lineup. The nation's leading returning scorer from last year (25.6 ppg at Niagara), Mason has played in just one game (19 pts) and has been sidelined for the last six with an ankle injury. However, he is listed as probable for this matchup. That will certainly take some of the scoring burden off of players like guard KT Harrell (18.3 ppg) and forward Cinmeon Bowers (11.6 ppg, 11.1 rpg).

Auburn held a 14-point lead in the first half, and was up by 11 midway through the second frame, but could not hold on against Coastal Carolina, as the Tigers fell at home by four points in a low-scoring affair. The loss spoiled a terrific performance by Harrell, who went 7-of-8 from behind the arc, finishing with 25 points in the game. Bowers struggled big time though, missing all five of his field-goal attempts and finishing the game with just one point and five boards.

Clemson isn't the most explosive team either at the offensive end (68.4 ppg), but defense has been a strength. The Tigers are limiting foes to just 61.8 ppg and holding them under 40 percent shooting (.396). The team is more reliant on its starting five than most teams, as all five are scoring in double figures on the year. Jaron Blossomgame has been strong in the frontcourt, pacing the team in both scoring (12.0 ppg) and rebounding (8.9 rpg). He gets help down low by Landry Nnoko (11.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 3.4 bpg). Damarcus Harrison (11.1 ppg), Donte Grantham (10.9 ppg) and Rod Hall (10.4 ppg) round out the quintet. No other player is averaging more than 5.7 ppg on the roster.

A back-and-forth battle with the Razorbacks ended well for Clemson, as the Tigers were able to get the best of the visitors in the extra session to pick up their fifth win of the year. Hall led three Tigers in double figures with 19 points. Blossomgame had a game-high six turnovers, but countered that with 17 points and eight rebounds. Grantham added 14 points to round out the top scorers for Clemson.

Two of Clemson's three losses have come at home, so Littlejohn Coliseum isn't exactly a safe haven for the home team. With Mason back in the lineup, the visiting Tigers may find a little more room to operate on the floor and could pick up a much-needed win here.