AUBURN, Ala. — Minutes after Auburn wrapped up the non-conference portion of its schedule with a 96-72 win against West Georgia on Tuesday, Tigers coach Jeff Lebo was asked if his team is ready for SEC play.

“I hope,” he said. “It’s coming no matter if we’re ready or not.”

DeWayne Reed scored 20 points, Frankie Sullivan 17 and Tay Waller 16 for Auburn (9-6), which tied a season high with 13 3-pointers and scored a season high in points against the Division II Wolves (7-7) at Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum.

It gives the Tigers a four-game winning streak entering league play, their longest in an up-and-down first two months that’s included losses to Central Florida, Troy and Sam Houston State.

Auburn built momentum heading into the conference season by beating mediocre competition. The other three wins during the Tigers’ current streak came against Alabama State, Charleston Southern and Georgia Southern, who have a combined record of 14-27.

“We want teams that can challenge us before we get to the SEC, so we can see exactly where we’re at,” Waller said. “But I guess it can go both ways, because momentum gives you confidence. And challenges, sometimes they can be good and bad.”

The Tigers open SEC play Saturday at home Saturday against South Carolina, which is 9-5, with losses in all of its marquee games against Clemson, Boston College and Baylor.

Tuesday was merely a tuneup for the Tigers. Auburn made eight 3-pointers in the first half, getting four from Waller, who scored 14 of his 16 points before the break to give the Tigers a 45-33 halftime lead.

“We came out kind of slow,” Waller said. “I felt like if I could come out and get it going, hopefully the team would pick it up.”

West Georgia hung around, pulling as close as nine midway through the second half on a 3-pointer by Jeremy Smith that made it 66-57.

Auburn answered with 15 straight points, getting 3-pointers by Lucas Hargrove, Sullivan and Reed to start the run.

“Everytime we got close, they would hit a 3,” West Georgia coach Mike Cooney said.

Reed finished with another solid all-around performance, going 8-for-11 from the field and dishing out six assists with no turnovers in 29 minutes.

“I think the last two he’s been pretty good,” Lebo said. “He was solid out there, took good shots, shot the ball well from 3, got into the paint. ... He was under control. The decision making was good.”

The Tigers went 13-for-33 from 3-point range, often taking open shots early in the possession. Although he would have preferred more ball movement, Lebo couldn’t fault them for that.

“It’s hard when you’re a shooter,” he said. “I know when I got one, when I was a shooter, I’d want to put one up if I could see the rim.”