Report: Auburn CBB Plane Turns Around Mid-Flight After Near-Fight Between Players

The Auburn men's basketball team is set to face the Houston Cougars in an early-season showdown on Saturday, but the SEC team reportedly encountered some trouble getting to Texas for the contest.

Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68 reported Friday that the team's flight returned home after about 45 minutes because of "horseplay between players on the flight that could have escalated into a fight."

Goodman noted the expectation is the Tigers will still fly to Houston later Friday on a different flight.

It's safe to say this surely wasn't what the team had in mind when it posted "liftoff" as players were boarding the flight:

Saturday's game is expected to be one of the best on the nonconference slate this season. Houston is No. 4 in the Associated Press Top 25, while Auburn is No. 11 and looking to earn a critical win away from home that could resonate on Selection Sunday.

The Cougars started with a convincing 57-point win over Jackson State in their opener, while the Tigers cruised in a 51-point victory in their first game against Vermont. Even against overmatched competition, the blowouts hinted at how much talent is available on each side in a season that should feature plenty of wins.

Saturday has the chance to be a measuring-stick contest for both teams, but this adds another storyline ahead of tip-off.

It is slated to start at 9:30 p.m. ET, but a late arrival the night before could alter the Tigers' overall schedule ahead of the game.

Houston is essentially the home team in this one, but it is not an on-campus game. Instead, the two teams will face each other in the Toyota Center, which is the home of the NBA's Houston Rockets.