LSU’s gymnastics team cracked the top 10 in the national rankings after posting a season high 196.575  in its last meet against Kentucky.But the team has no time to sit back and admire its accomplishment as the Tigers travel to face No. 6 Auburn tonight.Auburn’s average score through four meets is 196.137, more than a half point higher than LSU’s average score of 195.400.”Auburn, this year, is just really good,” said junior Susan Jackson. “So we’ve just been working really hard in the gym and making sure that we’ve been focusing on all the things we’re supposed to.”The trip to Auburn will mark the fourth time in five meets that LSU will be on the road.Being away from the PMAC has not phased the team at all — LSU has won all three away meets this season and posted its highest score of the season on the road.”I don’t think it really makes a difference [being on the road],” said senior Ashleigh Clare-Kearney. “We have to carry the same mentality no matter where we are.”LSU hopes to receive a boost this weekend from the possible return of two starters. Junior Sabrina Franceschelli was out for the Kentucky meet because of the flu, and senior Lauren Klein has not participated in a meet all season because of a foot injury.Klein began practicing on Wednesday and could compete against Auburn.”[Lauren’s] ankle is definitely getting better,” said Clare-Kearney. “I think she’ll definitely be back.”Beside the fact the meet pits two top-10 teams, there is also a battle of mentor versus protégé on the benches. Auburn coach Jeff Thompson was an assistant coach at LSU under D-D Breaux from 1994 until he took the Auburn position in 1999.But winning, while always a priority, isn’t the most important issue at hand for LSU. In gymnastics, the national rankings are not based on wins and losses but on a team’s average score, so posting a high score is the main concern for the team.”The wins and losses really don’t matter ultimately in gymnastics,” said Clare-Kearney. “All we focus on is trying to hit 24-for-24 [landings], and we focus on one person at a time on each lineup.”——Contact Rob Landry at [email protected]