Basketball Stuff / MS Preview

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Edited March 16 by aubiefifty

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al.com

 

Goodman: Auburn is built for March, Alabama is falling apart

Published: Mar. 15, 2024, 11:03 p.m.

5–6 minutes

---

Auburn’s Denver Jones reacts to a make during the Tigers' victory against Georgia earlier this season. Photo by Zach Bland/Auburn TigersZach Bland/Auburn Tigers

By

• Joseph Goodman | jgoodman@al.com

This is an opinion column.

_____________________

It happens every March. These ides were no different.

Each year around this time I find myself falling in love with the college basketball hustle players grinding it out during the conference tournaments.

On Friday it was Denver Jones of the Auburn Tigers.

Teams need stars to emerge in March, but it’s the glue guys like Jones who help make that happen.

A sequence of plays by Jones at the end of the first half against South Carolina let everyone know what kind of SEC tournament this is going to be for coach Bruce Pearl’s loaded team. Auburn slack-jawed South Carolina 86-55 and the victory set up a semifinal matchup with ninth-seeded Mississippi State at noon on Saturday at Bridgestone Arena. Everyone played with a brawler’s intensity, but it was Jones who delivered the combination of brilliance when it mattered most.

• Goodman: Nick Saban is the new face of an old scam
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• Goodman: Alabama’s war on DEI could impact what unites us all

Jones forced three turnovers on consecutive possessions across the span of little more than a minute. It went like this: turnover by charge in man-to-man, turnover by steal in half-court defense and, finally, turnover by steal in the open court. When the skirmish was over, Auburn had a 21-point lead with 7.9 seconds left in the first half and the game was effectively over.

The bracket here at the SEC tournament opened up for Auburn and Alabama when Tennessee and Kentucky crashed and burned on Friday afternoon. Auburn ran over South Carolina and Alabama was run out of the building by Florida, losing 102-88. The difference in the two teams at this point in the season is striking.

Auburn’s signature toughness appears to be built for March and Alabama is searching for a defensive identity before the NCAA Tournament.

The reason for Auburn’s success can be found in the details. Players like Jones, a transfer from FIU, are doing the little things on the defensive end that impact games.

Auburn can win in a lot of different ways. In their opening turn on the hardwood at Bridgestone Arena, the Tigers wrecked South Carolina with the required energy for March basketball and that’s all that mattered.

South Carolina made its fourth field goal of the game with 4:59 left in the first half. By that point, Auburn had a 30-18 lead that felt more like a 25-point advantage. When Jones went to work it was over.

Later in the night, Alabama needed a catalyst defensively near the end of its first half against Florida. No one played the role and Florida closed out the Crimson Tide with 19 straight points. The lack of fight affected Alabama’s offense, too. I never would have predicted an Alabama team coached by Nate Oats going 0-4 from the free-throw line in a tournament game, but it happened in Nashville.

RELATED: Alabama extends Oats for the third time

Oats rebuilt his roster and coaching staff after last season’s SEC championship. Auburn’s Pearl filled in a few pieces for an experienced team and he found gold in players like Jones and Chad Baker-Mazara.

Jones’ commitment to defense allowed him to break into the starting lineup on a deep team. That speaks to Pearl’s ability as a coach. Last March, Pearl’s team went out of the NCAA Tournament with a loss to Houston, one of the toughest teams in the country. This season, Auburn’s defensive DNA feels a lot like that Cougars’ squad from 2023.

I enjoyed my interview with Jones after the game. He’s from New Market, Ala., which is a few miles from the Tennessee border and just south of the Cumberland Plateau. It’s a beautiful part of the state.

Why is Jones named after the largest city in Colorado? That’s an interesting story.

His older brother is named Dallas after the NFL team in that city. When it was time for Dallas’ younger brother to come into the world, an uncle suggested the name Denver. It stuck.

“But I grew up a Cowboys fan, too,” Jones said.

Jones committed to Auburn after an excellent season with FIU. He averaged more than 20 points per game for the Golden Panthers, but he’s a defensive specialist for Auburn. That’s what it takes to win in March.

“We’re built a little differently,” Pearl said.

SOUND OFF

Got a question about the changing landscape of college football, spring practice in the SEC or March Madness? Want to get something off your chest? Send Joe a question about what’s on your mind for the weekly mailbag. Let your voice be heard. Ask him anything.

Joseph Goodman is the lead sports columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of the most controversial sports book ever written, “We Want Bama”.

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[aubiefifty 16,811]

al.com

3 takeaways as Auburn blows out South Carolina again, advances to SEC semis

Updated: Mar. 15, 2024, 6:01 p.m.|Published: Mar. 15, 2024, 4:47 p.m.

5–6 minutes

AUBURN, AL - MARCH 15 - Auburn's K.D. Johnson (0) during the game between the #12 Auburn Tigers and the South Carolina Gamecocks at Neville Arena in Auburn, AL on Friday, March 15, 2024. Photo by Zach Bland/Auburn TigersZach Bland/Auburn Tigers

Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl has talked often this season about how much matchups can matter for a team that has had a double-digit margin in each of its wins. And maybe there’s just something about that South Carolina matchup that Auburn can’t get enough of.

Auburn blew out South Carolina again on Friday in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament in Nashville, winning 86-55. It beat South Carolina by 40 on Valentine’s Day at Neville Arena, the only previous matchup this season.

Now with a 25-7 overall record, Auburn will advance to the SEC Tournament semifinals and face No. 9 seed Mississippi State, which upset No. 1 seed Tennessee (more on that below).

All of Auburn’s 10 main rotational players scored. Johni Broome led them with 18. Auburn held South Carolina below 30% from the field in a dominant defensive effort.

Here are three takeaways.

Auburn gets a rubber match against Mississippi State

The upset of the day happened before Auburn took the floor. Auburn’s assistant coaches sat in their courtside scouting seats probably expecting to work on cutting film of Tennessee and then No. 9 seed Mississippi State totally bullied the SEC champion.

Mississippi State beat Tennessee 73-56 in the first game Friday, advancing to the semifinals and now setting up a matchup with Auburn. It’s a stunning turnaround for Mississippi State which lost its final four games of the regular season.

Auburn and Mississippi State split the season series. Mississippi State won on Jan. 27 in Starkville and Auburn won on March 2 at Neville Arena.

With wins over LSU and Tennessee this week, Mississippi State has all but locked up a spot in the NCAA Tournament and essentially has nothing to lose in tomorrow’s game.

Mississippi State’s defense was dominant against Tennessee, holding the top-seeded team to 19-for-62 shooting. It’s the same defense that held Auburn to 58 points in Starkville, a season-low for Auburn.

What does this mean for Auburn’s NCAA Tournament resume?

Well for now at least, Auburn just got its second Quad 1 win. South Carolina entered the day 48th in the NET rankings, meaning a win over a top 50 team on a neutral floor.

For now, at least, Auburn is 2-7 against Quad 1 teams this season. The wins are over Alabama and South Carolina.

Problem would be, well, is that still going to be a Quad 1 win when Auburn wakes up Saturday morning? It might not be.

Despite Mississippi State beating Tennessee, Auburn can still get a Quad 1 win tomorrow. Mississippi State was already top 50 in the NET before beating Tennessee. The Bulldogs will take a jump up by tomorrow morning, and likely be a much more comfortable Quad 1 opportunity for Auburn, should it manage to win that game too.

The flip side of that with regard to Auburn’s resume which does not have a bad loss but lacks big wins, is that Auburn will not face Tennessee and have a chance to add its biggest win yet. Auburn lost to Tennessee in Knoxville by eight points.

A win over Mississippi State, should Auburn get it, does not do the same thing for Auburn’s resume that playing Tennessee could have.

But Auburn’s spot as a No. 4 seed or better in the NCAA Tournament seems all but secure.

Auburn wins first SEC Tournament game since 2019

It’s been a weird ride for Auburn in this tournament since it won the championship in 2019.

The 2020 tournament never happened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Auburn didn’t play in the 2021 edition due to a self-imposed postseason ban. Auburn won the SEC regular season title in 2022 but was eliminated in its first game by No. 8 seed Texas A&M — essentially what happened to Tennessee this afternoon. And in 2023, No. 7 seed Auburn lost its first game, beaten by No. 10 seed Arkansas.

With its win Friday, Auburn ends that streak.

This is thus Auburn’s first trip to the SEC Tournament semifinals since it won the title in 2019. Auburn’s last time in the semifinals before that was in 2015. It’s not exactly a tournament that has been kind to Auburn over the years.

Matt Cohen covers sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com

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[aubiefifty 16,811]

al.com

What Bruce Pearl said are keys to Auburn’s two routs over South Carolina

Published: Mar. 15, 2024, 6:28 p.m.

5–6 minutes

South Carolina has had maybe its best season thus far in school history and there’s just something about Auburn it hasn’t figured out. South Carolina tied a school record with 26 wins. It reached its highest AP poll ranking since the 1990s and its fewest losses in a season since the 1970s. The Gamecocks will comfortably make the NCAA Tournament and likely as a No. 5 seed.

And yet in two games this season, Auburn beat that by a combined 71 points. Head coach Bruce Pearl’s team beat South Carolina by 40 on Valentine’s Day and by a 31-point margin, 86-55, on Friday at the SEC Tournament in Nashville.

With the win, the No. 4 seeded Auburn advanced to the semifinals Saturday where it will face No. 9 seed Mississippi State.

So what has worked so well two times in a row?

Well Pearl didn’t quite get into the specifics, but it comes down to something he has said after several of Auburn’s blow outs this season: it’s just a good matchup.

“The other thing, too, this doesn’t get enough talk: It’s about matchups,” Pearl said Friday. “I’m not going to tell you why it’s a good matchup for us and a bad one for them. It just is. There’s things about the way we play and they work that sort of works out for us.”

Pearl has said this after Auburn won the Legend’s Classic in Brooklyn earlier this season. He said that when Auburn beat South Carolina the first time back in February.

“I also think that — and again, it doesn’t get studied or talked about enough — certain matchups are certain matchups,” Pearl said on Valentine’s Day. “So the way we guard or the things we do offensively worked really well against South Carolina tonight. Against Florida and that matchup, the way they play, the way we play, it didn’t match up very well for us.”

Pearl was asked a follow-up question about it being a good matchup. He said he wanted to dodge that question too, not wanting to give away any secrets.

But in both games, Pearl mentioned the impact of his big men.

In the first game, Pearl mentioned how well his big men shot the ball. Jaylin Williams and Johni Broome each made nine 3-pointers in that game. It left South Carolina head coach Lamont Paris to talk 24 hours before playing Auburn about hoping Pearl’s team wouldn’t shoot the ball that well again.

Well, Williams and Broome only made three on Friday, but Auburn made 47% of its shots from deep and 49% of its shots from the field.

Auburn was much better in the paint against South Carolina on Friday than it was in February. Auburn had a 42-22 edge in the second game after a 36-30 edge during the regular season matchup.

Auburn’s offense maybe played its best game of the season in the 40-point Valentine’s Day win, scoring 101 points and shooting 61% from the field. Auburn’s offense was stellar in both games, albeit the rematch not being quite as dominant as the original.

Yet while Auburn’s offense was successful in two different ways across the two different games, the defense was thoroughly consistent.

South Carolina made 16 of 57 shots on Friday and 18 of 52 shots at Neville Arena.

Auburn’s defense was far more dominant on South Carolina’s Meechie Johnson who scored 22 points in the first game and three in the second. Star freshman forward Collin Murray-Boyles had 19 points in the first matchup and four in the second.

For as great as Murray-Boyles has been this season, he wasn’t enough on his own on the interior to compete with Auburn’s big men.

South Carolina scored a combined 116 points across the two games. Auburn scored 189.

“We’re built a little differently,” Pearl said. “I think Dylan and Johni, Chaney and J-Will are all older and they’re all bigger, and they’re willing to be physical and stuff.”

But reporters kept pushing Pearl. What about this matchup keep working for Auburn? It’s clear in Auburn’s depth and its dominance in the paint.

“Tell you what, you’re getting better,” Pearl joked when he was asked again about the matchup. “That’s a good question.”

So then Pearl finally answered with one thing he saw.

“(Assistant coach Mike Burgomaster) had a bit of a wrinkle in something we run all the time that was really effective early getting downhill,” Pearl said. “Hadn’t run it yet. We ran it last year. It definitely helped us get downhill, which then set the tone for not settling and getting to the rim.”

Maybe not quite a full answer. Does it matter? The score tells the story on its own.

Matt Cohen covers sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

[aubiefifty 16,811]

al.com

Rewinding Auburn’s lopsided win over South Carolina in the SEC Tournament quarterfinal

Updated: Mar. 15, 2024, 4:49 p.m.|Published: Mar. 15, 2024, 2:23 p.m.

6–7 minutes

Things couldn’t have gone better for Auburn when it met South Carolina during the regular season.

From the comfort of Auburn’s Neville Arena, the Tigers dismantled the Gamecocks 101-61 in what South Carolina head coach Lamont Paris called an “anomaly” of a shooting night for Auburn.

To Paris’ point, Auburn’s pair of big men in Johni Broome and Jaylin Williams combined for an impressive nine 3-pointers in the lopsided win.

“Hopefully we’ll just play better and, hopefully to some degree, they won’t shoot the ball like that,” Paris said Thursday after South Carolina’s win over Arkansas in the SEC Tournament. “That would be some real bad karma if they do that twice in a row against us.”

Paris admitted he nearly threw out the film from South Carolina’s visit to Auburn on Valentine’s Day.

Now, as the Gamecocks and Tigers prepare to tip off in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals, Paris is likely glad he didn’t trash it completely. Surely there was something to learn from the loss.

If Paris and the Gamecocks will apply what they learned? That’ll be found out as Friday afternoon’s postseason matchup unfolds.

Follow along for live updates from Friday’s game at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena:

Pregame

STARTING LINEUPS FOR AUBURN

Guard — Aden Holloway

Guard — Denver Jones

Forward — Jaylin Williams

Forward — Johni Broome

Forward — Chad Baker-Mazara

STARTING LINEUPS FOR SOUTH CAROLINA

Guard — Meechie Johnson

Guard — Zachary Davis

Guard — Ta’lon Cooper

Forward — B.J. Mack

Forward — Collin Murray-Broyles

First half

16:05 — After Auburn gets bullied on the boards underneath South Carolina’s basket, Zachary Davis gets fouled and goes 1-for-2 from the free throw line to tie the game at 6-6 early.

South Carolina tallied three offensive rebounds on one trip down the floor before Davis was fouled.

14:49 — Auburn’s Jaylin Williams hits the Tigers’ first 3-pointer to put the Tigers up by four points.

11:47 — Auburn leads South Carolina 17-14. The Tigers are shooting it 70% from the field with Johni Broome leading the way with seven points.

South Carolina has a notable advantage on the offensive glass with six offensive rebounds to Auburn’s two.

10:42 — Auburn’s Denver Jones sinks a 3-pointer near the top of the key to put the Tigers out front eight points. With the three ball, Auburn is on a 9-0 run on the last 2:30+ minutes.

8:58 — A made layup from Chris Moore stretches the Tigers’ lead out to 12 points.

7:56 — Auburn doubles up South Carolina with a made jumper from Chaney Johnson. The make extends the Tigers’ run out to 13 unanswered points in the last 4:19.

South Carolina is currently shooting it at a 27% clip.

4:48 — South Carolina’s Zachary Davis gets tagged with a flagrant foul after body checking Auburn’s Chad Baker-Mazara to the floor.

Then, Auburn’s KD Johnson appeared to have picked up a technical foul for jawing at South Carolina’s players.

After trading trips to the free throw line, Auburn leads 32-20.

2:29 — Auburn’s Chaney Johnson sinks a shot from beyond the arc to bring the Tigers’ lead out to 13 points.

With the make, Auburn is 3-for-6 from beyond the 3-point line.

1:23 — Auburn’s Johni Broome goes 2-for-2 from the free throw line to give the Tigers a 42-25 lead and bring his point total to 10 points.

0:08 — After a steal from Denver Jones, his third of the game, Auburn’s Johni Broome plays through contact to make a layup and draws the foul. He won’t convert the three-point play, but gives the Tigers a 21-point lead nearing halftime.

Halftime — Auburn 46, South Carolina 26

At the break, Auburn leads South Carolina by 20 points.

The Tigers are shooting it 50% from the field, while the Gamecocks are hitting just 27% of the time.

Leading all scorers is Auburn forward Johni Broome with 12 points.

After a slow start on the boards, the Tigers have fought back and are outrebounding the Gamecocks 22-18.

Auburn has also tallied 24 points in the paint, while keeping South Carolina off the rim as the Gamecocks have logged just eight points in the paint.

Second half

15:56 — Auburn’s first points of the second half comes via a deep 2-point jumper form Denver Jones near the top of the key. The Tigers maintain a 48-29 lead.

14:46 — South Carolina’s Meechie Johnson, who is the Gamecock’s leading scorer on the season, scores his first points of the game with a 3-pointer, pulling South Carolina within 16.

12:50 — Auburn’s Tre Donaldson hits a 3-pointer to give the Tigers a 55-33 lead. With the make, all 10 of Auburn’s players who have seen play time have scored.

10:45 — Auburn leads South Carolina 59-36 as the Tigers have hit five of their last seven field goals. Meanwhile, the Gamecocks haven’t hit from the field in 4+ minutes.

9:03 — Auburn’s KD Johnson is good from beyond the 3-point line to give the Tigers a 64-38 lead. Auburn is now 6-for-13 from beyond the arc.

8:09 — Johni Broome adds to Auburn’s 3-point total to stretch the Tigers’ lead out to 27 points.

6:26 — Johni Broome hits his second 3-pointer of the game immediately after his first to bring Auburn’s lead to 30 points. Broome now has 18 points on the afternoon, leading all scorers.

3:26 — Auburn freshman Aden Holloway hits his first 3-pointer of the day, bringing his point total to nine points and giving the Tigers a 79-49 lead.

2:03 — Auburn’s KD Johnson hits another 3-pointer to extend its lead out to 31 points. With the game well-in-hand, Bruce Pearl will empty his bench and let the reserves polish off the game.

Final — Auburn 86, South Carolina 55

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[aubiefifty 16,811]

montgomeryadvertiser.com

What channel is Auburn basketball vs Mississippi State on today? Time, TV info for SEC game

Richard Silva

~3 minutes

NASHVILLE — Auburn basketball will have its work cut out for it against Mississippi State in the SEC Tournament on Saturday.

Here's everything you need to know to watch the matchup, including time, TV and streaming info and more:

What channel is Auburn basketball vs. Mississippi State in SEC Tournament today?

TV channel: ESPN

Streaming: Watch ESPN, FUBO (free trial)

Auburn vs. Mississippi State will be broadcast on ESPN. Streaming options for the game include the ESPN app and FUBO, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

IT'S BRACKET MADNESS: Enter USA TODAY's basketball tournament bracket contests for a chance at $1 million prize.

'HE'S THREE STEPS AHEAD':How Mike Burgomaster has become Auburn's offensive architect

SEC TOURNAMENT PREDICTION:How far will Auburn basketball go?

Auburn basketball vs. Mississippi State in SEC Tournament start time

Date: Saturday, March 16

Start time: Noon CT

The Auburn-Mississippi State game is scheduled to tip off at Noon CT at Bridgestone Arena.

Auburn basketball schedule 2023-24

Record: 25-7

Nov. 7: vs. Baylor (L 88-82)

Nov. 10: Southeastern Louisiana (W 86-71)

Nov. 16: vs. Notre Dame in Legends Classic (W 83-59)

Nov. 17: vs. St. Bonaventure in Legends Classic (W 77-60)

Nov. 21: Alabama A&M (W 84-54)

Nov. 29: Virginia Tech (W 74-57)

Dec. 3: at Appalachian State (L 69-64)

Dec. 9: vs. Indiana in Holiday Hoopsgiving (W 104-76)

Dec. 13: vs. UNC Asheville in Rocket City Classic (W 87-62)

Dec. 17: USC (W 91-75)

Dec. 22: Alabama State (W 82-62)

Dec. 30: Chattanooga (W 101-66)

Jan. 2: Penn (W 88-68)

Jan. 6: at Arkansas (W 83-51)

Jan. 9: Texas A&M (W 66-55)

Jan. 13: LSU (W 93-78)

Jan. 17: at Vanderbilt (W 80-65)

Jan. 20: Ole Miss (W 82-59)

Jan. 24: at Alabama (L 79-75)

Jan. 27: at Mississippi State (L 64-58)

Jan. 31: Vanderbilt (W 81-54)

Feb. 3: at Ole Miss (W 91-77)

Feb. 7: Alabama (W 99-81)

Feb. 10: at Florida (L 81-65)

Feb. 14: South Carolina (W 101-61)

Feb. 17: Kentucky (L 70-59)

Feb. 24: at Georgia (W 97-76)

Feb. 28: at Tennessee (L 92-84)

March 2: Mississippi State (W 78-63)

March 5: at Missouri (W 101-74)

March 9: Georgia (W 92-78)

March 15: vs. South Carolina in SEC Tournament (W 86-55)

March 16: vs. Mississippi State in SEC Tournament

March 19-April 8: NCAA Tournament

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms

Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rich_silva18.

[aubiefifty 16,811]

wtok.com

Mississippi State vs. Auburn Predictions & Picks - SEC Tournament

Data Skrive

3–4 minutes

Saturday's contest features the No. 12 Auburn Tigers (25-7, 13-5 SEC) and the Mississippi State Bulldogs (21-12, 8-10 SEC) squaring off at Bridgestone Arena (on March 16) at 1:00 PM ET. This matchup, according to our computer prediction, will result in a 78-70 victory for Auburn.

Based on our computer prediction, Auburn should cover the spread, which currently sits at 7.5. The two sides are projected to go over the 143.5 over/under.

Watch live college basketball games from all over the country, plus ESPN originals and more NCAA hoops content on ESPN+!

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Mississippi State vs. Auburn Game Info & Odds

Date: Saturday, March 16, 2024

Time: 1:00 PM ET

TV: ESPN

Where: Nashville, Tennessee

Venue: Bridgestone Arena

Line: Auburn -7.5

Point Total: 143.5

Moneyline (To Win): Auburn -350, Mississippi State +280

Place your bets on any college basketball matchup at BetMGM, and sign up with our link for a first-time deposit bonus!

Mississippi State vs. Auburn Score Prediction

Prediction: Auburn 78, Mississippi State 70

Spread & Total Prediction for Mississippi State vs. Auburn

Pick ATS: Auburn (-7.5)

Pick OU: Over (143.5)

Auburn has compiled an 18-12-0 record against the spread this season, while Mississippi State is 14-17-0. A total of 13 out of the Tigers' games this season have hit the over, and 15 of the Bulldogs' games have gone over. The teams average 158.6 points per game, 15.1 more points than this matchup's total. In the last 10 games, Auburn has a 6-4 record against the spread while going 7-3 overall. Mississippi State has gone 5-5 against the spread and 6-4 overall in its last 10 matches.

Bet on this or any college basketball matchup at BetMGM

Mississippi State Performance Insights

The Bulldogs outscore opponents by 6.1 points per game (posting 75.0 points per game, 133rd in college basketball, and allowing 68.9 per outing, 87th in college basketball) and have a +201 scoring differential.

Mississippi State wins the rebound battle by 5.7 boards on average. It collects 38.3 rebounds per game, 49th in college basketball, while its opponents grab 32.6.

Mississippi State knocks down 7.3 three-pointers per game (195th in college basketball), while its opponents have made 7.0 on average.

Mississippi State has committed 12.3 turnovers per game (280th in college basketball) while forcing 11.8 (123rd in college basketball).

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[WillMunny 1,378]

The SEC roundtable this morning said that State plays only 6 players?  If I heard that right, we should have a big advantage with our depth, seeing that it's State's 3rd game in 3 days.

[Mikey 16,626]

18 minutes ago, WillMunny said:

The SEC roundtable this morning said that State plays only 6 players?  If I heard that right, we should have a big advantage with our depth, seeing that it's State's 3rd game in 3 days.

We'll have a one-game advantage over anybody we might play from here on out. I'm not so sure that matters much when dealing with 20 year old kids in good physical condition.

[boisnumber1 2,819]

33 minutes ago, WillMunny said:

The SEC roundtable this morning said that State plays only 6 players?  If I heard that right, we should have a big advantage with our depth, seeing that it's State's 3rd game in 3 days.

They pretty much have at least 4 guys playing 30+ mins every game.

[aubiefifty 16,811]

i hope we lay the snack down. i cannot imagine they would not be up for the tourney. basketball is often unpredictable but that is why i love it.

[Mikey 16,626]

1 hour ago, boisnumber1 said:

They pretty much have at least 4 guys playing 30+ mins every game.

Clearly that doesn't help them. But that #13 is capable of going off for 35 points at any time. I hope this is a cakewalk for Auburn but I don't expect anything but a tough challenge.

[BizEagle 79]

Is MSU 100% healthy?   There has been a lot of gimpy players during the SEC tourney, so far.  Dalton Knecht at UT vs. MSU looked slower, like he might have been cramping.   TA&M had 2 players cramping yesterday.   Several bammers had leg wraps on, including Sears.  Plus, Sears looked a bit less mobile than usual and wasn't getting many open looks, was driving to the basket and then passing back out.  Nelson fell to the floor several times (even stuck out his arms batting at a dribble from while sitting on his butt).  I really think our deep line up is going to help a lot going forward.  UF is really deep too.  They match up well vs. AU.

It was pleasant to see bammer go down last night, especially after several favorable calls for Sears early in the game.   Sears while defending was hanging all over his UF opponent, slapping arms, riding his back.  The UF Guard couldn't move any direction, and then they call a push off on UF.  You could hear the arm slaps by Sears but no calls.  It was some ugly officiating early on but later evened out.   

[e808 3,028]

I am just hoping Auburn can replicate yesterday’s performance..Guards managed the game well and 8 or more threes normally result in an Auburn win. I just hope for a better performance from the free throw line. It will be the difference between wins and losses .

[AUGoo 2,664]

PGs brought 15 points yesterday!

Huuge.