A crazy opening week to SEC play saw two top-10 teams fall. One of those was Tennessee who was ranked ahead of Auburn at #1. The Volunteers were embarrassed at Florida, making just 12 baskets in the entire game. A win for Auburn against South Carolina should put them in pole position to be the new #1. Here’s a look back at the Tigers’ wins over Missouri and Texas, and a look at their upcoming matchups.
Auburn 84, Missouri 68
Auburn opened up conference play with another victory against Missouri. To no surprise, Johni Broome was dominant with 24 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks.
“Being aggressive,” said Broome, who reached the 20-point mark for the ninth time in Auburn’s 14 games. “I wanted to set the tone a little bit. My teammates and coaches ran plays to get me the ball. We have a special team. That’s a good way to start it off but we’re not satisfied.”
Chaney Johnson and Chad Baker-Mazara each added 13 points and Denver Jones and Tahaad Pettiford had 10 points.
Auburn shot 47 percent from three-point range, with seven players making at least one triple. “We have some great shooters on the team,” Johnson said. “We share the ball and we trust each other. Ball movement, people getting open shots, we’re going to hit.”
Auburn 87, Texas 82
Auburn head Bruce Pearl etched himself into the record books by winning his 214th game as head coach. Pearl has now passed Joel Eaves for the most wins in program history.
The road to 214 was not easy as the Tigers almost gave away a 20-point lead in the final few minutes. The Longhorns would cut the lead to 3 points with less than a minute to play, but a layup from Baker-Mazara and free throws from Jones would ensure the victory.
“It got to be a one-possession game. It’s a 40-minute game. Texas didn’t go anywhere,” Pearl said. “We had to make some plays. Chad Baker made some big plays down the stretch offensively.”
After the game, celebrations of Coach Pearl continued in the locker room and online as former players and coaches congratulated him on becoming the winningest coach in program history.
“If I said that’s what I wanted to do, I meant it,” Pearl said. “I want to reward Auburn for giving me the opportunity. I go to work every day trying to reward Auburn for giving me the chance to be their basketball coach and be a part of this Auburn family. I mean it from the bottom of my heart.
Looking Ahead
Auburn will be on the road January 11th at South Carolina. The Gamecocks are looking to break a 2 game losing streak in the SEC after falling to Alabama and Mississippi State. Auburn should be a heavy favorite, but they can’t underestimate their opponents. Tip-off is set for 12:00 P.M CT with coverage on SEC Network.
After that, Auburn returns home to face a good Mississippi State team that will provide Auburn’s. first. real test in conference play. The Bulldogs have looked solid, with wins over Utah, Memphis, SMU, and Pittsburgh.
Tip-off for that game is at 6:00 P.M with coverage on SEC Network.
