Auburn to play in-state opponent in private scrimmage

[aubiefifty 18,251]

247sports.com

 

Auburn basketball team to play in-state opponent in private scrimmage

Mark Murphy

3-4 minutes

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AUBURN, Alabama–In addition to three exhibition games back in August played on a tour to Israel and another planned vs. UAH on Wednesday, Nov. 2nd, Coach Bruce Pearl’s basketball team will get another opportunity to compete against outside competition before opening its 2022-23 regular season.

On Sunday the Tigers will play in a private scrimmage at Neville Arena vs. UAB, the same team Auburn played last season before going on to win the Southeastern Conference regular season championship.

Pearl said Coach Andy Kennedy’s Blazers will give the Tigers a serious workout. “They will play really hard, really physical. They are older. I mean, a lot of fifth-year guys.

“They were an NCAA Tournament team the last year,” Pearl pointed out. “If Houston doesn't make a gazillion-bajillion threes, that could have been an upset in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. They will throw the kitchen sink at us. They will play very aggressively man–like we play, man-to-man.

“They will mix in some 1-3-1 (zone),” Pearl said. “They will mix in some 2-3 (zone). (Jordan) Walker, their point guard, has scored 40 points twice, the only college player returning to score 40 points twice, so it is easy for me to talk to my guards and go ‘quite a challenge.’ This guy can really, really score.”

Pearl added, “We are going to try to win. We will probably play at least a couple of halves and we got a lot out of it last year. We will get a lot out of it this year.” UAB was 27-8 last season with a 14-4 record in Conference USA.

The Tigers will open the regular season on Monday, Nov. 7th when George Mason visits Neville Arena. Auburn will open SEC play on Dec. 28th at Neville Arena vs. the Florida Gators.

Auburn, which is ranked 15th in the AP preseason Top 25 poll, posted a 28-5 record last season and were 15-3 during the SEC regular season.

Pearl and a pair of his junior guards, K.D. Johnson and Wendell Green, are scheduled to join Pearl on Wednesday at the SEC's annual basketball media days event in Mountain Brook. Last year Kentucky was picked to win the league and Auburn, which was picked fifth, won the regular season title outright with a 15-3 record.

K.D. Johnson celebrates a three-pointer last season when he averaged 12.3 points per game. (Photo: Adam Sparks / Inside the Auburn Tigers, 247Sports)

"Once again, we will probably be picked in the top five or six teams in the league and how many of our players will be first  or second-team," Pearl said. "I am not sure how many teams they have, but it'll probably be the same thing. Will Wendell be the best point guard? Will K.D. be on that list? Where will they put our freshmen compared to the other freshmen? Typically, we get ranked pretty good as a team, but our individuals don't get much notice."

7COMMENTS

Last season Jabari Smith was named as a second team all-league selection in preseason. In the postseason he was a first team All-SEC pick as was Walker Kessler, who was not named to the preseason squad. Both players earned All-America honors and were first round NBA draft picks.

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[gravejd 3,304]

Thats a great matchup for an exhibition game. That will probably be a tougher matchup than the first 6 or so games of the OOC schedule. Always impresses me how Pearl manages the team early in the season. Nice sprinkling of tough and easy matchups to work out kinks but not let them get too cocky. Also, interesting and accurate comments about the team getting respect and the players not. Pearl loves that bulletin board material! 🤣