It is not often that a Southeastern Conference school south of Lexington, Kentucky, is buzzing about the upcoming college basketball season in September, but that is happening on The Plains. A 2015 Auburn squad that finished the season with an 11-20 record is revamped once again, and Bruce Pearl looks as if he will find success in year three.
With a plethora of newcomers, a fresh looking 2016 Tiger team looks to compete at the highest level, facing some of the best teams in the nation with one of the toughest schedules in the nation.
Here is a look at what Bruce Pearl’s starting five may look like when the Tigers tip off the 2016-2017 season in November:
Ronnie Johnson – Point Guard
After the departure of Kareem Canty last season, the Tiger backcourt lacked a true signal caller at the point guard position. This off season, Pearl remedied the situation by bringing in graduate transfer point guard Ronnie Johnson.
The 6-foot transfer will be a quick fix for the Tigers at a position that lacks depth. Last season, Johnson averaged 9.4 points, 2.9 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 22.3 minutes at Houston, as the Cougars went 22-10 and reached the National Invitation Tournament first round. Johnson’s arrival will allow true freshman point guard Jared Harper to ease into Pearl’s program.
Bryce Brown – Shooting Guard
Bryce Brown’s freshman year at Auburn was a surprise to many as he received 742 minutes of play time throughout the season.
The former three-star recruit averaged 10.1 points in 24.7 minutes per game with 11 starts. Brown was forced to take on a larger role after Canty’s departure and will be ready to be one of the Tigers primary scorers in the upcoming season.
T.J. Dunans – Small Forward
Perhaps the most athletic player on the roster, T.J. Dunans looks to remain healthy throughout the season after an injury kept him from 15 games his junior season last year.
Last season Dunans was forced to play a variety of positions for the Tigers, but will be able to settle in at small forward this year due to a deeper Auburn backcourt.
Dunans averaged 11.6 points, 3.4 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals as a junior.
Danjel Purifoy – Power Forward
The days of Danjel Purifoy sitting on the bench in the Auburn Arena are finally over. After academic eligibility issues forced Purifoy to sit out all of last season, the former four star prospect will finally have a chance to play for Pearl.
Purifoy will add needed size to the Tiger backcourt and is able to take the ball to the hoop, as well as shoot the three pointer. The 6-foot-7 forward has the body of a pro and is able to defend a variety of positions.
Horace Spencer – Center
Horace Spencer, who averaged 5.1 points and 4.9 rebounds per game last season, has spent focused the offseason on bulking up and working on his offensive game.
As a freshman Spencer started 18 games for the Tigers, and was Auburn’s best shot blocker and the third best shot blocker in the conference. Look for the 6-foot-9 sophomore to be more of a force in the paint for the Tigers offensively in 2016.
Mustapha Heron and T.J. Lang
Sixth Men
The sky is the limit for true freshman guard Mustapha Heron. The 6-foot-5 guard out of Waterbury, Connecticut, is the first five-star prospect to ever sign with the Auburn basketball program. Heron is the future of Pearl’s program, and could easily find himself in the starting five later in the season.
The rising junior T.J. Lang is considered to be one of the best shooters on the Tiger squad, and will provide depth at a variety of positions this upcoming season.
A 6-foot-7 guard, Lang appeared in all 31 games for Auburn last season, averageing 7.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 0.5 steals per game.
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