Auburn bounced back from a heartbreaking loss in Madison Square Garden, trouncing an overmatched Coastal Carolina 117-72 Thursday night. Here are the grades on the Tigers most impressive victory of the season.
Guards: A+
An A+ seems too kind, but if the guards are ever going to earn an A+, it had to be Thursday night. Auburn hit 21 three-point shots, breaking the school record and tying the SEC record.
Point guard Jared Harper set the tone for Auburn, knocking down four of his first five three-point shots. Harper finished with 16 points, going 5-6 from the floor with all of his shots beyond the arc. The freshman dealt out seven assists to go along with one steal.
Fellow freshman Mustapha Heron stuffed the stat sheet Thursday night. The Connecticut native scored 17 points to go with seven rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals. Heron also went 6-7 from the free throw line. Heron did not join in on the Tigers’ three-point barrage, only knocking in one of two shots from three-point range. Instead, the former five-star stuck to his game: attacking the rim and knocking down mid-range jump shots.
In the absence of suspended guard Bryce Brown, TJ Lang got his first start of the season and added a nice boost for the Tigers. Lang scored eight points, going 3-6 from the field in just 16 minutes.
T.J. Dunans, who has been a missing piece for Auburn thus far this season, played his best game of the season, scoring 10 points to go with five assists, three rebounds, two blocks and one steal. In order for Auburn to reach their full potential, they needed Dunans to be the facilitator he was tonight. Points will come for Dunans, but his value as a playmaker weighs much larger than his ability to score for Auburn. The senior guard had a plus-minus rating of 43, proving the Tigers were at their best with a good Dunans on the floor.
For the first time in his career, walk-on freshman guard Will Macoy logged multiple minutes for the Tigers. The Birmingham native scored eight points, going 2-3 from beyond the arc and adding a thunderous dunk. It was an all-around feel-good night for the Tigers.
Posts: A
After being outrebounded 49-32 Monday night vs. Boston College, Auburn needed a rebound game from their big men, and that is exactly what they got. The Tigers outrebounded the Chanticleers 48-40 and limited Coastal Carolina to just 20 points in the paint and 10 second-chance points. The Tigers also recorded eight blocks.
Danjel Purifoy, once again, led the way for the Tigers. The redshirt freshman matched a career-high 27 points to go along with seven rebounds, three steals and an assist. He was 9-14 from the field and 5-10 from beyond the arc. Purifoy was the best player on the court, as he is most nights. The Chanticleers had no answer for the 6-foot-7 forward. Purifoy also knocked down all four of his free throws to extend his streak to 23 consecutive made free throws. He is now 41-47 (87.2 percent) from the line this season.
With Horace Spencer sidelined due to his suspension, graduate transfer LaRon Smith made his first start of the season and filled in adequately for Spencer. Smith was 2-3 from the field scoring four points and grabbed seven rebounds. He also recorded two blocks to extend his team lead (16).
In the absence of Spencer, freshman Anfernee McLemore played extended minutes and shined for Bruce Pearl’s team. McLemore had nine points, eight rebounds and two blocks in just 18 minutes. He even stepped back and hit his first career three-point attempt. McLemore has a motor unlike many as he is always making a play for Auburn. He may be asked to play more extended minutes as the Tigers get closer to conference play.
Final verdict:
Not much analysis needed here. Auburn dominated an overmatched Coastal Carolina Thursday night, leading from start to finish. The grades for the guards and posts seem generous but as head coach Bruce Pearl said, “That’s about as good as it’s gotten since I’ve been here.”
Auburn (7-2) will welcome Mercer (5-5) to Auburn Arena on Sunday for the final home non-conference game of the season. Tip-off is set for noon, and the game will be televised by the SEC Network.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
