After starting the season 4-0 for the first time since 2006, the men's basketball team will take its perfect record on the road Friday.
Although Auburn will face the Seton Hall Pirates in the annual Big East-SEC Challenge undefeated, coach Tony Barbee has expressed disappointment in the Tigers' defense.
"Until we start to enjoy playing hard and playing tough and playing nasty, we're going to look sluggish," Barbee said. "We think it's about trying to outscore people. That's not going to do anything but get you beat."
Despite Auburn's 72-59 victory, Barbee said the team isn't where he'd like it to be heading into its first away game.
"Happy we won," Barbee said, "but we've got a long way to get better."
Barbee recognized some players' defensive struggles by name, including sophomore guard Chris Denson, who led Auburn with 17 points Monday.
"Yeah, he has the ability to score and slash and throw the ball in the hole," Barbee said. "But he's not bringing it defensively."
Auburn went on a 20-2 run to go into hafltime with a 44-25 lead before the second-half defensive struggles began.
Barbee also noted Auburn's lackluster performance in the paint, especially rebounding.
"Our big guys got their tails kicked," Barbee said. "My starting (center) got his first rebound with a minute to go in the game. That's not going to get it."
Freshman center Willy Kouassi was the only player Barbee said played with the intensity that he wants to see in his team.
"He plays with that meanness and that toughness and that desire," Barbee said. "He has no clue what he's doing out there. All that other stuff, we'll teach him. It's going to be a work in progress."
Auburn's trip to New Jersey will mark the first of four games in the Big East-SEC Challenge.
Despite being a preseason pick to finish 14th the 16-team Big East and after finishing 7-11 in conference play last year, Seton Hall currently has a 5-1 record, including a 69-54 victory over 2011 Final Four contender Virginia Commonwealth University.
Seton Hall's lone loss on the year came against Northwestern 80-73 in the championship game of the Charleston Classic.
Seton Hall has three players who possess talent the Tigers have not seen this year.
The Pirates are led by forward Herb Pope, who is averaging a double-double on the season with 20.5 points and 11.7 rebounds per game.
He is also shooting 51 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from 3-point range.
Also, guard Jordan Thedore and forward Fuquan Edwin are averaging 17.5 and 14.8 points for the Pirates, respectively.
Auburn's game against Seton Hall will be on ESPNU, and tip-off is set for 8 p.m.
"We're not playing to our full potential," said junior guard Frankie Sullivan. "We're going backwards right now. We're not satisfied at all with ourselves."
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