When K.T. Harrell’s 3-point shot splashed through the basket to send Auburn to overtime against LSU in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals, Auburn basketball finally seemed to be taking on the quality and attitude of its coach. The Tigers defeated LSU in what could be considered a program-changing win.
Auburn would go on to lose to Kentucky in the semifinals, ending a 14-20 campaign in Bruce Pearl’s first season. That Auburn team then saw the departure of valuable players including Malcolm Canada, Antoine Mason, K.C. Ross-Miller and No. 1 himself, Harrell.
But despite the turnover on the roster, Auburn enters this season with heightened expectations thanks to last season’s SEC Tournament success and incoming talent such as Horace Spencer, Bryce Brown, T.J. Dunans, Tyler Harris and New Williams.
The newcomer with the biggest spotlight, however, is a 6-1 junior guard who’s taking on the No. 1 mantle left by Harrell. Kareem Canty, a native of Harlem, New York, began his basketball career at Marshall, where he averaged 16.3 points and 5.5 assists per game. He decided to transfer after the school fired coach Tom Herrison.
What ensued was a tug-of-war for Canty’s services between Auburn and South Florida, before he finally opted for The Plains. Canty says he chose Auburn mainly because of “Bruce Pearl’s track record.”
Pearl’s track record was so appealing to Canty that he believes it was worth sitting out a year. Because of the NCAA’s transfer rules, he had to sit out a season before gaining elibility. Canty didn’t view the year of ineligibility as some type of punishment, but rather an opportunity.
“I mean, it was bad because I had to sit out, but it was good that I got to watch the SEC,” Canty said. “I got a chance to get bigger, stronger and mentally tougher. I got a chance to gel with the coaches and see what they’re like.”
Canty’s time in Auburn hasn’t just shown him what the SEC and his coaches are like, but also southern life and culture. Canty, having grown up in New York and played college basketball at Marshall, has had to adjust to a culture that he considers different from the northern U.S.
“The food, the people, War Eagle … that’s like saying “Aloha” here,” Canty said. “I just take it day by day. I’m still adjusting to it, believe it or not.”
Auburn basketball is also adjusting to unfamiliar territory, thanks to roster turnover and expectations as high as they’ve been in years. The Tigers won their two exhibition games against Brevard College (99-59) and Indianapolis (114-109), with Canty averaging 20 points per game. Though the Tigers won both games, they’re still a young team that has errors to address, but Canty believes that inexperience might not be a bad thing.
“(Gaining experience) is the best part,” Canty said. “We lack experience, so we’re going in there with a clear mind. We’re going to take it game by game. Whoever’s first on our schedule for SEC play, we’ll find out (what kind of team we are).”
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