Just like it never left, Auburn basketball made its return to Auburn Arena last Friday, Nov. 5 to kick off the 2021-22 season.
Auburn’s men’s hoops introduced this year’s squad to the world for the first time in a game setting with an exhibition matchup with the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles.
It was just an exhibition game that does not affect either team’s record, but don't mention that to Auburn fans. The student section was packed from start to finish, the stands were mostly full and there was no shortage of noise or intensity. Needless to say, Auburn fans are prepared for an exciting, high-energy season.
The Tiger’s starting five for tonight’s exhibition showcased some new players. Head coach Bruce Pearl points this out, saying, “five of our top eight players are brand new.”
Auburn went with three guards and two forwards in its starting lineup. The guards were Wendell Green Jr., Zep Jasper and Devin Cambridge. Starting at the forward positions were Jabari Smith and Walker Kessler.
USI got off to a surprisingly hot start, as they went on a 9-0 scoring run to start the game. Pearl said USI was “extremely well prepared for what we did,” and he praised USI’s head coach Stan Gourard for having his team confident and ready coming into the game.
However, after USI’s initial run, Auburn looked like the better team in the opening half. Auburn led in field goal percentage (46% to USI’s 35%), rebounds, assists and blocks midway through. Every time it seemed like USI might run away with the lead, Auburn seemed to have a timely block or dunk to reenergize the crowd.
The fans were ready, and the team seemed to feed off their energy. Although the Tigers started off slowly, the team led USI in blocks (eight for Auburn, zero for USI) and threw down several thundering dunks that sent the crowd into a frenzy early in the game. The score was close throughout the first half, but Auburn was able to flex a muscle a time or two early in this one.
Auburn took a two-point lead into halftime with a score of 34-32. Jasper led the first half in scoring for Auburn with nine points.
“We’ve got to make sure we come out with more energy and physicality to start games," Jasper said.
This was a tightly-contested game up until around nine minutes left in the second half. Then, Auburn went out with a bang. It went on a 22-0 scoring run in the final eight-plus minutes to secure a 68-54 victory over Southern Indiana.
“I don’t remember ever seeing a 22-0 run like that," Pearl said. "That’s a pretty good run.”
Pearl, along with his players, praised USI for their preparation and talent that gave Auburn a good challenge. Dylan Cardwell said, “a lot of their players could be playing D1.” Most fans might have expected Auburn to dominate USI and easily blow them out, but USI is one of the top DII programs in basketball.
The main positive Pearl took from the victory was the way that guys came off the bench and lifted the team.
“Our bench was terrific tonight," Pearl said. "I thought that KD, Chris Moore, Jaylin Williams and Dylan Cardwell were terrific. Gave us the effort and energy we needed on the defensive end.”
Pearl also liked how guys, specifically Cardwell, made such profound impacts on the game without having the ball in their hands.
“He impacted the game with blocking shots and rebounding,” Pearl said.
On the other hand, the biggest improvement the coach says he wants Auburn to make is limiting turnovers. He was displeased with the number of turnovers (15), particularly in transition, that led to points for Southern Indiana. He said of the offenses’ disorganization, “I’m going to hold me and my point guards accountable for that.”
The coach was also displeased with how his starting five performed, and explained that the lineup could see some changes.
“Our starters struggled," Pearl said. "There could be some tinkering. It’s not the fault of any one of them, it’s just that that group has not played great together."
One specific thing he said of the offense was that they took too many shots that "weren’t great shots.” This could be the result of a new, young team still building cohesiveness.
Auburn leaves this pre-season game with a better idea of what the team will look like moving forward. The team had strong performances from Cambridge, who led Auburn’s scoring with 13 points; Smith, who tallied 11 points and 11 rebounds; and Johnson, who also scored 11 points and led the team with four assists.
With the exhibition win over Southern Indiana, Auburn is set to open up regular season play against Morehead State on Tuesday, Nov. 9 at Auburn Arena.
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.
