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A spirit that is not afraid

Auburn to battle Georgia in first of two straight home games

<p>Nov. 9, 2021; Auburn, Alabama; Walker Kessler (13) &nbsp;walks toward the bench in a match between Auburn and Morehead State in the Auburn Arena.</p>

Nov. 9, 2021; Auburn, Alabama; Walker Kessler (13)  walks toward the bench in a match between Auburn and Morehead State in the Auburn Arena.

Auburn returns home after a week of road games that featured wins against Alabama and Ole Miss. Next for the No. 2 team in the land is a date with rival Georgia. 

The Bulldogs could not meet Auburn at a worse time. 

Georgia is riding a six-game losing streak while Auburn has won its last 13 games. Georgia is winless in the SEC while Auburn is first in the SEC and has won all five of its matchups and three of those by double digits. 

In its last game, Georgia lost at home to Vanderbilt, marking the first time the Bulldogs had lost on their home floor to the Commodores since January 2014. 

In the loss, defense was once again an issue for Georgia. The Bulldogs gave up 73 points in the matchup. On the season, Georgia has allowed 75 points per game which sits outside the top 250 in opponent points per game.

Auburn has scored 80 points or more in four of its SEC games and will aim to continue that trend against a below average defensive team. 

Georgia’s defensive struggles can be linked to its lack of steals and blocks. Ranking last in the conference in both categories, Georgia must improve on that side of the ball to upset the Tigers. The Bulldogs only average 2.8 blocks per game. In comparison, Walker Kessler averages 4.3 blocks per game by himself.

Georgia's inability to force turnovers should serve as a relief for Bruce Pearl and his team. Turnovers were an issue for Auburn early in SEC play, but the offense has settled down the past two games. Auburn only lost the ball six times against Ole Miss and 13 times against Alabama.  

Like he does against most teams, Kessler ought to have a major advantage in the paint when rebounding. Georgia is No. 13 in the conference in total rebounding and last in offensive rebounding. Braelen Bridges leads Tom Crean’s squad with six rebounds per game. Kessler is fresh off a 20 point and 10 rebound performance against Ole Miss. 

Dec. 4, 2021; Auburn, Alabama; Walker Kessler (13) shares a smile before a match between Auburn and Yale in the Auburn Arena.


The brightest spot on Georgia's team is Aaron Cook – a transfer from Gonzaga. Though Cook is not much of a threat shooting the ball, he is averaging over six assists per game which ranks second in the conference. 

He can be a bit turnover prone at times but still presents the potential of elite passing. He has accumulated a double-double with points and assists twice this season. 

Even with Cook’s high-level passing, the rest of the team has major turnover issues. Georgia turns it over 14 times each game, and Auburn averages nearly 10 steals per game.

Zep Jasper and K.D. Johnson have wreaked havoc against opposing guards all season with their ability to disrupt plays and force turnovers. Against a team that turns it over a lot, look for the starting duo to be more aggressive than usual on the defensive side – especially Johnson who faces off against his former team.

Georgia has four players that average double-digit points, but despite this, Georgia’s total scoring is only good for No. 11 in the conference. The issue ties back to Georgia’s shooting. 

Though Noah Baumann and Jaxon Etter shoot above 40 percent from three-point range, the rest of the team provides little danger from deep. As a team, the Bulldogs’ three-point shooting percentage ranks in the bottom half of the SEC at No. 9. 

The biggest strength Georgia claims offensively is its ability to get to the free-throw line. When Georgia’s shots are not falling it attacks the basket to cash in from the charity stripe. The Bulldogs are second in the SEC in free throw percentage and free throw attempts. 

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Auburn has been caught in foul trouble a few times during SEC play, so it must be careful not to fall into that trap again.

Emotions will be high, and Auburn is a heavy favorite. But in a month full of upsets, Auburn cannot let down its guard and look to the looming matchup against Kentucky. It must first take care of business against Georgia.

The home matchup tips off at 8 p.m. CST and will be broadcast on ESPNU. 


Jacob Waters | Sports Reporter

Jacob is a sophomore from Leeds, Alabama. This is his second year with The Auburn Plainsman. 

Twitter: @JacobWaters_


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