Auburn basketball returns to Neville Arena to face in-state opponent Alabama A&M in a tune-up game to prepare for the first-ever ACC-SEC challenge against Virginia Tech.
After the Tigers' season-opening loss to Baylor, Auburn has picked up momentum, beating St. Bonaventure in the Legends Classic championship game 77-60. The Tigers have won their last three games in a row by an average margin of 18.6 points per game.
On the flip side, the Bulldogs visit Neville Arena on a two-game skid to start their season, with their most recent game being a 106-81 loss to Lipscomb.
In the loss, senior Dailin Smith, the team's leading scorer, had 17 points and five rebounds. Smith has shown he is a proven scorer, leading the team in points in both games this season, but the 6-foot-6-inch forward has shown his capabilities on the boards, grabbing 4.5 rebounds per game, tying him for second on the team.
“They’re capable, They’re deep, they are well coached,” said head coach Bruce Pearl. “We haven’t been home very often. We have played four games, and only one has been at home, so we look forward to playing well at home.”
Alabama A&M finished its 2022-23 season 15-18, going 0-3 against Power Six opponents, with the Bulldogs' season ending in a second-round exit in the SWAC tournament.
The Bulldogs' lone win against an SEC opponent in program history came against Mississippi State in a 59-57 victory in 2012.
In their first two games, the Bulldogs have allowed opponents to score an average of 94.5 per game while only scoring 74. In comparison, the Tigers score 82 points per game while holding their opponents to 69.5 points.
Auburn will get another opportunity to adjust its lineup as sophomore Tre Donaldson earned the start in the team's first two games. Freshman Aden Holloway took over the starting role for Auburn’s two games in the Legends Classic.
Donaldson has averaged 5.5 points per game and 3.2 assists per game, while Holloway has averaged 13.3 points per game, second on the team, and 4.2 assists per game, first on the team.
“I am not a big fan of we play ten, they play seven, I see a bunch of guys that aren’t playing,” Pearl said. “When we play Alabama A&M, they will play 12 to 15 guys double-digit minutes. We are playing ten, with Lior (Berman) being ready to go at 11.”
While Auburn will have the chance to roll out many lineups against the Bulldogs, the Tigers will continue to rely on Johnni Broome. Broome currently leads the team in points per game (16.8) and rebounds per game (8.3) and has recorded a double-double in two games this season.
Alabama A&M will face Auburn for the first time since 2009 in the two schools' fourth all-time meeting. The Tigers will look to improve their record to 4-1 on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m. CST. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network+.
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Craig Noyes is a junior from Kensington, Maryland, majoring in journalism. He joined The Plainsman in January 2023.
Twitter: @craignoyes58
