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(02/24/15 1:29am)
Four years after his tenure at Tennessee came to an end, Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl returned to Thompson-Boling Arena for the first time.
While the Tigers fell short on the road yet again, Pearl's return to his old stomping grounds, combined with several standing ovations, left Auburn's first year coach emotional when it all ended.
"We lived here for nine years," Pearl said. "This was a really special time in Tennessee basketball history and we were able to add to it. The vast majority of what we did was good. It was a nice reception."
It wasn't just Pearl who was emotional, either. Auburn players said they noticed assistant coaches, such as Tony Jones, were emotional ahead of their return to Rocky Top.
"(Pearl) was emotional," KT Harrell said. "The coaching staff that was with him was emotional. We wanted to go out and win it for him."
Pearl said the noon tip-off helped ease some of the emotion upon arrival and helped him appreciate the 21,678 arena he called home before his 2011 firing over NCAA violations.
"When you're here and you see (Thompson-Boling Arena) everyday, you don't really appreciate it," Pearl said. "But then you see it and you say, 'Boy, this place is a palace.' It's so well done."
The emotions hit a peak once the final buzzer sounded, when Pearl said he shared an embrace with Jones and his son Steven Pearl, who once played for the Volunteers under his father.
"We put ourselves in that position, but the families went through a lot," Pearl said. "I could just feel all that we went through... Nobody felt that pain as much as Tony, Pam and the families."
Pearl and the Tigers may currently be in the midst of a four-game losing streak, which is the longest of Pearl's career, but he said his team got more than just emotion from their trip to Tennessee.
"I'm trying to build a foundation," Pearl said. "We're going to do the best we can with what we have. Our kids had a chance to win on the road in the SEC. That's the second time where we've had a chance to win on the road in the SEc, so we've made progress."
(02/24/15 1:29am)
Even Bruce Pearl's return to Rocky Top couldn't end Auburn's road woes.
The Tigers (10-11, 2-6 SEC) shot 44 percent from the field and spent much of the game with the lead, but wore down late, eventually falling 71-63.
It's the Tigers' fourth consecutive loss and drops Auburn to 0-7 on the road this season.
"I'm trying to build a foundation," Pearl said. "We're going to do the best we can with what we have. Our kids had a chance to win on the road in the SEC. That's the second time where we've had a chance to win on the road in the SEC, so we've made progress."
Leading scorer KT Harrell scored 16 points in the loss while Tahj Shamsid-Deen added 14 points despite nagging shoulder injuries.
The Tigers led for much of the first half, but the Volunteers (13-7, 5-3 SEC) went on a 14-5 run to grab a 33-29 lead at the break.
There were eight lead changes between the teams and the game was tied on 10 different occasions.
Auburn led 52-49 at the 10:50 following a 3-pointer from Antoine Mason, but the Volunteers responded with an 11-0 run.
Freshman center Trayvon Reed was ejected in the second half after receiving a flagrant 2 foul, his second technical of the game. The Tigers were leading by five at the time of Reed's ejection.
"I just told the referee that he's tall," Harrell said. "He can't get too low to stop a guy. He didn't do it on purpose."
The Tigers would cut the lead down to four points with two minutes remaining, but were never able to overcome the deficit.
After the game, Pearl said he thought heavy minutes for the starters wore his team down at the end.
"I was disappointed that we weren't able to finish the job," Pearl said. "I thought we played well in stretches, but Tennessee made those effort and energy plays. They're a very athletic team."
Cinmeon Bowers scored 13 points and hauled in eight rebounds. Mason contributed 14 points.
For the Volunteers, Armani Moore scored 19 points and brought down 13 rebounds. Kevin Punter scored 17 points and hit three 3-pointers.
Auburn's next opportunity to snap their road losing streak comes on Feb. 5 when the Tigers head to LSU (16-4, 5-2 SEC). Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.
(02/24/15 1:34am)
The Iron Bowl has developed a number of traditions since the Tigers and Tide first faced off in 1893.
Some traditions, such as Alabama's preference of a neutral site matchup at Legion Field in Birmingham, have been replaced by better, more modern features.
Other traditions, such as the presentation of the Foy-ODK Sportsmanship Trophy at halftime of the Iron Bowl of basketball, have prospered for more than 60 years.
Established in 1948, the Foy-ODK Sportsmanship Trophy is named after James E. Foy V, who served as dean at both universities, and the Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) National Leadership Honor Society.
The trophy is traditionally presented to the winning side during halftime of the home basketball game between the two schools.
During the presentation, the losing side's SGA president has traditionally given a concession speech and sung the opposing school's fight song to the glee of the home crowd.
In a rivalry that is fiercely passionate, the presentation of the Foy-ODK Sportsmanship Trophy has long been a classy show of good will between the two schools.
That tradition experienced its first hiccup, however, in 2013, when University of Alabama SGA President Jimmy Taylor did not attend the presentation ceremony in the Auburn Arena.
Taylor cited icy roads, which caused the cancellation of classes at both schools for several days, as the reason for his absence.
Auburn fans did not approve. The Alabama basketball team made the drive, and media outlets from around the state attended despite the weather.
Whether Taylor's absence was legitimately because of the weather or merely sour grapes over the Kick Six finish of 2013 may never be known.
Regardless, the tradition was put in a precarious position following his absence, with many saying current Auburn SGA President Logan Powell should no-show to return the favor.
But Powell showed up Saturday, Jan. 24, and did his part in keeping an Iron Bowl tradition alive.
The Iron Bowl has had its dark moments off the field in recent years, but Powell's fulfillment of the tradition was a bright moment for both schools.
(02/11/15 11:34pm)
College football fans are not the most rational group of people in the world, and that's OK in most cases.
From meaningless superstitions to screaming at your team through a television, being a fan spawns a number of completely irrational actions that, for the most part, are harmless and fun.
Unfortunately, it's during this barren time of the year, when football recruiting efforts hit a peak before National Signing Day on Feb. 4, that the most aggressive fan actions becomes far too common: tweeting at recruits.
I shouldn't have to explain that harassing 17- and 18-year-old high school students is a bad idea, but this is a new era we're living in. The anonymous masses have never had direct lines of communication with recruits quite like they do in social media today.
All the most coveted recruits in America, from No. 1 Trent Thompson to No. 247 Zack Bailey, are just a few clicks \0xAD--or tweets -- away at any given moment.
With modern recruiting coverage providing up-to-the-minute information on your favorite high school athletes' preferences, recruits are no longer a mystery to fans. They're full-blown celebrities, which is an entirely different issue to tackle.
So it shouldn't be a surprise when the most aggressive fans abuse their newfound platform to try and influence kids in whatever way possible.
It's natural, considering how powerless fans often are in deciding a game's outcome. I'm in no way excluded from having a few of my own irrational superstitions. But too many fans take it too far, expressing their anger and disapproval in public forums from behind the comfort of their own keyboard.
There are few solutions to this problem other than the most obvious one: Just don't do it.
Recruits read what is tweeted and written about them. It's impossible for them not to when their mentions are full of fans and articles are written about them daily.
Even if it's only a vocal minority that is causing the problem, that minority can shape how recruits view an entire fanbase.
Just take a look at Nebraska quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr.'s Twitter page.
The Cornhuskers' quarterback has never shied away from critical tweets he receives from angry fans. He has been quick to admit the flack he receives from fans does shape the potential recruits' perceptions about the program.
So if you truly desire to make an impact on the future of a high school athlete, maybe your best course of action, to quote Walter White, would be to tread lightly.
(02/24/15 1:13am)
For the second time this season, Auburn finds itself in the midst of a three-game losing streak.
The Tigers rebounded from their previous three-game losing streak, which was in early December, with a five-game winning streak that built momentum heading into conference play.
However, Bruce Pearl said the Tigers are still searching for answers to the cause of Auburn's current streak, a lack of size and bench contributions.
"It has a cumulative affect on us," Pearl said. "It has a lot to do with 42-14 in the paint. They executed. They got to the rim and their guard turned corners on us. It was just really hard to keep them out in front."
Leading scorers KT Harrell, Cinmeon Bowers and Antoine Mason accounted for 41 of Auburn's 61 points in a 71-61 home loss to Texas A&M Tuesday night.
Those numbers were an improvement from the 49 points the trio accounted for in the Tigers' 57-55 loss to Alabama on Saturday, Jan. 24.
"My biggest concern moving forward is I have to find a way for our team to play better offensively," Pearl said. "We need to get each other open and find each other. It has been a challenge."
The addition of 7-foot-2 center Trayvon Reed in December brought hope that the true freshman could be an answer to both of the Tigers' woes, but Pearl said Reed, who only played four minutes against Texas A&M, just hasn't developed enough yet.
"We have to get more from the bench, so do we try to speed that process up?" Pearl said. "I will continue to look at Trayvon Reed. His attitude has been great."
With potential NCAA Tournament teams such as LSU and Arkansas looming in the coming weeks, Pearl said he'd have to make a decision whether or not to speed up the development of his tallest player.
Meanwhile, a recurring shoulder injury to guard Tahj Shamsid-Deen has done little to help the Tigers' woes on depth chart.
Shamsid-Deen, who Pearl said he considers one of the top defenders on the team, reinjured his shoulder against A&M and was forced to miss much of the game. Pearl said a long-term diagnosis for his sixth man is not yet known.
"(Shamsid-Deen) is an important defensive player for us because he is a great communicator, he is quick and he makes plays," Pearl said. "It hurts when you don't have him out there."
Auburn's next chance to get back on the winning track will come on Pearl's old stomping grounds: The University of Tennessee.
The Volunteers, who started the SEC season 4-1 before dropping their last two games, will be a test for the Tigers with Josh Richardson and an elongated zone defense, a staple of head coach Donnie Tyndall.
(01/25/15 4:31am)
Facing a two-point deficit with 4.7 seconds remaining, KT Harrell and Auburn had their first road victory of the season within sight Saturday night in Tuscaloosa.
Head coach Bruce Pearl called timeout after Alabama's Rodney Cooper hit a go-ahead layup, and drew up a play he loves just for the occasion.
But Harrell and the Tigers would never see a clean chance after Tahj Shamsid-Deen lost control of the ball on the final play, sealing a 57-55 defeat and extending the Tigers' road winless streak.
"We got it to Tahj, and (Bowers) was supposed to set a screen on him, and he didn't get the screen set," Pearl said. "It just didn't come off. Tahj could've been a little tighter to the ball. There was too much time between when he got the ball and the screen gets there."
Alongside Harrell's 22 points, Cinmeon Bowers and Antoine Mason scored 14 points and 13 points respectively, as the trio accounted for 49 of Auburn's 55 total points in the loss.
"We play best when everybody contributes," Pearl said. "I say it all the time. Some nights, some of our guys are going to be challenged to score. And that's OK."
The Tigers (10-9, 2-4 SEC) led by as many as nine points in the second half, but Pearl said the momentum changed after Auburn turned the ball over following Ricky Tarrant's ejection.
"Coming out of the possession after the free throws, we turned it over and Randolph jumped out into that passing lane and got the crowd back into it right away," Pearl said. "I thought that was a crucial turnover."
Randolph and the Tide (13-6, 3-3 SEC) slowly chipped away at the deficit over the final five minutes, eventually taking the lead on a three-point play from the senior.
Auburn never saw the lead again, and Cooper's put-back layup with six seconds remaining ultimately sunk the Tigers.
"We put ourselves in a position to win tonight," Harrell said. "That was probably our best game on the road and we just couldn't quite finish it."
Randolph finished with 18 points and seven rebounds on the night. No other Alabama player scored more than nine points for the Tide.
The Tigers will return to the Auburn Arena Tuesday, Jan. 27 to take on the Texas A&M Aggies (13-5, 4-2 SEC). Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.
(01/24/15 6:30pm)
Sports editor Eric Wallace and assistant sports editor David McKinney discuss this week's happenings in Auburn sports.
(02/24/15 1:12am)
The Green Bay Packers have never hurt me quite like they did in blowing a potential Super Bowl berth in Seattle Sunday, Jan. 18.
But after the 12th Man's dreams were resurrected and Russell Wilson so ruthlessly finished off one of the most thrilling comebacks in NFL history, one question lingered: Could Aaron Rodgers have done the same if the Packers won the coin toss?
It's a fair question, considering he'd led his team 48 yards in 1:11 just five minutes before, picking apart the best defense in the NFL on one leg, and eventually setting up Mason Crosby's game-tying field goal.
We all know what happened in overtime. Seattle won the coin toss, and three minutes later Wilson hit Jermaine Kearse to seal a Super Bowl berth.
The NFL has slowly been changing the rules of its sudden-death overtime.
Until 2010, a simple field goal would seal a win in overtime.
Now a first-possession touchdown is required to achieve sudden-death victory.
It's an arbitrary line to draw, and it's one that places too much emphasis on the outcome of a coin toss.
If the goal is to create a completely fair overtime competition, then why not require the team that scored first to play defense also?
Imagine if extra inning games in the MLB were decided in this way. A coin flip could play a big role as to whether or not your offense ever comes to the plate.
College football has always had it right on this one.
Their rules allow both teams equal opportunity to score and test a team's offense and defense.
From conservative play calls to Brandon Bostick attempting to catch a football with his helmet, the Packers earned every bit of their sudden death.
But it's now time for the NFL to provide a sudden death to its own arbitrary rules.
(01/17/15 7:10pm)
(02/24/15 12:54am)
There's no question that football is king in the SEC.
The gridiron has long outshined the hardwood in the SEC, and the conference's recently ended run of football championships did little to change a perception that the SEC is a football conference.
But early results from conference play, such as the struggles of No. 1 Kentucky, have led Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl to point out improvements in the SEC's basketball performances.
"(Kentucky's performance) really speaks to the overall strength of the conference," Pearl said. "The conference, to me, looks stronger top to bottom than any time I have been in this league."
The improvements are beginning to show in the math of college basketball as well.
The SEC currently has 12 teams with RPIs inside of 100, with Pearl's Tigers sitting at 87 as of Jan. 12.
Arkansas and Alabama, teams that have historically struggled to find wins on the road, found early conference road wins.
With many of the numbers pointing to a resurgent season for the SEC, Pearl said he hopes people notice that teams are beginning to pass the eye test.
"The eye test is Kentucky beating everybody by 40, and then they go to overtime against Texas A&M and Ole Miss," Pearl said. "Call it what you want. Kentucky isn't point shaving, they're trying to dominate opponents, and they couldn't dominate two middle of the league SEC teams."
Senior point guard KC Ross-Miller, who transferred to Auburn after three seasons at the Western Athletic Conference's New Mexico State, said the conference has been a step up in competition.
"I knew it was a tough conference from the start," Ross-Miller said. "I'm aware of it. I'm excited about playing the teams we got coming forward, and I'm just looking for the challenge."
Pearl said the most important aspect of changing national perception of the conference would be in out of conference scheduling, an area the league's coaches focused on in the offseason.
Games against traditional powers such as Kansas, North Carolina and UCLA highlighted a number of those changes.
With a matchup against Florida on the horizon, Pearl said that Gators' head coach Billy Donovan will likely appreciate the scheduling changes most, since his Gators, who haven't lost a regular season conference game since the 2012-2013 season, have often relied on beating non-conference opponents to boost seeding.
"I think Billy (Donovan) has to be really excited and pleased that the conference went out and did the work that we did with the scheduling and with some of the wins, but mostly with out scheduling," Pearl said. "Now he can make the tournament by beating SEC teams."
(02/24/15 12:56am)
Cinmeon Bowers posted his ninth double-double of the season with 20 points and 14 rebounds as Auburn defeated Missouri 85-79 to secure the first SEC victory of the Bruce Pearl era.
Bowers' points came despite a tough night from the floor, where he went just 4-of-13.
However, Bowers made 11 of his 18 free throw attempts, an area the junior said he worked with assistant coach Chuck Person on improving this week.
"(Bowers) had a different mindset at the foul line, trying to make them all rather than looking at himself," Pearl said. "I just wanted him to look at himself more as a forward rather than an undersized center. Forwards guard, make free throws and make take threes and make them."
Bowers had help in securing the Tigers' first conference victory.
Four other Tigers scored in double digits, including 14 points from leading scorer KT Harrell and 13 from point guard KC Ross-Miller.
The balanced scoring was critical for Auburn's success, according to guard Tahj Shamsid-Deen.
"We got out on transition when we were playing defense and that's when we are the most dangerous," Shamsid-Deen said.
Auburn led for much of the first half, and took a 41-40 lead into the break. Missouri then broke out to start the second half, taking a 49-41 lead following Keith Shamburger's fifth 3-pointer.
The Tigers would clamp down on the senior to close out the game, and rode strong play from Antoine Mason and Shamsid-Deen during a 10-0 run to take the lead for good.
The performance of Shamsid-Deen was a bright spot according to Pearl, who said he felt the sophomore needed to begin making more contributions as conference play begins.
"It was great to see Tahj step up and make some baskets and score. He has not been rewarded much with many numbers," Pearl said. "So it was good to see him break out a little bit and get a little healthier.
Auburn outshot Missouri from the field, 48 to 44 percent, and sizzled from behind the arc, finishing 10-of-19 (53 percent).
"I think the identity of this team has to be on the defensive end," Pearl said. "Tonight we made 10 threes, and we had to because 2 pointers are tough to come by."
Pearl attributed the Tigers' strong finish to the team's conditioning in practice.
"I thought that our conditioning definitely showed late," Pearl said. "Our guys felt like they had more in the tank late."
Malcolm Canada and Shamsid-Deen finished with 10 points in the victory.
Shamburger led Missouri with 21 points, while Wes Clark contributed 16 points.
Auburn will head on the road to take on Florida (9-6, 2-0 SEC) on Thursday, Jan. 15. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.
(01/03/15 8:46pm)
The Auburn Tigers (8-5) closed nonconference play in the Auburn Arena Saturday afternoon with an 82-61 win over North Alabama.
Leading scorer KT Harrell tied a season high with 25 points and forward Cinmeon Bowers recorded his eighth double-double of the season with 20 points and 11 rebounds.
Despite the victory, head coach Bruce Pearl said he was disappointed with the effort of his team at times.
"We're not good enough for me to have to coach effort," Pearl said. "Tonight, I had to. That's something that we have to address."
Harrell, the SEC's leading three-point shooter and second-leading scorer, paced the Tigers in the first half, scoring 13 points and making three 3-pointers. Auburn led 32-30 at the break.
"They were smaller than us," Harrell said. "I'm always looking for the three ball if I have it, but at certain times you have to look at what you got and get in the paint."
UNA leading rebounder Marcus Landry picked up his fourth foul early in the second half, and the Tigers took advantage down low, outscoring the Lions (5-6) 44-32 in the paint.
Antoine Mason came on strong in the second half, scoring 15 of his 18 points to close out the win despite missing all five of his three-point attempts.
"(Mason) didn't shoot it very well in the first half at all, so one of the things he started to do was put the three ball away, and he got the shot fake and into his mid-range game a little bit," Pearl said.
Landry finished with 12 points and three rebounds before fouling out. Point guard Nathan Spehr contributed 17 points and three 3-pointers in the loss.
Harrell eclipsed 20 points for the seventh time this season.
Auburn will head on the road to open SEC play, facing off against the Vanderbilt Commodores (9-3) on Jan. 6 in Nashville, Tenn.
(02/24/15 12:50am)
Daniel Carlson's Outback Bowl saw the freshman kicker rise to career highs followed by career lows.
Though his potential game-tying effort glanced off the right upright, head coach Gus Malzahn said it doesn't diminish the quality of his season.
"He's down right now, so we just pat him on the back," Malzahn said. "He's a great kicker, he's had an outstanding year and he's done some great things for us."
Carlson was 18-of-24 in his first season and was perfect on extra-point attempts. The freshman also handled kickoff and punting duties for the majority of the season.
His 51-yard field goal in the second quarter of the Outback Bowl was the longest of his career and gave the Tigers a 17-14 lead.
Carlson tweeted after the game he was "heartbroken" over the final kick of his season, but thanked fans for their support.
Malzahn said he reached out to Carlson after the game, ensuring the freshman that he'd one day have his shot at redemption.
"I told him to keep his head up," Malzahn said. "He's a great kicker and he'll have his day. He'll win games for us in the future."
(02/24/15 12:49am)
With the opportunity for Auburn to end the season on a positive note, the Tigers couldn't pull together a win in overtime. Kicker Daniel Carlson's field goal attempt in overtime danced off the upright and diminished any chances at victory for the Tigers.
(02/24/15 12:48am)
The finale of Auburn's 2014 season came down to the deflection of a football, and unlike in 2013, the ball didn't bounce their way.
For a number of Auburn's playmakers, such as Nick Marshall and Cameron Artis-Payne, the bounce brought a disappointing end to a career that saw them drag a program from the all-time lows it reached in 2012.
Even with such a heartbreaking defeat, Artis-Payne said a lack of execution, and not poor fortune, was the main culprit in the Tigers' loss.
"I wouldn't call it luck when we win, I wouldn't call it luck when we lose, it was just a lack of execution at the end of the day," Artis-Payne said.
The Tigers once again failed to execute in a number of familiar areas: penalties and run defense.
Unfortunately for Gus Malzahn and company, their hopeful savior, recently hired defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, could do nothing more than watch from the press conference.
"That's some of the some stuff that we've done this year," Malzahn said. "It's a good thing we hired the best defensive coordinator in college football. He'll get it corrected."
Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon has been nearly impossible for most defenses to stop this season, and he was even more so for a defense that allowed over 30 points in its final seven games against FBS opponents.
Gordon, a 2014 Heisman finalist, rushed for 251 yards and three touchdowns despite a defense that focused heavily on his presence for four quarters.
"We were trying to focus on that guy," Malzahn said. "Our key was to try and stop him and obviously we didn't. He made some big plays and that was a big factor in the game."
In the end, there is little more than disappointment for Auburn's departing seniors. After starting the season 7-1, the team tumbled down the stretch, losing its last four games against FBS opponents.
And in the case of Texas A&M and now Wisconsin, those losses came down to the deflection of a football.
"We just didn't make the plays at the end of the game and they did, so give them credit for that," Malzahn said. "We have a lot of seniors and obviously we're disappointed we couldn't get those guys out on a positive note."
(02/25/15 6:19pm)
With just one game left in Nick Marshall's collegiate career, Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn said he was proud of the quarterback's development from junior college transfer to a record-breaking performer.
"I'm very proud of him," Malzahn said. "He's been a very good leader for us. I think he's one of the difference makers in our league I feel like."
While renowned for his rushing ability, which has produced 1,848 yards and 23 touchdowns in his career, Marshall has thrown for 4,291 passing yards and 32 touchdowns.
Marshall's development as a passer, which Malzahn said was most on display in his 456-yard, three-touchdown Iron Bowl performance, has impressed his head coach.
"This year we really tried to be more balanced, and really worked on his passing," Malzahn said. "Obviously, our last game, with what he did against that's defense, was very impressive."
Malzahn has never been shy about reminding fans of the circumstances in which Marshall inherited the program.
"If you look at his whole career, last year he didn't even go through spring," Malzahn said. "He wasn't named the starting quarterback until two weeks before our first game. He led us to the National Championship and really answered the bell every time he was asked and learned the offense on the run."
Wisconsin interim head coach Barry Alvarez said the athleticism of Marshall would create problems as the Badgers attempt to stop the quarterback in his final game.
"I think any time that you play someone with that type of ability you better be sound, you better corner the defense and try to have people chase him down and take proper angles," Alvarez said. "You have to be sound and it's still very difficult to get down."
While he may not have carried the 2014 Tigers to the heights they reached in 2013, Malzahn said Marshall has played an important role in restoring the Tigers to the top of the SEC.
"Auburn has high expectations," Malzahn said. "Last year we came close and I think our program is in a really good position."
(12/31/14 7:49pm)
While the Outback Bowl may not carry the same value as the BCS National Championship from a year ago, Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn said the game was still important to his players.
"In bowl games you get the tone of your team and how important the game is," Malzahn said. "I'll just tell you this is a very important game for our players. We're going to need to play well to have a chance of winning against these guys."
Wisconsin interim head coach Barry Alvarez said the experience is one that will be remembered for a lifetime, especially for the players.
"I think one of the things that's overlooked with bowl games is the experience that the players have," Alvarez said. "That experience is something you'll remember the rest of your life."
Alvarez, who is coaching the Badgers after former head coach Gary Anderson left for Oregon State, said the extra practice a team receives is invaluable for younger players.
"Not only that, so the bowl games are important for the kids and the experience for them to have, but it also gives you extra practices to prepare for next year," Alvarez said. "You get some extra work with your young players who have been redshirted and guys who haven't played."
Malzahn echoed the sentiments of Alvarez, telling the media that the bowl games help coaches learn how players react in situations they may not normally be placed in.
"I think any time you have that experience in bowl games it can do nothing but help you," Malzahn said. "You know how the guys are going to react, what you're going to get out of them."
(12/30/14 4:06am)
Antoine Mason scored 19 points and Auburn pulled away from Middle Tennessee State late Monday night to pick up their fourth straight win, 64-48.
It was an efficient night for the Tigers' second leading scorer, who went 5-of-7 from the field, including 3-of-4 from behind the arc and a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line.
Mason's 19 points tied his best in an Auburn jersey. The senior transfer is averaging 14.2 points per game in six games as a Tiger.
Auburn (7-5) harassed Middle Tennessee State (8-5) on the defensive end, coming away with 12 steals and forcing 24 Blue Raider turnovers.
The Blue Raiders pulled within one five minutes into the game, but would never again come that close, trailing by double digits for most of the night.
Leading scorer KT Harrell chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds in the victory, while big man Cinmeon Bowers contributed 11 points and six rebounds. KC Ross-Miller had seven points, three rebounds and five steals.
The Tigers will return to action Jan. 3 when they welcome the University of North Alabama Lions to the Auburn Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for noon CT.
(02/25/15 6:19pm)
With 2,336 yards, 26 touchdowns and a Heisman ceremony to his name, the talent of Melvin Gordon is likely no secret to Auburn fans.
Gordon receives just under 24 carries per game and will most certainly be priority one for interim defensive coordinator Charlie Harbison and the Auburn defense.
But the Big 10 runner ups aren't a one-horse show.
With the Outback Bowl lingering just a few short days away, here are four other Badgers Auburn fans should keep an eye on:
Joel Stave
2014 has been a bit of an enigma for Joel Stave.
A productive starter a year ago, the junior quarterback's season got off to a rocky start when he was benched prior to the Badgers' opener against LSU with a case of the "yips."
A "mental block" cost Stave four games before he regained the starting job from Tanner McEvoy in Week 5 against Northwestern.
Even after he regained the starter's job, the junior quarterback has struggled, completing just 53.6 percent of his passes and failing to top 225 passing yards in a single game this season. Each of Wisconsin's losses with Stave under center saw the quarterback toss three interceptions (Northwestern, Ohio State).
Despite the initial struggles, Wisconsin won its final seven games of the regular season with Stave at the helm, and the junior threw just one interception in that span.
With the dynamic backfield of Gordon and Corey Clement at his side, Stave is clearly the secondary option in the Badgers' offense.
If Auburn can jump out to an early lead, it could force Stave into uncomfortable situations, and possibly more turnovers.
Michael Caputo
The Badgers spent a large portion of 2014 ranked in the top 10 in most major defensive categories.
A 59-0 drubbing against Ohio State in the Big 10 Championship Game did damage to those statistics, but the consistency of players such as junior safety Michael Caputo helped make this a top 16 unit in all four major defensive categories (scoring, passing, rushing and total defense).
Caputo leads the Badgers with 99 total tackles on the season and is considered a "glue" guy in the Badgers secondary.
The Badgers' secondary has just four interceptions on the season, but solidarity from Caputo and the rest of the defensive backs has the Badgers ranked No. 5 nationally in pass defense, allowing just 164.3 yards per game.
Derek Landisch
One of the biggest question marks facing Wisconsin coming into the season was replacing 2013 Big Ten defensive player of the year Chris Borland.
While it may not be possible to replicate Borland, senior linebacker Derek Landisch has stepped in admirably in 2014, leading the team in sacks with eight. Landisch also sits just a half tackle for loss shy of the team lead at 15.
The Badgers will be faced with the tough task of stopping the SEC leading rusher Cameron Artis-Payne alongside the dynamic Nick Marshall and Corey Grant.
Last time out, the Badgers allowed Ohio State to rush for 301 yards as a team. Landisch is certain to be a key to Wisconsin if they plan to regroup.
Vince Biegel
It's difficult to choose between Biegel and fellow linebacker Marcus Trotter for the final spot, but we'll give the edge to Biegel for his more than memorable hair.
Biegel's already impressive mullet has been accented with the Chevrolet logo ahead of the Outback Bowl. But this linebacker is more than just the hair flair.
(12/22/14 4:56pm)
Auburn shooting guard KT Harrell has been named SEC Player of the Week following two wins and a 24-point performance in 89-88 double-overtime victory over Xavier.
Harrell currently leads the conference in scoring at 18.2 points per game.
The senior guard played 44 minutes against Xavier, hitting 10 of his 20 shots including three 3-pointers.
Previously in the week, Harrell scored 14 points in the Tigers' 80-62 victory over Winthrop.