Five reasons why Auburn basketball is going to win the SEC
It’s never to late to pump some sunshine.
Auburn played decently well against Morehead State on Tuesday night in a 77-54 win. The Tigers let off the gas in the second half, but overall their talent was shining through, and as a fan that’s what I wanted to see most.
I know there are a lot of folks high up on teams like Arkansas, Kentucky, Alabama, Tennessee, and even LSU and Mississippi State. The Southeastern Conference has a loaded field of teams this season. But I think the Tigers of Auburn are going to be the ones that come out on top.
Here are five reasons why.
Guard play is much improved
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Pick your poison. Zep Jasper, KD Johnson, and Wendell Green Jr. all provide valuable skills to this backcourt that I believe complement each other. Zep is the steady presence that can handle the ball, distribute, and play solid defense. He’s the all-around guy. Then there’s KD Johnson, a physical presence you don’t often see out of the guard spot. He can drive, he can shoot, and he can give you an earful on both ends of the floor.
Wendell Green Jr. is the wild card. He might be the smallest of the group, but he has something I don’t believe a lot of players on this team have: the ability to take over a game offensively. If Green Jr. (a.k.a Jared Harper 2.0) is going to output numbers as he did against Morehead State (19 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists) every other night, he will be one of the most valuable pieces in all of college basketball.
Auburn has the ability to protect the rim
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Auburn might have been one of the best shot-blocking teams in the nation last season, but now they have some more defense inside to back that up. Walker Kessler has been phenomenal through two games (exhibition vs USI and MSU) in terms of his blocking and inside defense. Don’t forget about Dylan Cardwell, Jaylin Williams, Jabari Smith, and Babatunde Akingbola.
The Tigers have their "Chuma Okeke"
John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
What do I mean by that? When Chuma started playing at Auburn, while his volume of production wasn’t large, there was something very apparent about him. He was smooth. He was fluid with the basketball. It was clear from the beginning that Okeke had the ability to develop into an NBA player if he started to cut loose, and Auburn fans were able to see it at the end of the Final Four season before he was injured.
Jabari Smith has untapped potential written all over him. Smith looks selfless but confident, agile creating shots, but also physical at the rim. And you can tell he is passionate about playing college basketball. He has that “Chuma Okeke” look about him. Give it time. By March he’ll be ready to lead this team.
Allen Flanigan is the key that Auburn needs
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Speaking of leaders… it’s clear, at least to me, that Auburn needs help at the small forward position. Not help in terms of having a lack of depth or talent (because the Tigers are using the depth they have very well at that position right now) but in terms of leadership. Right now, Auburn looks like a team. no major standouts to speak of (Wendell will cool off). What they need is a vocal leader. Getting Flanigan back in his natural position will be a dangerous thing for opponents. How do you guard a lineup consisting of Wendell Green Jr, KD Johnson/Zep Jasper, Allen Flanigan, Jabari Smith, and Walker Kessler? The Tigers need their glue back, and fast.
Bruce Pearl is made to peak in March
AP Photo/Butch Dill
There is one big thing that this team seems to lack right now, and that’s chemistry. It’s very clear watching the team in person that they love each other, and they are playing for each other. What they need is on the court chemistry. Fast breaks flow easier. Ball movement in the halfcourt is smoother. Fighting through screens and switching on defense is more aggressive. By no means was what we saw against Morehead State a perfect product. But what it was is something the Tigers can build on. If that performance is the starting point for this Auburn team they can go a very, very long way if they build chemistry.
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