AUBURN, Ala. – For Auburn, this week’s training was different. Usually, the end of the regular season is just another game, perhaps a stepping stone to the tournament. This year, it is the last game that the Tigers will play in the 2020-21 season.
“We haven’t practiced in a long time, and we knew the season would reach a certain point because you always go to the tournament. It was just different,” said Pearl. “But we were able to continue to practice and try to brake, find ways and game plan and work. I hope we can do that again.”
In fact, Saturday’s game is a springboard for the next season. Auburn has a rare opportunity in college basketball to close the season with a win, but it will not be easy against a Mississippi state team that has won three of their last four and kept their opponents at 55 points per game in those four games.
“I think the fact that they are in the middle of our league now shows how good the league is,” said Pearl. “They are 5-3 on the road. Two of the defeats occurred in Alabama and Tennessee, and were single-digit losses. I think this is a Mississippi state team that heads to the SEC tournament and has a chance to win noise.”
Per Pearl, owner Auburn Sharife Cooper it’s doubtful for Saturday’s game.
The Tigers have been fighting offensively without Cooper, but the defense has intensified in recent games and played an important role in Saturday’s home win against Tennessee.
“The defense has been better and the guys have really competed,” said Pearl. “We will see if we can finish and play our best game on Saturday, which we will need to win.”
The game against the State of Mississippi will start at noon CT at Auburn Arena. Andy Burcham and Sonny Smith will have the radio call at 93.9 Tiger FM, online at AuburnTigers.com and on the TuneIn app. The game will also be broadcast on the SEC Network with Mike Morgan and Mark Wise on the conference call.
Allen Flanigan played on the All-SEC level in his second season at The Plains. Flanigan averages 14.2 points per game in the league, good for 15th in the conference. He is the only SEC player and one of only four underclassmen nationwide with at least 350 points, 100 rebounds and 75 assists in the season. He is also one of three SEC players averaging 14 points, five rebounds and two assists per game, joining Tre Mann (Florida) and Trendon Watford (LSU).
Tigers and Bulldogs face off for the 149th time in the series’ history on Tuesday. Auburn holds a 78-70 lead at all times and has won five out of the last seven, including four out of the last five overall. Auburn is 47-23 against Mississippi State at home, which includes a 5-1 record inside the Auburn Arena.
Last season, Auburn won at the Humphrey Coliseum for the third time in 18 attempts dating back to 2001. The Tigers had five double-digit players led by J’Von McCormick’s the best of career 28, 20 of which occurred in the second semester. With the win, Auburn started 1-0 in the SEC game and improved to 13-0 to start the 2019-20 campaign.
Head coach Bruce Pearl it’s 10-5 against Bulldogs and 5-3 against Mississippi State coach Ben Howland, with all eight clashes taking place with the two coaches at their current schools.
Auburn won three of his last four finals at home in the regular season. The Tigers defeated Missouri in 2017 (89-78), South Carolina in 2018 (79-70) and Tennessee’s No. 5 in 2019 (84-80). Auburn’s only loss in that period was to Texas A&M last season, when the Aggies ruined what would have been a perfect record at home. The Tigers finished last season 16-1 at Auburn Arena.
Auburn Center Babatunde Akingbola was appointed to the SEC Men’s Community Service Team. The Ogun native in Nigeria used his infectious personality to be a great teammate and ambassador for Auburn University.
In just its second year, Akingbola has been involved in a variety of community service projects. He mentored students at the nearby Drake Middle School and read to nearby children at Cary Woods Elementary and Ogletree Elementary.
Akingbola also participated in a Zoom with Our House incentive – an after-school ministry that offers a Christ-centered family environment in which children can grow spiritually, academically and socially. He also visited and encouraged children with serious illnesses at Children’s Hospital of Alabama in Birmingham. Akingbola also helped with SAAC’s annual food and personal hygiene campaigns.