AUBURN, Ala. – Some Bruce PearlAuburn’s most memorable victories were against South Carolina. He obtained his second SEC victory against Gamecocks in 2015. Three years later, Tigers defeated South Carolina to win the SEC’s regular season championship.
But under Pearl, Auburn was not so lucky on the road against South Carolina. Since the 2016-17 season, the Tigers have lost all three games at Columbia. His last victory came in 2014.
This year’s Auburn team can reverse the recent trend on Saturday when they travel to South Carolina. That alone, a chance to win on the road, is a motivator for a group that will not have the opportunity to play in the postseason in March.
“The motivation for us is to be able to win, to be able to grow, to be able to improve,” said Pearl. “For me, it was a missed opportunity in Arkansas – winning at Bud Walton for the third time since I got here. It could have been twice in a row. We never did that. Making history. You haven’t won in South Carolina the last three times we’ve been there. . “
With Auburn having one of the youngest college basketball teams this year, it means that no current player has equipped the last time the Tigers lost in South Carolina in 2019. Only Jamal Johnson was on the list, and he redshirted that season.
So, what should Auburn expect by playing Gamecocks on the road?
“This is a typical South Carolina team,” said Pearl. “They are physical. They play hard. They defend as a team very well. They lead the championship in offensive rebounds. They have always been a team that was very difficult to face because they extend so much.
“When we were able to beat them, we were able to beat them with a great game of point guard and guys being able to drive downhill. Samir Doughty, Jared Harper, J’Von McCormick, Isaac Okoro – matchups that can turn corners to reach the rim. “
Saturday’s game is scheduled to start at 11 am CT at the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia. Andy Burcham and Sonny Smith will have the radio call at 93.9 Tiger FM, online at AuburnTigers.com and the TuneIn app. The game will also be televised on ESPN2 with Beth Mowins and Jimmy Dykes on the conference call.
Junior Javon Franklin produced the best game of his career in his home state at Wednesday’s game in Arkansas. The Little Rock native had eight points out of 3 of 4 pitches from the ground, which included a perfect night of 2 of 2 beyond the hoop. Franklin added four rebounds, equaling a career record, and a two-block career record in 11 minutes of action.
Saturday’s clash between Tigers and Gamecocks will be the 46th in the series’ history. Auburn holds a 26-19 lead and has won three of the last four meetings overall.
The Tigers have a small 11-9 lead in Columbia, but have lost their last three contests after winning three in a row in 2011-2014.
Head coach Bruce Pearl is 16-6 against South Carolina in his career as a head coach, which includes a 4-4 mark as Auburn’s head coach. Pearl went 12-2 against South Carolina in her six years in Tennessee. Pearl is training 4-4 against South Carolina coach Frank Martin.
Auburn second year Jaylin Williams is one of only three players in the country with at least 30 assists, 20 blocks and 15 steals in the season, joining Neemias Queta (Utah) and Anthony Tarke (Coppin). Williams, who leads the Tigers with 22 blocks in the season, blocked at least two shots in each of the last four games and blocked one of his five biggest shots against Georgia on January 13.
Speaking of blocks, the Tigers are in second place in the country in total blocks this season, with 86 in 15 games. Williams and teammate Devan Cambridge each blocked five shots against Georgia, becoming the only set of teammates in Division I to block at least five shots in the same game this season. Auburn blocked a total of 37 shots in the last four games, averaging 9.3 blocks per game in that period.