Auburn’s protection to be examined vs. sharpshooting Texas A&M offense

Using a four-game win streak and one of many nation’s prime offenses, Texas A&M travels to face Auburn in a Southeastern Convention conflict Tuesday night time.

The Aggies (11-3, 1-0 SEC) are coming off a three-point win over LSU on Saturday. They’re averaging 94.7 factors a sport, fifth within the nation, and have scored over 100 factors in a sport six instances.

“Auburn is nice,” mentioned first-year Aggies coach Bucky McMillan after the win. “They’re lengthy. They’re actually good at house. They have good one-on-one gamers and so they’ll be hungry after shedding a detailed one to Georgia.”

Auburn (9-5, 0-1) and Georgia performed one of the vital entertaining video games of the season Saturday. The Tigers pressured extra time when Kevin Overton scored on a baseline jumper after a missed Tigers free throw with 0.7 seconds left, however Georgia prevailed 104-100.

New Auburn coach Steven Pearl was crucial of his group’s protection in his postgame remarks.

“Our one-on-one protection is horrible. We simply frequently work on it and let guys drive proper round us. Sooner or later, we have to have an identification,” Pearl mentioned after the loss throughout which Georgia shot 52.3% from the ground. “I am all the time going to determine what I can do higher. … However my group’s received to do a greater job of discovering out their identification defensively and taking some accountability of their one-on-one protection — as a result of I can not go on the market and guard for them.”

After reaching the Ultimate 4 final season, the Tigers have performed one of many hardest schedules within the nation, shedding to High 10 groups Arizona, Michigan, Purdue and Houston all away from house.

4 totally different Tigers are averaging double digits in factors, led by UCF switch Keyshawn Corridor with 20.1 factors and adopted by guard Tahaad Pettiford with 15.1.

However Pettiford did not begin towards Georgia due to disciplinary causes.

“It was a coach’s resolution,” Pearl mentioned. “It was a failure to fulfill our group’s requirements and expectations. Tahaad’s received to do a greater job of main by instance. That is one thing we constantly speak about.”

McMillan has carried over his high-energy, fast-paced model of “Bucky Ball” in his first 12 months at Texas A&M. The Aggies’ offense is led by Ruben Dominguez (13.6 factors) and Rashaun Agee (13.0). The Aggies shoot over 30 threes a sport and are second within the nation in assists (21.4 per sport).

With Mackenzie Mgbako finished for the season with a foot damage, Agee is the group’s tallest starter at 6-foot-7.

“We have got to be us,” McMillan mentioned. “There cannot be any confusion on what we’re. We’re a three-point taking pictures group and a full-court urgent group. We have got to be who we’re.”

–Area Stage Media