Greetings from Thompson-Boling Arena, where No. 17 Tennessee (20-7, 11-4 SEC) hosts No. 3 Auburn (25-3, 13-2 SEC) at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Going to be a fun one in Knoxville this afternoon.
Here's some notes on what Auburn does well, what the Tigers don't do well and their personnel to get you ready for today's heavyweight tilt....
Notes on Auburn:
Projected No. 3 Auburn (25-3, 13-2 SEC) starting lineup:
Key Auburn bench players:
Auburn offensive weaknesses:
Auburn defensive strengths: — No. 8 in defensive efficiency (90.6)
Auburn defensive weaknesses:
Refs for today’s game: (Rank per KenPom)
TV Crew (ESPN):
Going to be a fun one in Knoxville this afternoon.
Here's some notes on what Auburn does well, what the Tigers don't do well and their personnel to get you ready for today's heavyweight tilt....
- Today is the first time in 22 years that the two teams meet inside TBA as ranked opponents (Jan. 25, 2000; #11 UT 105, #7 AU 76)
- Tennessee has lost 6 in a row to Auburn
- Tennessee leads the all-time series 78-44
- The Vols are 48-9 when the game is played in Knoxville
- UT won 10 straight home games from 2000-16, but Auburn has won the last 2 in Knoxville
- Pearl is 7-4 lifetime (all at AU) versus his former school including 2-2 in games played in Knoxville
Notes on Auburn:
- Auburn leads the country in blocked shots per game (8.2) and total blocks (231)
- Auburn’s 231 total blocks are a school single-season record, which was broken in just 24 games
- With a 10-player rotation, Auburn’s bench has outscored its opponents’ bench, 746-474, this season
- Auburn has scored 80 or more points in 8 of 15 SEC games
Projected No. 3 Auburn (25-3, 13-2 SEC) starting lineup:
- G, Zep Jasper, Sr. — College of Charleston transfer
- 4.9 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 2.2 apg, 0.7 spg, .353, FG%
- 2020-21 All-CAA Second Team and CAA All-Defensive Team selection
- Nickname “Honey Badger” for his on-ball defense
- Season-high 15 points vs. Ole Miss on Wed.
- 19 turnovers in 593 minutes
- G, K.D. Johnson, So. — Georgia transfer
- 12.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.4 apg, 2.0 spg, .394 FG%
- Auburn’s 3rd leading scorer (12.3 ppg) and 1st in steals (2.0 spg)
- 5th in SEC in steals (2.0 spg) and 20th in scoring (12.3 ppg)
- G, Allen Flanigan, Jr.
- 6.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.4 apg, 0.6 spg, .422 FG%
- 2021-22 Preseason All-SEC First Team selection
- Missed 1st 11 games due to surgery to his right Achilles
- F, Jabari Smith, Fr.
- 16.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.0 bpg, 1.2 spg, .435 FG%
- leads Auburn in scoring and ranks 8th in the SEC with 16.2 points per game
- Smith is also 10th in the SEC in rebounds per game (6.8)
- Hit a 3 in 23 consecutive games — 5-time SEC Freshman of the Week
- Last 3 games: 24.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 12-of-20 from 3
- 3rd AU freshman to lead team in scoring in last 31 years
- F, Walker Kessler, So. — North Carolina transfer
- 12.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 0.8 apg, 4.7 bpg, 1.0 spg, .644 FG%
- leads the nation in blocked shots per game with 4.7 blocks
- set the Auburn single season record for blocks on Wednesday
- also leads the SEC and ranks 4th in the nation in FG% (.644)
- has recorded 2 triple-doubles this season with points, rebounds and blocks
- Has scored double-digits in 12 straight games
Key Auburn bench players:
- G, Wendell Green Jr., So. — Eastern Kentucky transfer
- 12.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 5.4 apg, .377 3P%
- comes off the bench for Auburn, but plays the 3rd-most minutes (26.5) on the team
- 3rd in SEC in assists (5.0 apg) and 1sts in SEC games only (5.4 apg)
- G, Devan Cambridge, Jr.
- 6.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 0.7 apg, 0.3 bpg, 0.6 spg, .430 FG% — 20.8 mpg
- 29 offensive rebounds in last nine games
- F, Jaylin Williams, Jr.
- 5.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.0 apg, 0.6 bpg, 0.3 spg, .459 FG% — 14.9 mpg
- Started all 27 games last year and was one of team’s go-to options offensively
- F, Dylan Cardwell, So.
- 3.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 0.5 apg, 1.4 bpg, 0.5 spg, .677 FG% — 11.6 mpg
- Last 8 games: 18-of-25 (.720)
- Second on team with 38 blocked shots and 46 offensive rebounds
- G, Lior Berman, Jr.
- 2.4 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 0.3 apg, 0.3 spg, .410 FG% — 9.5 mpg
- Increased role off bench 1st half of season before missing 7 games with an injury
- 8-for-17 from three this year
- F, Chris Moore, So.
- 2.0 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 0.3 apg, 0.2 bpg, 0.3 spg, .457 FG% — 8.4 mpg
- Auburn is No. 8 in KenPom entering the game — KenProm projects a 71-68 Tennessee win
- KenPom gives Tennessee a 61% chance of winning
- 33rd in strength schedule
- 53rd in adjusted tempo (70.3)
- 74th in bench minutes (34.9%)
- 87th in average height (77.5”)
- 276th in minutes continuity (33.8%)
- 308th in experience (1.34 years)
- 12th in non-steal TO% (6.6)
- 29th in offensive rebound% (34.1)
- 61st in 2P% offense (53.1)
- 51.1% of points come from two (162nd)
- 62nd in turnover% (16.7)
- 96th in average possession length (16.9 seconds)
- 113th in FT% offense (73.5)
- 18.5% of points come from three (129th)
- 128th in effective field goal% (51.2)
- 130th in FTA/FGA (31.7)
Auburn offensive weaknesses:
- 176th in A/FGM (51.1)
- 244th in block% offense (9.7)
- 263rd in steal% offense (10.1)
- 259th in 3P% offense (32.1)
- 132nd in 3PA/FGA (39.6)
- 30.4% of points come from three (205th)
Auburn defensive strengths: — No. 8 in defensive efficiency (90.6)
- 1st in block% defense (22.5)
- 9th in effective FG% (44.2)
- 7th in 2P% defense (42.7)
- 46.7% of opponent’s points come from 2’s (296th)
- 61st in 3P% defense (31.2)
- 7th in 2P% defense (42.7)
- 33rd in steal% (11.8)
- 79th in turnover% (20.3)
- 104th in opponent A/FGM (48.3)
Auburn defensive weaknesses:
- 167th in offensive rebound% (27.9)
- 169th in opponent 3PA/FGA (37.5)
- 30.8% of opponent’s points come from three (207th)
- 258th in non-steal TO% (8.4)
- 299th in FTA/FGA (35.1)
- 263rd in FT% defense (73.3)
- 22.5% of opponent’s points come from free throws (15th)
Refs for today’s game: (Rank per KenPom)
- Pat Adams (No. 49)
- Owen Shortt (No. 70)
- Steven Anderson (No. 132)
TV Crew (ESPN):
- Karl Ravech (pxp)
- Jimmy Dykes (analyst)
- Kris Buden (sideline)
