NCAAB Game Preview - South Alabama at Auburn
Tue Nov 6, 2018 9:00 PM EST

MSU
87
Kansas
92
F
Duke
118
KY
84
F
IdaSt
79
Gonz
120
F
Tows
42
UVA
73
F
(N/A)
41
Tenn
86
F
BYU
70
Nev
86
F
UNC
78
Woff
67
F
Morg
77
Vill
100
F
USA
58
Aub
101
F
PorSt
57
Oreg
84
F
E WA
34
Syr
66
F
Fla
60
FSU
81
F
Norf
44
Mich
63
F
IPFW
71
UCLA
96
F
Citad
80
Clem
100
F
SeLA
63
LSU
94
F
Fairf
57
Purd
90
F
W Ky
55
Wash
73
F
(N/A)
54
WIGB
110
F
StFPA
67
Buff
82
F
RocMI
67
E MI
77
F
KTChr
82
MorSt
102
F
Rider
70
UCF
84
F
LoyMD
55
StJon
76
F
Merrim
49
Seton
89
F
Sien
67
Prov
77
F
ChiSt
55
Ind
104
F
(N/A)
58
Ford
106
F
Brev
51
SCSt
99
F
AlaAM
63
SoFL
80
F
(N/A)
58
JMU
86
F
Maris
69
Army
73
F
Colg
78
NJIT
81
F(OT)
(N/A)
58
Hamp
110
F
Detr
76
W MI
89
F
(N/A)
56
VMI
89
F
YSU
53
Pitt
69
F
IL-C
67
ND
84
F
FlaAM
65
JU
50
F
(N/A)
66
Harv
78
F
Stony
77
GrgWas
74
F(OT)
(N/A)
48
Furm
102
F
Clev
63
David
83
F
(N/A)
39
Dart
114
F
Presb
73
Charl
85
F
WIMil
53
BC
73
F
IndSt
69
Ball
86
F
(N/A)
54
AbCh
107
F
(N/A)
62
App
125
F
JWCO
65
AF
90
F
FlGlf
66
IlSt
74
F
(N/A)
38
NoKY
102
F
(N/A)
56
Longw
84
F
GWebb
57
VCU
69
F
USC-Up
52
SouthCar
65
F
Bry
63
URI
97
F
(N/A)
57
Radf
91
F
Navy
44
ODU
67
F
MtStM
55
NCSU
105
F
(N/A)
54
UNH
108
F
Chat
80
UNCC
69
F
(N/A)
76
LIU
109
F
CenCT
75
Hartfo
68
F
ETSU
68
GASt
74
F
Penn
72
GMas
71
F
(N/A)
67
CenMI
98
F
(N/A)
52
BGSU
91
F
(N/A)
50
Akr
70
F
SacHr
81
HolyC
93
F
(N/A)
47
CoCar
91
F
TxWes
71
SFA
83
F
LaSal
67
Temp
75
F
ETXB
64
SHSU
85
F
UNCG
74
NCAT
66
F
UMassL
75
UMass
83
F
Del
67
MD
73
F
UNCW
93
Campbl
97
F(OT)
InWor
37
TxTch
87
F
N AL
74
Samf
91
F
(N/A)
69
MTSU
91
F
(N/A)
54
NIU
93
F
(N/A)
60
Troy
95
F
ORU
50
MOSt
84
F
(N/A)
55
N TX
89
F
(N/A)
48
UND
104
F
(N/A)
51
NrthIA
97
F
(N/A)
58
Nich
86
F
ULM
75
JackSt
66
F
CS-Ful
94
AzSt
102
F(2OT)
LaTec
71
WichSt
58
F
(N/A)
84
UTRGV
91
F
Alc
56
Tuls
73
F
TNTec
61
Mem
76
F
(N/A)
43
LoyMa
75
F
HuTil
59
Lamar
79
F
Boston
77
NE
74
F
GrCan
74
SDSt
79
F
Corn
86
Bingha
75
F
Copp
63
Wisc
85
F
(N/A)
65
Valpa
121
F
TXTyl
66
TexAr
90
F
StLeo
64
Rice
80
F
MsVl
37
Nebras
106
F
NebOm
76
Minn
104
F
OakCi
53
APSU
114
F
Pacif
74
SIU-E
65
F
E IL
59
Tex
71
F
SEMO
65
StLou
75
F
(N/A)
66
USM
111
F
CenAR
55
Mizzu
68
F
ASU
53
IaSt
79
F
Mercer
67
UAB
75
F
South
62
Bama
82
F
(N/A)
53
Lipsco
97
F
(N/A)
80
UL
121
F
(N/A)
68
ChaSo
100
F
DelSt
56
ECU
81
F
IUPUI
69
Xav
82
F
Elon
62
Manh
56
F
MD-ES
53
GTown
68
F
W IL
67
Crei
78
F
(N/A)
63
S UT
109
F
Leh
85
Monm
61
F
(N/A)
71
UtVal
96
F
Cnten
62
NWSt
102
F
UCRiv
59
OrSt
72
F
(N/A)
63
UTEP
90
F
UtSt
101
MTSt
71
F
UMBC
42
Marq
67
F
Maine
50
Denv
63
F
UMKC
45
LoyIL
76
F
SprH
66
NOrl
95
F
CmbTN
58
TN-M
91
F
NDSU
56
NMSt
73
F
Winth
79
Vand
92
F
TXSo
72
Baylor
69
F
Seatt
74
Stan
96
F
AKAnc
63
Fres
91
F
UCSB
76
Wyo
66
F
ArkPB
60
SDSU
76
F
(N/A)
103
Portl
111
F
NM
87
CSNor
84
F
USF
76
UCDav
42
F
Web
66
USD
83
F
Ida
68
UCIrv
86
F
RobM
62
USC
83
F
No. 11 Auburn opens against South Alabama
Tue Nov 6, 2018 12:13 AM

Auburn isn't going to sneak up and surprise anyone this year, not after last season when the Tigers jumped out to a 21-2 start and earned a share of the Southeastern Conference championship.

Bruce Pearl enters his fifth season with No.11 Auburn coming off one of his most satisfying seasons leading the Tigers to a 26-8 overall record and 13-5 conference mark.

The Tigers return most of their depth as they prepare for Tuesday's opener against South Alabama at Auburn Arena. Six players with extensive experience are back and two others -- Samir Doughty and Danjel Purifoy -- will regain their eligibility and join a team that relishes an up-tempo style.

That's the good news. The bad news is that Pearl will be relying on that depth early on.

Purifoy remains suspended for the first nine games because of eligibility issues related to an NCAA investigation involving former Auburn assistant Chuck Person.

Doughty suffered a high ankle sprain in practice last week and was expected to be out until at least mid-November. On Monday, though, Pearl said there was a chance the transfer from VCU could play.

Starting center Austin Wiley is definitely out with a foot injury that will sideline him for at least two weeks.

There's still plenty in Pearl's cupboard.

"It's made some of the early practice sessions challenging," Pearl told the Montgomery Advertiser. "It's disrupted our fall, preseason camp. We had talked about trying to be good early. It's been harder to get good early when we have to play against the scout team so often because I don't have anyone else to play against."

South Alabama enters the 2017-18 season with a change at the top of its program. The Jaguars open the Richie Riley era after going 14-18 last season.

The 35-year-old Riley spent the past two seasons at Nicholls State and replaces Matthew Graves.

"I'm excited to get started," Riley said. "We got a lot out of our two exhibition games and learned a lot about our team. I'm excited to go play somebody else, even though it's the No. 11 team in the country at their place opening night. It'll be a tall task but I'm excited to see how our guys respond. We're going into the game ready to compete."

Riley brings his up-tempo style from Nicholls, where last season his team was ranked 13th in the nation in shortest average length of offensive possession at 15.4 seconds. He'll rely on last season's leading scorer, Rodrick Sikes (18.7 points per game) to lead the offense.

Sikes connected on 88 3-pointers and reached the 30-point mark five times.

Josh Ajayi, who averaged nearly 13 points and more than six rebounds per game also returns. Ajayi has made great strides, especially his skill levels, Riley said.

"He's seen value in sharing the ball -- his vision is good -- and since he's skilled enough to bounce it three or four times and he has really good feet in the post, he can get to where he wants to on the court," Riley said. "When you can do that as an offensive player, you can draw some help."

The Jaguars will need to improve on last season's offense, which finished 273rd in scoring (69.6 points per game) and 304th in 3-point field-goal percentage.

There are few questions about Auburn's offense, which averaged 83.4 points per game last season, tops in the SEC. And while the Tigers await to gain full strength, it's likely Pearl will lean on shooting guard Bryce Brown and small forward Malik Dunbar to shoulder the load.

As a junior, Brown was the Tigers' second-leading scorer (15.9 ppg) and an all-conference pick. In just 14 minutes per game last season, Dunbar averaged 7.4 points and 2.4 rebounds per game.

Pearl has one of the best rim protectors in the conference in Anfernee McLemore, who blocked 73 shots in 27 games.

"It's all six or seven that remain who are going to be required to do more," Pearl told the Advertiser "They're all going to have to play heavier minutes. It might not enable me to press as much. It might not enable me to force tempo as much if we're only going to play seven or eight guys."

Team Record Comparison

Standings GB W-L Aw/Hm Stk L10
South Alabama  
Auburn  

Hot Players (Last 10 team games)

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