Nov. 23, 2017
Auburn vs. Winthrop
(2017-18 RECORD: 3-1, 0-0 SEC) vs. (2017-18 RECORD: 2-2, 0-0 Big South)
Schedule
| Fri, Nov 24 | 6 p.m. |
AUBURN, Ala. - Fresh off a 2-1 weekend and a third-place finish at the Charleston Classic, Auburn returns home Friday for a non-conference bout with Winthrop on Charles Barkley Appreciation Night.
Rod Bramblett and Sonny Smith will have the radio call on 93.9 Tiger FM, online at www.AuburnTigers.com and on the TuneIn app. The game will also be broadcast on SEC Network with Rich Hollenberg and Dane Bradshaw doing the commentating.
The Tigers are 4-1 against the Eagles all-time, including 3-1 at home. The two teams have a little history in the NCAA Tournament as they met up for a first round game in 1999 with Auburn (No. 1 seed) emerging victorious over Winthrop (No. 16 seed), 80-41.
Mustapha Heron was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Charleston Classic. The sophomore averaged 13.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, and had five steals. Heron dished out a 22-point performance in the finale versus Hofstra.
Auburn put up 100 points for the fourth time under head coach Bruce Pearl the last time it played at Auburn Arena. Before Pearl arrived, the Tigers had not reached triple figures since Nov. 29, 2003 against Grambling State (105). Auburn first accomplished the feat in the third game under Pearl, snapping a streak of 339 games.
Following its duel with Winthrop, Auburn hits the road for a non-conference clash at Dayton, Nov. 29.
Charles Barkley Appreciation Night
Auburn Athletics will honor Hall of Fame basketball player Charles Barkley with a Charles Barkley Appreciation night at game vs. Winthrop Friday, Nov. 24, followed by a statue unveiling ceremony Saturday, Nov. 25.
The Charles Barkley Statue Unveiling Ceremony will take place on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 11 a.m. in front of the Scholarship Entrance of Auburn Arena. The ceremony is free and open to the public. Barkley will also take part in Tiger Walk, beginning at 12:30 p.m.
Barkley, from Leeds, Ala., will become the fourth former Auburn athlete to have a statue erected in his honor, joining former Heisman Trophy winners Bo Jackson, Pat Sullivan and Cam Newton. Auburn retired Barkley's jersey in 2001.
Barkley played at Auburn from 1981-84 and won All-American honors on his way to becoming an Olympic gold medal winner and being named one of the NBA's 50 greatest players in the league's 50th anniversary season. A first-round draft pick by the Philadelphia 76ers, Barkley was the 1993 league MVP, and an 11-time All-Star.
He is one four NBA players who had 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists. The others are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain and Karl Malone.
The final version of statue will not be completed until spring, therefore the ceremony will feature a full-size replica until the final 2,500 pound fixture can be installed.
Player to Watch: Anfernee McLemore
In four games coming off the bench so far during the season, Anfernee McLemore has dominated the paint. The sophomore is averaging 10.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game with a team-high 14 blocks. In the three games played at Charleston last week, McLemore scored 30 points, pulled down 13 rebounds and totaled 10 blocks, including a career-high five versus Indiana State.
Pre-Game Quotes: Head Coach Bruce Pearl
"Friday is a big game. It's almost sold out. We have a few tickets in the mezzanine left and some standing-room tickets left. I just hope that we sell it out and it's a hard sellout because it's Charles Barkley Appreciation Night. We've been working really hard over the last couple years to see this day come to fruition. I thank the president and board of trustees for approving this honor for Charles. There aren't many statues on this campus and I know that Charles doesn't take this honor lightly. We get to honor him Friday night during our game and then we have a reception afterwards and then Saturday we will begin the ceremony after Charles gets done with his duties with ESPN. We're really excited about it. This is a big, big weekend for us"
"This is a Winthrop team that has scored 100 on a couple of occasions. They were in the NCAA Tournament last year. They've won 88 games over the last four years, which gives them 22 wins per year. Pat Kelsey, every year he's being offered big-time jobs. He's one of the best, brightest young coaches in the country. They do great stuff. About 45 percent of their baskets come from three and we certainly struggled against Temple from three, we struggled against Barry in the exhibition from three defensively. We're going to have to do a better job of guarding the 3-ball."
Pre-Game Quotes: Jared Harper
"We just have to control what we can control. I know we're used to making a lot of shots and sometimes those shots aren't going in for us. We can decide to control what we can control which is our effort, energy and our defense. We can always control our defense no matter where we are or how our offense is doing."
Inside the Series: Winthrop
The Tigers and Eagles have squared off five times in series history. Auburn holds a 4-1 advantage in the series, including a 3-1 mark at home.
Auburn has averaged 74.2 points per game and allowed just 58.8 points per game defensively. The Tigers have amassed three games scoring 80 points in the series all-time.
The Tigers would also improve to 21-17 in games played in South Carolina. With a win, Auburn would also improve to 12-5 in games played in the Palmetto State since 2000.
An Auburn Win Would...
A win by the Tigers would improve their record to 4-1 through the opening five games. Auburn has won four of its first five contests twice under Coach Pearl (2015-16, 2016-17).
On This Date
On Nov. 24, 2004, Auburn tied a program record with 15 made three's against Nicholls State in a non-conference matchup. All five starters took care of the 3-point barrage with Toney Douglas leading the way with seven. Quinnel Brown and Ian Young each chimed in three, while Daniel Hayles and Nathan Watson had one apiece.
The Tigers are 5-4 on Nov. 24 all-time, but have won all five games played in Auburn.
Young Roster
Auburn is tied with Kentucky with the most underclassmen in the nation with 12 on the roster and only one senior. The Tigers are one of just seven teams in the country to have 10 or more on their roster.