Jan. 6, 2018
By Jeff Shearer
AuburnTigers.com
AUBURN, Ala. - Each time Auburn coach Bruce Pearl turned to the crowd saying, "Get up, get up, get up!" 8,950 turned up the volume Saturday in Auburn's 88-77 win over No. 22 Arkansas.
"The crowd was awesome," Pearl said. "It makes a big difference. It makes a big difference for television. It makes a big difference with the whole environment. It was a very good basketball game in a really good environment. Two really good teams, and Auburn is one of those really good teams in the SEC."
Mustapha Heron scored 17 to lead five Tigers in double figures, giving Auburn a 12-game winning streak and a 2-0 start to SEC play.
After back-to-back wins over top 25 teams for the first time in 32 years, Auburn's 14-1 record will likely earn the Tigers a top 25 ranking next week.
"It puts a bigger target on our head," Pearl said. "But our goals are bigger than being nationally ranked sometime in January."
Desean Murray scored 15 points and grabbed a game-high eight rebounds. Jared Harper scored 14 points and had eight assists.
Bryce Brown scored 13 and Chuma Okeke added 10 points and six boards.
Malik Dunbar's 3-pointer and alley-oop slam from Davion Mitchell gave Auburn its biggest lead, 67-46, with 11:24 remaining in the game.
After a 7-0 Arkansas run trimmed Auburn's lead to seven at the 5-minute mark, Heron's bank shot in the lane stopped the run, then Brown's 3-pointer restored the lead to double digits.
"It's really about just taking advantage of the opportunity," Pearl said. "We're playing good basketball right now. We've got nine guys who are really playing well together. We're in a good place. You've got to take advantage when you get these opportunities."
Auburn led by 17 at the half, 47-30, thanks to 15 from Heron and 10 from Okeke.
Brown set the tone with a 3-pointer on Auburn's first possession. The Tigers hit their first four shots to lead 10-2.
After Harper's steal and two-handed slam put Auburn up 16-8, Pearl looked to stands, asking for more noise.
Heron increased the lead to 12 on a 3-point from the corner. Auburn extended its lead in the last 5:44 of the half despite Horace Spencer and Anfernee McLemore on the bench with two fouls.
Okeke and Heron each hit 3-pointers, then Murray tipped in a miss, made a steal and scored on a drive with 25 seconds remaining to give Auburn its largest lead of the half.
Auburn committed only nine turnovers in the game, allowing the Tigers to overcome a 35-30 rebounding deficit.
"Our team is pleased, but our focus is to try to shore it up and get better," Pearl said.
Auburn will seek to start SEC play with a 3-0 record and earn a 13th consecutive win when the Tigers host Ole Miss Tuesday at 8 p.m. on ESPNU.
"We're in a good place. You've got to take advantage of it when you get these opportunities."@coachbrucepearl on back-to-back wins over Top 25 teams. @AuburnMBB (14-1, 2-0) hosts Ole Miss Tuesday at 8 p.m. CT.
12 straight wins for AU. pic.twitter.com/6zWbsOEf21-- Jeff Shearer (@jeff_shearer) January 7, 2018
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: Follow @jeff_shearer