AUBURN, Ala. – After the second round loss to Duke in the Maui Invitational, Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl was critical of his bench. Outside of Austin Wiley, the non-starters combined to score seven points. In the first game, they scored only five points between them.
The 8th-ranked Tigers are a really good team when the starters are making shots and playing well, but to take that next step and be elite, the bench needs to follow suit.
And you saw that in a 73-57 win over Arizona to close out the tournament. Led by Malik Dunbar and his 15 points, the Tigers outscored Arizona, 33-4, in bench points. Horace Spencer had seven points and four rebounds. Junior college transfer J'Von McCormick provided a jolt as he knocked down a pair of 3-point shots. And Wiley scored five points, making both of his attempts from the field.
"I thought those guys took the challenge, stepped up and played with confidence," Pearl said. "It makes us a better team. All those guys on the bench are really highly thought of by our team. They are all very well-liked and respected. They could be starters at a lot of other programs. There were a lot of guys that felt really good about those guys coming off the bench and playing well. It helped our team chemistry."
"We know what we can all do," added Dunbar. "We're in the same gym every day. We're know what we're all capable of. I feel like we have no drop-offs. Everyone can go in and do the same thing, so it doesn't matter. We're going to play hard regardless."
Dunbar, in particular, has embraced his role as the spark plug off the bench. Whether he skies for a dunk, throws down an alley-oop or knocks down a shot from long range, there's a certain energy when he's in the game that rubs off on his teammates.
"I bring the energy," Dunbar said. "I feel like that's my biggest role on the team."
Next up for Auburn is a Saint Peter's team that likes to play fast, which means the bench will likely see more minutes as Pearl rotates his players to keep them fresh.
The game is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. CT on Wednesday from Auburn Arena. Rod Bramblett and Sonny Smith will have the radio call on 93.9 Tiger FM, online at AuburnTigers.com and on the TuneIn app. The game will also be televised on SEC Network+ with Brad Law and Joe Ciampi on the call.
Player to watch: Malik Dunbar
Dunbar has increased his production and his role from his junior season at Auburn. Through six games, the South Carolina native nearly doubled his scoring average from 5.4 to 9.5 as well as his rebounds per game from 2.4 to 4.3. Dunbar is shooting an efficient 53.5 percent from the court (23-of-43) while tallying three double-figure games, tied for his total from last season.
Inside the series: Saint Peter's
This is the first game between Auburn and Saint Peter's all-time, and it's also the first time Pearl has faced the Peacocks in his head coaching career.
Dynamic duo
Auburn has been led so far this season by its backcourt of Bryce Brown and Jared Harper. The duo is averaging 33.0 points per game and is shooting 43-of-106 (40.6 percent) from 3-point range. They have combined for four 20-point games this season, including Auburn's win over Xavier in the first round of the Maui Invitational when Brown scored 26 and Harper added 25, season highs for each.
Brown, who broke the Auburn record for career 3-pointers made his last time out, was named SEC Player of the Week on Monday after his performance in Maui.
Home sweet home
Auburn's game against Saint Peter's is the first of three straight home games. The Tigers have posted a 16-0 home record against non-conference opponents over the last two-plus seasons, and they have topped the 100-point plateau five times during the streak, including twice in three home games this season. Thirteen of the 16 wins have been by at least 16 points.
During Pearl's tenure as the Auburn head coach, the Tigers have posted a 27-3 (.900) mark against non-conference opponents at Auburn Arena.
Greg Ostendorf is a Senior Writer for AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @greg_ostendorf
Bench looks to stay hot as No. 8 Auburn welcomes Saint Peter’s
