AUBURN, Ala. – Coming off a hard-fought win over a talented Davidson team on Friday, there's no time to let up off the gas pedal if you're No. 22 Auburn. The Tigers face another difficult challenge with a true road game at South Alabama on Tuesday night.
For South Alabama, it's not every year the program gets the opportunity to host a Final Four team. With that in mind, Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl expects the environment Tuesday to be as good as there is in college basketball that night.
"It'll be sold out," Pearl said. "It'll be loud. Typically, when you're on the road, it doesn't so much hinder your play, but sometimes it can elevate the home team. I'm sure South Alabama's play will be elevated. If they make one shot, they'll make four. Athletically, they're really good. They play above the rim. They're fast and quick, so it'll be a great environment."
This is what Pearl and the coaching staff wanted when they scheduled the game in Mobile. They wanted a road game that will challenge their team and prepare them for the rest of the season. They wanted their freshmen to play in and acclimate to this type of environment.
One freshman who has had no trouble acclimating to the college game is Isaac Okoro. Starting the first two games for Auburn, Okoro is averaging 14.5 points per game.
"It's encouraging but not surprising," Pearl said. "He's got really good basketball IQ. He's picked up on everything. He's playing 3 and 4. That's really hard to do. He's all over it. He's a really smart player. He's been a great addition. We have to continue to get more experience with him."
Tuesday's game will tip at 7 p.m. CT from the Mitchell Center. Andy Burcham 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 streamed on ESPN+ with J.D. Byars and Pat Greenwood on the call.
Player to watch: Austin Wiley
Auburn center Austin Wiley has raised his level of play in his final season. The senior is averaging 9.0 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 67 percent from the floor. Controlling the glass could prove pivotal for the outcome of the Auburn-South Alabama game as the Tigers have an edge on the boards this season, 39.5-34.5.
Inside the series: South Alabama
This will be the 11th meeting in series history between Auburn and South Alabama. The Tigers boast a slight 6-4 advantage in the series and have won the last three contests. They are 1-1 all-time against South Alabama in Mobile, winning the most recent game there on Dec. 12, 1995. Auburn is 70-17 all-time against Division I non-conference foes from the state of Alabama and has won seven straight dating back to 2010.
Fourth straight 2-0 start
Auburn has started the season 2-0 for the fourth straight season. Prior to the 2016-17 season, the Tigers had won their first two games only once in the previous nine seasons. Last year, they opened with wins against South Alabama and Washington at home.
Lockdown defense
Auburn showed its strength on the defensive end in its last game, a 76-66 triumph over Davidson in the 2019 Veterans Classic. The Tigers held Davidson guards Kellan Grady and Jon Axel Gudmundsson, who both averaged 15-plus points per game last year, to a combined 13 points on 4 of 17 shooting from the floor. It was the first time in their careers that both Grady and Gudmundsson were both held in single digits in the same game.