BROOKLYN, N.Y. – From practicing in the Brooklyn Nets training facility to attending a New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden to playing two games in the Barclays Center, the Auburn players are getting a first-hand look at where they want to be one day.
It's all part of the experience for the Tigers, who arrived in New York on Saturday and will play two games in the Legends Classic, beginning Monday with New Mexico.
"It's been a great experience," Auburn senior Danjel Purifoy said. "I'm loving it right now. I think the team is loving it. We're just going to try to enjoy this time here and get a W tomorrow."
Purifoy scored a game-high 27 points the last time Auburn played in the Big Apple in 2016. It's still a career high for Purifoy, who was just a freshman at the time. However, the Tigers lost that game, 72-71 to Boston College. They're hoping for a better result this time around against a New Mexico team that is 5-1 to start the season.
"New Mexico has some of the best transfers in America," Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said. "Really talented, very well-coached. They do simple stuff that's really good. They do a lot of switching that could bother us. They'll be a tournament team. Great size, great length. They could try to push us around a little bit physically, so from that standpoint, it will be a great challenge."
This year's Legends Classic also features Richmond and Wisconsin, who will square off at 6 p.m. CT in the first game Monday night. Then 30 minutes after that game finishes, approximately 8:30 p.m. CT, No. 19 Auburn will take the court at the Barclays Center.
Andy Burcham and Paul Ellen 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 ESPNEWS with Bob Wischusen and Sean Farnham on the call.
Player to watch: Danjel Purifoy
Danjel Purifoy is one of just two Auburn players, including Anfernee McLemore, to play in New York when the Tigers faced Boston College at Madison Square Garden in 2016. In that game, Purifoy had 27 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the floor, as well as five rebounds, two assists and two steals. So far this season, the senior is averaging 11.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.
Inside the series: New Mexico
The Tigers and Lobos are set to meet on the hardwood for just the second time in program history. Auburn won the first meeting, 83-78, in the opening game of the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii, in head coach Bruce Pearl's second season on The Plains.
Auburn is 7-7 against current members of the Mountain West Conference.
Playing in non-conference tournaments
Auburn has won 20 regular season tournaments in program history but only two since 2000 – both coming in the San Juan Shootout. The last tournament title came in 2004 when Auburn went 2-1 at the San Juan Shootout, beating Delaware and Middle Tennessee before falling to Toledo. The Tigers were crowned champions via tiebreaker.
Head coach Bruce Pearl is 20-15 all-time in non-conference tournaments and captured titles at the Pizza Hut Classic in Springfield, Missouri in 2002 and the NIT Season Tip-Off in New York in 2010 with wins over VCU and Villanova.
Headband Samir
It may be just another part of the uniform, but it's clear Samir Doughty has played better since donning a headband at South Alabama. In the last three games since putting on the headgear, Doughty has averaged 21.0 points per game on 20-of-33 from the floor (61 percent). He has produced a double-double followed by back-to-back 20-point outings. Going back to last season, he has scored in double figure in his last six games.