AUBURN, Ala. – For those hoping J'Von McCormick will be wearing No. 55 for Saturday's game, you might be out of luck. It looks as though the Auburn senior is planning to stick with his usual No. 5 jersey against LSU.
"For one, the (No. 55) jersey was an XXL," McCormick said. "It felt like a parachute when I was running. I really don't mind wearing 55, though. It's not a bad number. It's just a jersey."
McCormick was forced to put on the No. 55 jersey during the second half of Tuesday's game at Arkansas. He went on to score eight of his 16 points after the switch to help lead the Tigers to a 79-76 win in overtime. It was the fourth time in the last five games the senior point guard has scored in double figures following two lackluster performances at Alabama and at Florida.
When McCormick has scored 10 or more points this season, Auburn is 11-0.
"There's a lot on your point guard," Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said. "I know he feels the pressures and the responsibilities. He just has to do what he does: get downhill and use his speed, his quickness and his athleticism. I'm challenging him to step up defensively and not get big boy'd. Whether he's wearing 5 or 55, he's giving his best."
"I'm just playing my game and not letting them make me do stuff that I don't want to do," added McCormick. "Like make me run faster and stuff like that. I just play my game."
The Auburn point guard will once again be pivotal Saturday in a matchup for first place in the SEC standings. The Tigers (20-2, 7-2) come in riding a five-game winning streak and will host an LSU team (17-5, 8-1) that had not lost a conference game until Wednesday night at Vanderbilt.
The game will tip off at 11 a.m. CT from Auburn Arena. 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 televised on ESPN with Mike Morgan and Jimmy Dykes on the call.
Player to watch: J'Von McCormick
After his No. 5 jersey was ripped at Arkansas, J'Von McCormick became a new player wearing No. 55. For the first 32 minutes of the game, the senior had eight points on 1-of-6 shooting, including 0-of-2 from beyond the arc, and 2-of-4 from the charity stripe. When wearing No. 55 for the final 13 minutes, McCormick scored eight points on 3-of-4 from the floor, 2-of-3 from deep and 4-of-5 at the line.
Inside the series: LSU
When Auburn and LSU square off Saturday, it will be the 156th meeting between the two schools. LSU holds the all-time series lead at 86-69, but Auburn has won 11 of the last 17 games, including five of the last eight in Auburn Arena.
In last year's contest, LSU eked out an 83–78 victory in Baton Rouge, despite Auburn leading by as many as 16 in the first half. Auburn made 16 3-pointers, but LSU controlled the glass, 48-35, and pulled down 23 offensive rebounds that led to 29 second-chance points.
The last time the two teams met on the Plains, Auburn raced out to a 24-6 lead and never looked back, earning a 95-70 win. Auburn buried 14 3-pointers and outrebounded LSU, 38-24.
Honoring the 1960 SEC Champions
Auburn is set to host this year's Lettermen's Game on Saturday. The 2020 season marks the 60th anniversary of the Tigers' first SEC title in program history (1960). The 1960 team featured five starters that averaged double figures including Henry Hart (15.5 ppg), Jimmy Fibbe (12.3), David Vaughn (11.7), Ray Groover (11.6) and Porter Gilbert (11.4).
This year's team has five starters all at 9.6 points per game or higher with Samir Doughty (15.5), Isaac Okoro (13.0), J'Von McCormick (11.0), Austin Wiley (9.7) and Danjel Purifoy (9.6).
The 1960 Tigers finished the season at 19-3, including 12-2 in SEC play. This year's squad is one game ahead overall at 20-2 with a 7-2 mark in league action.