AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn has won five straight games against Tennessee going back to the 2017-18 season. In those five victories, the Tigers have averaged 84 points per game. Only once did they not top the 80-point mark, a 73-66 home win last February.
With point guard Sharife Cooper doubtful for Saturday's game, head coach Bruce Pearl knows it might be a lot to expect this Auburn team to hit 80 points against Tennessee. It doesn't mean they can't still win and make it six in a row in the series, but to do that, they might have to win a lower-scoring contest like they did a year ago in Auburn Arena.
"We've been focused on the fact that we need to make so much progress defensively because we were scoring 80 points a game," Pearl said. "Now without Sharife, we know we score about 10 less. How many less do you score against Tennessee? What do you have to hold Tennessee down to now to have a chance to win?
"Our ability to try and defend them down is going to be really important to our ability to be able to have a chance to win this basketball game."
Auburn showed positive signs in the second half of Tuesday's game with Florida, holding the Gators to 30 points on 9 of 25 shooting. The Tigers forced eight turnovers, outrebounded Florida and ultimately won the final 20 minutes, 35-30.
But Auburn can't afford to dig another 20-point hole in the first half Saturday, and taking care of the ball – a tall task with no true point guard – will be the key.
"The issue is turnovers," Pearl said. "Tennessee does a nice job of turning you over. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out they're probably going to press a little bit more and trap us up a little bit more and try to create some offense from their defense because we don't have a point guard. I'm sure we'll get plenty of that."
Saturday's game, one of three remaining for the Tigers, 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 Beth Mowins and Dalen Cuff on the call.
AUTLIVE
The Bruce Pearl Family Foundation is once again continuing the fight against cancer with the sixth year of AUTLIVE, Auburn basketball's fight against cancer. The best way to beat cancer is to detect it early and be able to fight it on your home court. This year's AUTLIVE game will take place in Auburn Arena on Saturday, Feb. 27 against Tennessee.
AUTLIVE raises the awareness of cancer prevention and detection while t-shirt sales and donations raise money to benefit cancer patients and their local hospitals.
Pearl and his coaching staff initiated the OUTLIVE program in 2009 at Tennessee in recognition of former Vol Chris Lofton, who beat testicular cancer through early diagnosis and local treatment. He went on to play the entire 2007-08 season while battling the disease.
For more information, please visit AUTLIVE.com.
Player to Watch: Devan Cambridge
In the second half of the season, Devan Cambridge has elevated his play. The sophomore has reached double figures nine times in his last 13 games and is averaging 10.1 points per game during that stretch while shooting 44.4 percent from the floor (48 of 108). Cambridge reached double figures three times in the 11 games prior to that and averaged 7.4 points per contest while shooting 31.8 percent (28-of-88).
Inside the Series: Tennessee
The Tigers and Vols are set to square off for the 122nd time in series history Saturday morning. Tennessee holds a 78-43 margin in the all-time series, but Auburn leads 29-24 in games played on the Plains. Auburn has also won five in a row, marking its longest winning streak in series history.
Three of the last five meetings between the two programs have had title implications. In 2018, the Tigers won 94-84 in Knoxville to begin the SEC slate. It was Auburn's first win at Tennessee since 1998. The Tigers and Vols went on to share the SEC regular season crown.
In 2019, Auburn denied Tennessee the chance for hardware twice. The Vols came into Auburn Arena on the final day of the regular season needing a win to earn back-to-back league titles, but it was the Tigers who emerged victorius, 84-80. Just eight days later, the two teams met in the SEC Tournament championship, and it was all Auburn. The Tigers buried 13 3-pointers en route to an 84-64 win to claim the title.
Head coach Bruce Pearl is 6-4 in his career vs. Tennessee, with all 10 meetings coming while leading Auburn. Pearl is 3-1 against the Vols at home inside Auburn Arena.
Tigers host Tennessee in annual AUTLIVE game
