1 BIG THING: SADDLE UP
AUBURN, Ala. – After another impressive performance from Allen Flanigan on Saturday where he finished with 23 points, seven rebounds and three assists in 36 minutes, Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl aptly referred to his star sophomore as a "workhorse."
But Pearl took it one step further. He channeled his inner Greg Williams, the Auburn Equestrian coach, and attempted to choose the breed of horse that best described Flanigan.
"I can't call him a Thoroughbred, but he's got a little Thoroughbred in him," Pearl said. "He's not a Clydesdale. They're too slow. He's not a plow horse because he's a better athlete than a plow horse. But I tell you what, he's a Flanigan. They're going to grind now. They're tough, they're physical, they're hard on themselves."
Flanigan has done it all for Auburn this season. He's started all 25 games and played a total of 759 minutes, sixth-most in the SEC. He leads the team in total points (356), rebounds (136) and steals (24) and is second on the team with 75 assists. He's the only player in the conference and one of two underclassmen nationally with at least 350 points, 100 rebounds and 75 assists on the year.
With two games remaining, Flanigan is on pace to be just the second Auburn player under Pearl to average at least 14 points and five rebounds per game in a season (Mustapha Heron).
3 QUESTIONS WITH JT THOR
Q: What has been the highlight for you this season?
Thor: I don't have any specific highlights. Just the competition every day. It's just different. The challenges, just everything that comes with college basketball – coming straight from high school, that's what I like about it. All the challenges, all the difficulties, overcoming stuff.
Q: What do you want to accomplish these last two games?
Thor: First of all, we've got to get that .500. We've got to have a winning record. That's all I'm thinking about right now. Individually, I would say just staying solid. Just keep on trying to develop my game, keep on learning.
Q: What is the ultimate goal for you?
Thor: My ultimate goal is to make a difference in the lives of the people I love. Making it easier for them. And the second thing is just reaching my potential. I don't want to live life knowing I could've gone harder.
1 KEY STAT: SIX IN DOUBLE FIGURES
In Saturday's 77-72 win over Tennessee, all five Auburn starters scored in double figures. Allen Flanigan led the way with 23, but Devan Cambridge (15), Jamal Johnson (14), Jaylin Williams (13) and JT Thor (10) each had 10 or more points as well. It was the eighth time this season Auburn has had five players in double figures.
As a team, the Tigers now have six players averaging 10 or more points in conference play, which is the most in the SEC. Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky and LSU are next with four each.
Freshman Sharife Cooper, who missed Saturday's game due to injury, is putting up a team-high 20.6 points per game in league play. Flanigan is second with 14.7 points per contest.
