AUBURN, Ala. – When Auburn fell behind early at Vanderbilt on Saturday and needed a spark, it was walk-on and fan favorite Lior Berman who provided it.
Next Game:
Ole Miss
Feb. 22, 2023
8 p.m. CT
TV: SEC Network
Radio: Auburn Sports Network
Berman grabbed an offensive rebound, passed it out, immediately got it back and drained a 3-pointer. On the very next possession, he backed down a smaller defender into the paint, turned and made a shot over him. Five quick points to close the deficit to one. In the second half, he drew a charge and knocked down another 3 shortly after.
Berman played nearly 14 minutes and finished with eight points, matching his career high.
"Lior played another really good game," Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said Tuesday. "He's such a solid defender. He's a confident offensive player. He belongs out there. He really does. I'm very proud of him. I'm very happy for him. We'll continue to utilize him."
After playing sparingly off the bench his first two seasons at Auburn, Berman saw his role increase last year and played more meaningful minutes. This year, the role has expanded even more. In 12 SEC games, he's averaging 10 minutes per game. He's scored 38 points in those games, shooting at a 50 percent clip, and has only turned it over five times.
As a result, Berman's confidence has continued to grow. He's not afraid to take a big shot. He takes pride in his defense. He might be a walk-on, but he's not playing like one.
Berman doesn't mind the "walk-on" label either. If anything, he takes pride in it.
"I never really get tired of it," he said. "It's part of me. I came here as a walk-on. I wear that proudly. I started from the bottom and worked my way up. It doesn't bother me at all. I embrace it. I just hope that it shows that hard work pays off.
"All you can do is believe in yourself. I've done that."
Berman and his Auburn teammates will host Ole Miss on Wednesday night in what Pearl referred to as another "must-win" game for the Tigers.
The two sides will tip off at 8 p.m. CT from Neville 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 be televised on SEC Network.
PLAYER TO WATCH: JAYLIN WILLIAMS
Jaylin Williams is currently averaging 11.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in conference play. He is also shooting 45.3 percent from the field and 82.8 percent from the free throw line in those contests. Williams has scored in double digits in three of Auburn's last four games, including a 17-point performance Saturday at Vanderbilt where he shot 8-of-12 from the field. It was his 100th career game at Auburn. He joins fellow seniors Zep Jasper (142) and Allen Flanigan (107) as the only three Tigers to have played in 100 or more career games.
INSIDE THE SERIES: OLE MISS
Auburn leads 80-64 in the all-time series with Ole Miss and has won three straight, including an 82-73 road win earlier this season. In the first meeting, Wendell Green Jr. scored a team-high 23 points and dished out seven assists while Johni Broome recorded a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Allen Flanigan chipped in 15 points off the bench.
The Tigers are 52-17 all-time at home against Ole Miss.
NOTABLE
» Auburn (18-9, 8-6 SEC) is currently tied for fifth place with Vanderbilt in the latest SEC standings. Auburn, along with Arkansas, face the toughest four-game stretch in conference play to close out the season. Both teams will play Alabama (1st), Tennessee (T-3rd) and Kentucky (T-3rd) in their last three contests of the regular season.
» Senior forward Jaylin Williams registered 12 of his 17 points in the first half at Vanderbilt on Saturday. He has now scored in double figures in three of the team's last four games, averaging 13.5 points per game during that stretch.
» With 20 points in each of his last two games, sophomore big man Johni Broome became the second Auburn player this season to record back-to-back 20-point games in SEC play. Wendell Green Jr. did it in back-to-back games against Texas A&M (20) and Alabama (24).
» Auburn will celebrate Black History Month during the Ole Miss game on Wednesday night with the players donning their Black History Month shooting shirts during pre-game warmups.