AUBURN, Ala. – After leading Troy to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, senior forward Thomas Dowd comes to Auburn looking to prove he can compete at the highest level.
A career 1,000 point scorer, Dowd averaged 14.4 points and 10.1 rebounds last season for the Trojans and looks to replicate that production on the Plains.
Q&A With Thomas Dowd:
Q: Sum up your first few months at Auburn…
A: It’s going really well. I love the coaching staff and the team is gelling together. Everyone seems to enjoy each other’s presence. Practice is really fun and it is just high vibes right now.
Q: What have you liked most about competing with these guys?
A: We have a lot of drills that are very competitive which is one thing that I have really enjoyed – the competitive nature. Everyone is really working to get better. The energy is really high and it’s enjoyable to go to practice every day.
Q: What ultimately led you to choosing Auburn?
A: The portal process was good. My agent and I were talking to schools that were mutually interested and then I took a couple visits. The last visit I took was to Auburn and I absolutely loved it. I am from two hours away, so I already have a good taste of what Auburn is, but it even surpassed that when I came here. I really love the coaching staff. I love the campus and the facilities. It felt like the right choice.
Q: Describe your game and what Auburn fans can expect from you?
A: My game is a little bit of everything, like a Swiss army knife. I can shoot it, I can handle it, I can play make. What I think really separates me is my motor. I am a high-level rebounder. What Auburn fans can expect from me is that I am going to get on the court and affect winning in a positive way. I am going to prove there is a reason I am at this level.
Q: What are you most looking forward to this winter?
A: I am most looking forward to the atmosphere. The home atmosphere. I love a good road game too when you are the bad guy and it is a full crowd. I didn’t get that all the time in the Sun Belt. We played a couple of big teams every year, but that is night-in, night-out now and I am ramped up to be in arenas like that. The jungle – I have surprisingly never been to a game here, but I have seen videos and watched plenty of games on TV. I know it gets rocking and I feel like I am the type of player that will feed off that energy.