Game Day Essentials: Game #11 vs Auburn

Auburn Info

Head Coach: Bruce Pearl
Location: Auburn, AL
Conference: SEC
Nickname: Tigers

Last time out: Beat Yale
Line: Auburn by 14
Typical Rotation Depth: 10

KenPom rank: 17

Other:  

• First ever meeting between Nebraska and Auburn
• Bruce Pearl is suspended for 2 games. Former Doc Sadler assistant Wes Flanigan will coach the team

Player to watch:     Jabari Smith 

The 6'10" freshman will be a lottery pick after this year and leads the Tigers in scoring and rebounds. He's shooting 43% from 3

Player to watch:   KD Johnson 

Georgia transfer Johnson is an undersized shooting guard but he's quick as they get, able to draw contact and leads this ball hawking Auburn team in steals

The Skinny: 

Both teams come into this one having been hit by the flu bug.  Auburn has probably recovered but Nebraska had players held out of practice prior to their trip. What won't be questionable about the players is that Auburn will have the most talented today; Bruce Pearl has reloaded this team after a down 2020-21 with talented transfers and freshman phenom Jabari Smith. Nebraska is facing a team with the potential to make a deep run into the NCAA tourney; It's going to be a tall order to try and knock off this Auburn team likely playing just 90 minutes away from campus.

Auburn team has a lot of height but also a lot of 3pt shooting which makes it a matchup problem for most teams, especially Nebraska.  Expect Nebraska to switch up their defenses today which may or may not help. Offensively is Nebraska going to slow the ball down in the half court?  While they should still try and push in transition it might be a good idea to try and make this Auburn defense work.  One thing Nebraska does have going for it today is that Auburn will put you on the free throw line.  Nebraska will take all the charity Auburn will give them today.

Prediction: Auburn 93 - Nebraska 74