Auburn University will host Texas A&M on Tuesday in its Southeastern Conference (SEC) home opener at Neville Arena. The matchup brings changes for the Aggies, who arrive with a new coach and an updated playing style.
Bucky McMillan, previously head coach at Samford and Mountain Brook High School, has taken over for Buzz Williams. McMillan has introduced an up-tempo approach known as “Bucky Ball.” Auburn coach Steven Pearl described the Aggies’ offensive strategy: “Really dynamic offensively. The first shot they like is going up,” Pearl said. “They try to speed you up, defensively. They’re going to press for 40 minutes.”
Auburn’s SEC opener last Saturday ended in a close overtime loss to No. 23 Georgia, with a final score of 104-100. Coach Pearl reflected on the performance: “We made 127 defensive mistakes and we’re up three in overtime with three minutes left with the ball,” he said. “We also missed 12 free throws. If we cut down on some of our defensive mistakes and make a few more free throws, you’re able to get a great road win against a ranked team.
“We’re right there, we’ve just got to execute a little bit better and clean up a few things on the defensive side.”
Freshman forwards Filip Jovic and Sebastian Williams-Adams are expected to play significant roles in Tuesday’s game. Together they average 13.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game this season.
“An unbelievable spark off the bench,” Pearl said about Jovic, who achieved his first career double-double against Georgia with 10 points and 10 rebounds. “He was our best one-on-one defender. He was the best one guarding their guards and he was the best guarding their bigs. He has a different level of pride. If he can continue play like that and give us those minutes off the bench, it’s going to be great for us.”
Williams-Adams will be important in helping Auburn handle Texas A&M’s full-court press defense.
“To be decisive,” Williams-Adams said about facing pressure defense from opponents. “Indecisiveness when teams press you will kill you. Be aggressive. Not only creating for myself but for my teammates as well.”
Auburn aims to improve its record against Texas A&M at Neville Arena, having won two out of eight previous matchups there since joining the SEC.
The Tigers currently hold a record of 9-5 overall (0-1 SEC), while Texas A&M stands at 11-3 (1-0 SEC). Tipoff is scheduled for Tuesday at 8 p.m., broadcast live on SEC Network; Andy Burcham and Randall Dickey will provide radio commentary through the Auburn Sports Network.
Coach Pearl expressed anticipation ahead of returning home: “Looking forward to being back in front of our fans in the Jungle,” he said. “It’s all in there. It’s just a matter of us bringing it out and collectively doing it for 40 minutes.”
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