Bruce Pearl praises complete team effort in Auburn's win over Indiana
Auburn knows how to bounce back. After falling to Appalachian State last weekend, the Tigers sent a statement in their 104-76 blowout win over Indiana. After the victory, Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl praised his team’s performance.
“That was our best win of the year,” Pearl said. “That was a great victory over a historic program. We played really well. As you look up and down our roster, virtually every player had a big day. I wouldn’t be so hard on IU in this one, in the sense that I don’t know if we could play much better.
“We shot it well, defended well, we took care of the basketball, and each and every player played to the level of their ability to a high end.”
Auburn certainly shared the wealth. The team had six players score double figures, tallying 25 team assists on 35 made field goals. The Tigers were particularly effective from downtown, connecting on 14-29 (48.3%) of their attempts from beyond the arc.
The shooting clinic was a far cry from Auburn’s ugly showing against Appalachian State. In the loss, Auburn shot 3-27 (11.1%) from deep. Perimeter shooting wasn’t the only place the Tigers showed improvement.
In Auburn’s loss to Appalachian State, the team committed 10 turnovers. Meanwhile, Indiana was only able to squeeze three turnovers out of Auburn on Saturday. For reference, the Hoosiers have forced 11.56 turnovers per game this season.
Auburn’s guards lead the way
Pearl claimed his team’s Saturday surge was fueled by individual improvements.
“It’s the best two-guard play we’ve had all year by far between both Denver [Jones] and KD [Johnson],” Pearl said. “I’m proud of Denver for getting his confidence back. He did that on his own. Then, I’m proud of KD for just hanging in there and knowing that this is what he can do to turn a game around.”
Jones and Johnson combined for 26 points and five assists on 8-15 shooting in the win. In comparison, the duo failed to score a single point on a combined eight shots in Auburn’s loss to Appalachian State. Auburn’s win was even more impressive considering its early deficit.
“I thought being down 22-10, that’ll shake your cage a little bit,” Pearl said. “I thought our guys hung in there. They easily could have gone, ‘here we go again,’ but they didn’t. It’s a big win for our league. It’s a big win for the SEC. We’re picked sixth in the SEC and that’s a big win for our league tonight because Indiana is a big-time program.”
Auburn won’t have to wait long to hit the hardwood again. On Wednesday, the Tigers will square off against UNC Asheville at 8 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network+.