The Auburn Tigers are just six days away from their first exhibition matchup of the season, and Steven Pearl's squad has been putting in the work to make sure they're at the top of their game.
One key Tiger, Kevin Overton, already earned Most Outstanding Player honors in last year's NIT, but he told Vince Wolfram of That's A W that he has only improved in the time since.
"I think I picked up my game a lot," he said. "Things here and there. My ball handling is way better than it was last year because I'm more high usage now. Obviously, with no Keyshawn Hall. That's a big part of our offense that we don't have now, so me and [Tahaad Pettiford] have a heavier load."
Even in an offense that leaned heavily on Hall, Overton still produced quite well over the course of the season, and his time on the court only increased as the season went on, averaging 14.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists throughout last season.
In the NIT, however, Overton was a shoo-in for the MOP award, particularly for his championship performance against Tulsa, when he scored 26 points on 7-of-13 shooting, including 5-of-8 from beyond the arc. His biggest game in that tournament, though, was arguably against Illinois State in the previous game, as he went 5-for-5 on his shot attempts, all of which were from three-point range.
Ball handling, though, is not the only area Overton believes he has improved in over the offseason, especially with a key player like Hall no longer with the program.
"More playmaking overall," Overton said of himself. "I think that's my last wrinkle. And then putting together what I built in all my years of college. I think me, defensively, just being able make plays, being able to guard best players, things like that, and then putting it together on the offensive end. I think we'll see me come all together this year."
One of Overton's season-high performances came last year against Alabama, when he scored 24 points and brought in five rebounds in the Tigers' 96-84 loss to the Tide. He'll have a chance to get a little revenge, as well as show the world what his offseason work has produced, in just a few weeks, as the Tigers are slated to take on the Tide on October 22 in Birmingham, Alabama.
Before that, though, Overton will make his season debut in the Tigers' aforementioned matchup with Florida State, which is scheduled for next Wednesday, October 14, at 7:00 p.m. CT.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/auburn as How Kevin Overton Improved Following MOP Performance For Auburn Basketball .
