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Steven Pearl Reveals What Impressed Him Most in Auburn Basketball's Season Opener
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- Steven Pearl Reveals What Impressed Him Most in Auburn Basketball's Season Opener
(USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)
Auburn basketball opened the Steven Pearl era with a win over Southeastern Louisiana on Wednesday night, and there were plenty of positives for the Tigers.
It wasn't a perfect performance, but Auburn showed some encouraging signs, particularly defensively and with its depth.
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Following the game, Pearl discussed what impressed him, where Auburn still needs to improve, and which players stood out.
Here are four of the biggest takeaways from his postgame press conference.
Pearl was particularly pleased with Auburn's bench
One of the biggest positives from Auburn's season opener was the production it received from its bench. With Tahaad Pettiford and Kevin Overton struggling to find their rhythm early, Auburn needed other players to step up.
And that's exactly what happened.
"I thought it was the difference in the game, you know, our bench coming in and having a positive impact on the game," Pearl said.
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Kolby King, Owen Freeman and George Kimble III were among the players who provided valuable minutes.
Pearl specifically highlighted King's plus-24 rating in approximately 15 minutes and Freeman's plus-11 rating in 11 minutes. The Tigers had 36 bench points on the night.
Auburn's rim protection could become a major strength
Auburn's defense was another encouraging part of Wednesday's performance.
The Tigers recorded 11 blocked shots and held Southeastern Louisiana to 29% shooting.
That's a significant improvement from Auburn's three exhibition games, when opponents shot 39%, according to Pearl.
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"If you look through our first three exhibitions, the team shot 39%. Tonight, they shot 29%. So, defensively, you know, we're making strides."
Auburn also collected 17 offensive rebounds, showing the kind of physicality Pearl wants from his frontcourt.
However, the Tigers allowed 18 offensive rebounds themselves. That was the only part of the rebounding game they lost.
That's something Auburn will need to clean up, but the activity around the basket was certainly encouraging.
Auburn still has plenty to prove against better competition
Wednesday's win was a positive start, but Pearl understands Auburn has a long way to go.
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The Tigers committed 14 turnovers, including several that came from forcing passes into the post, and while Auburn's defense showed improvement, Pearl knows those performances need to become consistent.
"Pleased obviously with the outcome, but we still got a lot we got to clean up in order to get ready for a really good Appalachian State team on Monday," Pearl said.
He also challenged Auburn's big men to build on their performances rather than taking a step backward.
"I complimented them after the Alabama game, and they laid a dud in the Sanford game," Pearl said.
With returning to the NCAA Tournament remaining the ultimate goal, Auburn needs to show it can compete consistently against stronger opponents.
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One win over Southeastern Louisiana doesn't answer that question.
But Monday's matchup with Appalachian State provides another opportunity to make progress against stiffer competition.
Several Auburn players received specific praise
Pearl singled out several players following Wednesday's win, but Owen Freeman was among the most encouraging.
After missing time because of injuries, Freeman made his Auburn debut and immediately provided a physical presence. He grabbed three offensive rebounds and gave Auburn valuable minutes off the bench.
"I thought he brings a different level of physicality for us, which we need and you can kind of see in there," Pearl said.
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Kolby King also impressed with his impact off the bench, while Kimble provided energy defensively. Pearl praised Bukky Oboye's activity around the basket, including his five blocked shots, and Narcisse Ngoy for his rebounding and physicality.
Those contributions are important because Auburn is still figuring out exactly what its rotation will look like.
