After a gauntlet of a non-conference schedule, Auburn basketball will begin SEC play against No. 23 Georgia on Saturday in Stegeman Coliseum.
With a 12-1 overall record, the Bulldogs – who have matched their best start in program history this season – represent the sixth ranked opponent in 13 games for the Tigers.
“Great opportunity. A really good opponent. They’ve won 11 straight at home and are 9-0 this season at home,” Auburn head coach Steven Pearl said of the Bulldogs.
Beginning conference play with four losses, three of which came by a combined 87 points, all to teams currently ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll, Pearl has consistently said that he believes his Tigers will be ready for the challenge the SEC presents.
“Somebody texted me the other day and said, ‘Reality starts Saturday.’ I said, ‘If SEC play is reality, then what the hell was our non-conference?” Pearl joked. “While I think guys are obviously excited about playing SEC opponents, with the schedule that we just played… I don’t think there is a huge mindset shift because we had to get up for every one of our opponents.”
Offensively, Georgia ranks No. 1 nationally in scoring offense with 99 points per game and fastbreak points with 27.5 per game. It ranks inside the top 10 in bench points (42.3), free throws made (22.1) and attempted (29) and rebounds per game (44.1), in addition to leading the nation in blocked shots per game with 7.9.
“They’ve done a good job of just reinventing what they do and playing to the strengths of what they’ve got on the roster,” Pearl said.
Three Bulldogs average double figures, led by guard Jeremiah Wilkinson, who averages 17.3 per game.
“They have multiple guys who can make shots and multiple guys who can get downhill. They have some role players who know what their role is, and they play it pretty well. So, they just play with great effort and energy,” Pearl said.
Meanwhile, Auburn will look to rely on its usual scoring threats, Keyshawn Hall and Kevin Overton, who has tallied three 20-point games in the Tigers’ last five. But one Tiger, who broke out against Queens with 27 points, Elyjah Freeman, will look to continue his stellar play in his first conference matchup.
“There's nobody on the team I'd rather see be in a good headspace and play well," Overton said. "He's young, so it's good to see him take these strides. We need everybody to step up, and he's definitely, to me, the X-factor of our team. If he has it going, it makes it a lot easier and less pressure on the rest of us."
Auburn will tip off against Georgia on SEC Network at 12 p.m. in Stegemen Coliseum.
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