Another Corner Turned, Another SEC Win

     Auburn took another huge turn in the Coach Tony Barbee era Saturday in front of a raucous home crowd, downing South Carolina 63-52. The win improved the Tigers to 12-7 (2-3), while the visiting Gamecocks fell to 8-10 (0-4).

Josh Wallace and the Tiger defense held Bruce Ellington to 9 points.

      This was the first complete game the Tigers have played all season. Even trailing 28-24 at the half, the defensive effort was at a level not yet seen. Barbee's defensive demands have begun to pay dividends as the visitors failed to place one player in double figures. Using a different lineup, which featured the hard-nosed Josh Langford and energetic Josh Wallace, Auburn limited South Carolina's Bruce Ellington to nine points on 4-14 shooting. Much of that credit belongs to Wallace, who harassed the two sport star from the opening tip. But it was the total team effort that showed defensively. The Tigers talked, helped, and finished off defensive possessions the way they should be finished– with a rebound. Auburn won that battle 27-24, but so many were one and done attempts for the Gamecocks. Also notably shaken was Gamecock leading scorer Malik Cook, who finished with six points on 2-7 shooting.

      Frankie Sullivan continued his red hot shooting, scoring 14 first half points and finishing with 22. While Sullivan accounted for more than half the teams points in the first half, Auburn got help from the always steady, always reliable Kenny Gabriel who finished with 16 to go along with seven rebounds. Varez Ward contributed with eight points, including a huge steal in the midst of a 29-8 run to start the second half, while Chris Denson, added seven.

     The Tigers travel to Fayetteville Wednesday for an SEC match-up with a tough Arkansas Razorback team, who beat #19 Michigan today 66-64. Then it is on to Knoxville next Saturday to face the Tennessee Volunteers. This will be another pair of opportunities for the Tigers to grow and add to their resume, as talk of the post-season will start to swirl soon.

      Auburn returns to action on the Plains at the Auburn Arena on Wednesday, February 1 against rival Georgia. The crowds are picking up and getting with it. Time for everyone who claims to be an Auburn fan to get all in or get out!