It’s a good thing Auburn sports fans still have the fond memories of a BCS national championship on their minds because the basketball team has struggled mightily this year.
The Tigers enter Thursday night’s game with visiting Florida 7-10 overall and 0-3 in the Southeastern Conference. Their league losses are by an average of 16.7 points-a-game.
Auburn ranks 314th nationally in field-goal percentage (.397), 276th in average points scored (64.1), 209th in assists (12.6 apg) and 158th in rebounding (35.6 rpg). By comparison, UF (13-4, 2-1) ranks 53rd in field-goal percentage (.469), 131st in average points scored (71.2), 75th in assists (14.7 apg) and 68th in rebounding (37.8 rpg).
Yeah, and Gator supporters have been a bit disgruntled…
The Tigers have been beaten by likely non-NCAA-Tournament teams UNC-Asheville (now 9-8, 4-3 in the Big South), Samford (10-8, 2-4 in the Southern Conference), Campbell (9-8, 3-5 in the Atlantic Sun), Gator-slayer Jacksonville (11-5, 5-2 in the Atlantic Sun), Rutgers (10-7, 1-4 in the Big East), South Florida (7-12, 1-5 in the Big East) and Presbyterian (8-11, 2-5 in the Big South). They beat Middle Tennessee (7-11, 2-3 in the Sun Belt) only 68-66 and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2-15, 2-3 in the SWAC) by a score of 76-72.
However, Auburn can claim one of the season’s most surprising upsets.
On Jan. 3 the Tigers defeated visiting Florida State, 65-60, just nine days before the Seminoles (14-5, 4-1 in the vaunted ACC) handed defending national champion and then-No. 1 Duke its only loss of the year, 66-61.
“We have to be ready for every team we play,” Gator point guard Erving Walker said.
FIVE QUESTIONS FOR/ANSWERS FROM
South Carolina
1. Each of the last two seasons has seen one of the two games between these teams come down to a buzzer-beater. South Carolina hit the winner in 2009, while Parsons did so last year. Will it come to that on Saturday afternoon?
Answer: It almost did, but UF’s ineptitude at the foul line (12-of-22) combined with South Carolina’s success (11-of-15) did in the Gators. Oddly, the Gamecocks (62.6) are the only team in the SEC that ranks below Florida (65.1) in foul shooting percentage.
2. After not reaching 70 points in seven straight games, UF is averaging 78.4 in its last four. During that run, the Gators have been successful on 47.7-percent of their three-point shots, making an average of 7.8 each game behind the arc. Will the hot shooting continue against the Gamecocks, who are limiting opponents to 67.3 points on 42.3-percent shooting?
Answer: Call it a draw or a slight edge to the Gamecocks because they won the game. Florida scored 69 points on 44.8-percent shooting.
3. The Gamecocks are blocking a head-turning 6.7 shots-a-game. Will they come close to that number against UF’s relatively big team?
Answer: The Gators had a rough time in the first half, getting six shots blocked. However, the Gamecocks only had one block in the final 20 minutes. So, to answer the question: yes, Sam Muldrow and Co. topped it. For their part, the Gators did a decent job of keeping up, blocking five shots (two by Vernon Macklin) of their own.
4. Chandler Parsons has scored 51 points in his last three games after posting just 35 in his five previous outings. During this run, he is 17-of-29 from the floor, including 10-of-12 on threes. Will he continue his offensive assertiveness and hot shooting?
Answer: It was an semi-off-day for the senior swingman, his first not-so-hot performance in SEC play this year. He was hardly bad, scoring nine points (on 3-of-7 shooting, including 1-of-3 on three-pointers) while adding four rebounds and a game-high seven assists. Perhaps the biggest gripe would be taking just seven shots. The Gators are 4-0 with an average margin-of-victory of 13.5 points when he attempts at least 10 shots.
5. Will reserve forward Erik Murphy return from a three-game absence (foot injury)?
Answer: He went through pregame drills, but was held out. Coach Billy Donovan said he expected Murphy back for tonight’s game at Auburn.
FIVE QUESTIONS FOR
Auburn
1. It would be really easy to look past the at-times woeful Tigers. Will the Gators do that?
2. Will power forward Erik Murphy, who has been out all of 2011 with a foot injury, return to the rotation?
3. Auburn does force 16.2 turnovers-a-game, while UF is turning the ball over only nine times-a-game in SEC play. Who wins that statistical matchup?
4. After outrebounding all but one of their first 14 opponents, the Gators are 0-2-1 in team rebounding comparison in SEC play. Florida enters the game with a plus-6.7 rebounding margin, while Auburn is only plus-0.8. Can UF get back to making rebounding a strength?
5. Freshman center Patric Young is beginning to exhibit why he was a 5-star recruit and a McDonald’s All American. Will his strong play continue, and will UF continue to use a lineup with Young and Vernon Macklin on the court at the same time? When those two played together against South Carolina, Florida had a good bit of success.
GAME 18 PREVIEW
FLORIDA GATORS (13-4, 2-1)
Position: Players, Height/Weight, Year, 2010-11 statistics
G: Erving Walker, 5-8/171, JR, 14.5 points per game, 3.2 assists per game
G: Kenny Boynton, 6-2/183, SO, 12.6 points per game, 2.6 assists per game
F: Chandler Parsons, 6-10/218, SR, 10.6 points per game, 6.5 rebounds per game
F: Alex Tyus, 6-8/220, SR, 9.4 points per game, 5.1 rebounds per game
C: Vernon Macklin, 6-10/240, SR, 10.9 points per game, 6.4 rebounds per game
Head coach: Billy Donovan (344-143 in 15th season at Florida; 379-163 in 17th season as a head coach)
AUBURN TIGERS (7-10, 0-3)
Position: Players, Height/Weight, Year, 2010-11 statistics
G: Josh Wallace, 5-10/160, SO, 5.4 points per game, 4.2 assists per game
G: Earnest Ross, 6-5/215, SO, 12.4 points per game, 6.9 rebounds per game
G: Josh Langford, 6-7/207, FR, 5.4 points per game, 3.2 rebounds per game
F: Allen Payne, 6-6/205, FR, 5.9 points per game, 2.9 rebounds per game
F: Rob Chubb, 6-10/220, SO, 7.9 points per game, 4.2 rebounds per game
Head coach: Tony Barbee (7-10 in first season at Auburn; 89-62 in fifth season as a head coach)
When: Thursday, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m.
Where: Auburn Arena (Auburn, Ala.)
TV/Radio: ESPN/Gator Radio Network
Tickets: Available. Visit http://ev12.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventList?groupCode=B&linkID=auburn&shopperContext=&caller=&appCode=
Notable: Auburn leads the all-times series, 87-69. However, Florida has won 12-of-13 against the Tigers of late. The Gators beat Auburn twice last year: 78-70 on Feb. 18 in Gainesville and 78-69 in the first round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament. Florida is 15-4 under coach Billy Donovan against the Tigers. The Gators are 5-2 under Donovan at Auburn, winning the last five meetings on The Plains. … In all, the Gators have won seven straight regular season games against SEC West foes. … Noel Johnson, a 6-foot-8, 200-pound forward, announced recently he would be transferring from Clemson to Auburn. He will be eligible in the 2011-12 season. … The Gators have yet to lose a road game (Central Florida technically was on a neutral court, despite being in the Knights’ hometown). They are 3-0 away from the Stephen C. O’Connell Center with each victory coming against a team that was at one time or another ranked this year (Florida State, Xavier and Tennessee). They also have not lost consecutive games this season. … All five Gator starters are averaging double figures in scoring in SEC play, led by Erving Walker’s in-conference 17.3 ppg. … He’s probably busy preparing for the NFL Draft, but I wonder if former UF and AU quarterback Cam Newton (the 2010 Heisman Trophy winner) will be in attendance. … The Gators have made 36-of-78 three-point shots the last five games. That’s 46.2 percent. … Walker is averaging 17.3 ppg over his last eight games, and four of his last seven outings have seen him score at least 18 points. … The only Gators to make more than 50 percent of their free throws against South Carolina last Saturday afternoon were freshman center Patric Young and sophomore shooting guard Kenny Boynton. Each went 2-for-2. Florida made 12-of-22 foul shots (54.5 percent) against the Gamecocks. … Chandler Parsons is averaging 14 ppg in SEC play and has made 8-of-11 three-pointers (72.7 percent) in UF’s three conference games. He also has 14 assists and just six turnovers in the SEC. … Vernon Macklin recorded his second double-double of the season when he scored 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against South Carolina. Despite making just 10-of-his-last-22 shots, Macklin ranks second in the SEC with a shooting percentage of 56.3. Vanderbilt center Festus Ezeli (59.8 percent) is first. Parsons is eighth (50.7 percent). … After limiting opponents to 59.4 points in non-conference play, UF is allowing 72.7 in league games. … Freshman point guard Scottie Wilbekin has 41 assists to 11 turnovers this year. That’s an assist-turnover ratio of 3.7. His 2.4 apg ranks 21st in the SEC. … Parsons (eight), Walker (seven) and Boynton (seven) have made all of Florida’s 22 three-pointers in SEC play. The trio combines to make an average of 7.3 deep balls-a-game. … The Gators have forced 14.3 turnovers in their 13 wins and 9.5 in their four losses. … Auburn, which forces 16.2 turnovers-a-game, is led defensively by sophomore guard Josh Wallace, who ranks first in the SEC in steals-a-game with 1.9. Teammates Earnest Ross and Allen Payne are tied for 13th with 1.29 spg. The Tigers are third in the conference (behind Arkansas and Alabama) with 8.17 spg. Florida ranks eighth with a 6.18 spg average.
PAST EXAMS AND GATOR(GR)ADES
Game 1: Florida 77, UNC Wilmington 60. Gator Player of the Game: Scottie Wilbekin (3 points, 5 assists, 4 steals); Opposing Player of the Game: Chad Tomko (15 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: B– . Record: 1-0.
Game 2: Ohio State 93, Florida 75. Gator Player of the Game: Vernon Macklin (12 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block); Opposing Players of the Game: David Lighty (26 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal) and Jared Sullinger (26 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: C. Record: 1-1.
Game 3: Florida 105, North Carolina A&T 55. Gator Player of the Game: Will Yeguete (7 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals); Opposing Player of the Game: Thomas Coleman (8 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A– . Record: 2-1.
Game 4: Florida 61, Morehead State 55. Gator Player of the Game: Chandler Parsons (13 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals); Opposing Player of the Game: Kenneth Faried (20 points, 18 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocked shots. Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: C– . Record: 3-1.
Game 5: Florida 79, Florida Atlantic 63. Gator Players of the Game: Alex Tyus (19 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist) and Kenny Boynton (21 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound); Opposing Player of the Game: Greg Gantt (17 points, 2 assists, 1 steal). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: B-. Record: 4-1.
Game 6: Florida 55, Florida State 51. Gator Player of the Game: Erik Murphy (10 points, 6 rebounds, 1 blocked shot); Opposing Player of the Game: Michael Snaer (15 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A-. Record: 5-1.
Game 7: Central Florida 57, Florida 54. Gator Player of the Game: Vernon Macklin (20 points on 10-of-11 shooting, 8 rebounds); Opposing Player of the Game: Marcus Jordan (18 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: C-. Record: 5-2.
Game 8: Florida 67, American 48. Gator Player of the Game: Chandler Parsons (13 points on 5-of-7 shooting, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals); Opposing Player of the Game: Troy Brewer (17 points, 2 rebounds). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A-. Record: 6-2.
Game 9: Florida 65, Kent State 52. Gator Players of the Game: Alex Tyus (20 points on 10-of-15 shooting, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 assist) and Vernon Macklin (19 points on 9-of-12 shooting, 8 rebounds, 3 blocked shots, 1 steal, 1 assist); Opposing Player of the Game: Carlton Guyton (14 points, 4-of-6 on three-pointers, 3 rebounds, 3 assists). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A-. Record: 7-2.
Game 10: Florida 57, Kansas State 44. Gator Players of the Game: Kenny Boynton (15 points on 6-of-12 shooting, 1 assist, helped limit Pullen to 6-of-17 shooting); Opposing Player of the Game: Jacob Pullen (19 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A-. Record: 8-2.
Game 11: Jacksonville 71, Florida 68 (OT). Gator Player of the Game: Erving Walker (game-high 21 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound); Opposing Player of the Game: Keith McDougald (team-high 18 points – 15 in the second half/overtime, 2 steals, 1 rebound). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: D+. Record: 8-3.
Game 12: Florida 66, Radford 55. Gator Player of the Game: Erving Walker (game-high 20 points, including 5-of-7 on 3s, 3 assists, 2 steals); Opposing Player of the Game: Johnathan Edwards (team-high 15 points, 9 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 assist). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: C-. Record: 9-3.
Game 13: Florida 71, Xavier 67. Gator Player of the Game: Kenny Boynton (16 points, 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal); Opposing Player of the Game: Tu Holloway (game-high 26 points, 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A. Record: 10-3.
Game 14: Florida 84, Rhode Island 59. Gator Player of the Game: Chandler Parsons (18 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 blocked shot); Opposing Player of the Game: Delroy James (game-high 23 points, 6 rebounds). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A. Record: 11-3.
Game 15: Florida 77, Mississippi 71. Gator Player of the Game: Erving Walker (20 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, becomes 47th Gator to record 1,000 career points); Opposing Player of the Game: Chris Warren (20 points, 3 assists, 3 turnovers, 2 rebounds, 1 blocked shot). Buddy’s Gator(Gr)ade: B+. Record: 12-3.
Game 16: Florida 81, Tennessee 75 (OT). Gator Player of the Game: Alex Tyus (18 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocked shots, 1 steal); Opposing Players of the Game: Cameron Tatum (game-high 21 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 blocked shot, 1 steal) and Tobias Harris (18 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocked shots). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A-. Record: 13-3.
Game 17: South Carolina 72, Florida 69 Gator Player of the Game: Patric Young (career-high 12 points, 5 rebounds, 1 blocked shot, 1 steal, 2-for-2 FTs in 19 minutes); Opposing Player of the Game: Bruce Ellington (game-high 23 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 4-for-4 on FTs, 1 turnover in 30 minutes). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: D+. Record: 13-4.