Big Blue Preview: Kentucky at Auburn
With March less than two weeks away, it’s an important time for college basketball teams. Some are trying for a signature win to get off the NCAA Tournament bubble. Others are trying to improve their seeding in the Big Dance.
Kentucky finds itself with five games remaining on the schedule, beginning with a contest at Auburn on Saturday night (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). UK head coach Mark Pope knows that the next few weeks will determine the success of his team’s season.
“It’s just a matter of who is going to raise up and win. We have five games left. It’s winning time,” Pope said. “This is the best part of the season. It’s the best part of the year. This last stretch in conference (play) and in the conference tournament and the NCAA Tournament is what you live your whole life for.”
Pope knows that this is when great teams can dig deep and focus on the task at hand.
“It’s when the other stuff fades away,” he said. “The distractions of numbers and playing time and stats and money and all the noise, it goes away and you’re judged and defined on winning. So this is the best time.”
Auburn poses a tough task for the Cats on Saturday. The Tigers are 14-12 this season, but have proven that they can beat just about anyone.
“They knocked off the best teams in our league,” Pope said of Auburn. “Florida on the road, beat Arkansas. So, they’re one of those teams that’s really, really good when they’re at their best, and then they’ve had some struggles. They’re talented, they’re skilled. (Tahaad) Pettiford, obviously, has been a problem in this league. He’s really good.”
Winning time is here and Pope is working to make sure his team is ready for the important weeks ahead.
Know Your Opponent: Auburn
Kentucky visits Aubrun on Saturday night.
• Kentucky leads the all-time series, 98-24, and is 32-18 in Auburn
• Auburn defeated Kentucky, 94-78, as season ago when the Tigers were the top-ranked team in the country
• Dan Issel has the UK scoring record in the series with 42 points in 1970
• Auburn is 14-12, 5-8 in the SEC and has lost five straight
• The Tigers lead the country in free throws made per game at 20.7
• Keyshawn Hall leads Auburn, averaging 21.0 points per game, which ranks fourth in the league. He also averages 7.0 rebounds per game and is shooting 41.6 percent from 3-point range
Last Time Out
Kentucky fell to Georgia, 86-78, ending a streak of 12 straight wins against the Bulldogs in Lexington.
• Otega Oweh tied his career high with 28 points. It was his 12th game this season with at least 20 points, all coming in the last 17 games. He has scored 20 or more points in 10 of 13 league games
• Collin Chandler set a new career high in made 3s for the second consecutive game, this time hitting six. He also matched his career high with 18 points, which he has achieved in three of the last four games
• Mo Dioubate led all rebounders with nine boards
• Kentucky won rebounding 43-36. The Wildcats are 13-3 when outrebounding the opponent this season
• UK had the edge in fastbreak points, 16-11. The Cats have outscored their opponent on the fastbreak in 21 of 26 games this season
