Trying to find a bounce-back efficiency, No. 15 Vanderbilt will search for its first victory at Auburn in a decade when the Southeastern Convention opponents meet on Tuesday.
Vanderbilt (19-4, 6-4 SEC) had its three-game successful streak snapped on Saturday by lowly Oklahoma, which had misplaced its final 9 video games. The Commodores by no means led within the shocking residence loss and trailed by 15 with 2:20 left earlier than rallying in a 92-91 setback.
Vanderbilt nonetheless is off to its finest 23-game begin since 2007-08 (additionally 19-4 earlier than reaching 24-4), however head coach Mark Byington is aware of his staff cannot afford a slide in convention play.
“On this excessive stage of sports activities, you get what you deserve, and we didn’t play effectively,” Byington mentioned. “We clearly did not play effectively, and we weren’t able to play. … We have got to return and determine it out and study from it and we have to repair some issues. We will not ever do that once more.”
The Commodores, who have not gained at Auburn since Feb. 13, 2016, are led by breakout sophomore Tyler Tanner. After averaging 5.7 factors per sport in a reserve position as a freshman, Tanner ranks fifth within the SEC with 18.6 factors per sport.
Tanner has shouldered the load of Vanderbilt’s injured backcourt, as second-leading scorer Duke Miles (16.6 ppg) has missed the final three video games with a knee harm and Frankie Collins (7.8 factors, 4.7 assists per contest) hasn’t performed since Dec. 17 as he additionally offers with an injured knee.
“I am simply pleased with his resiliency,” Byington mentioned of Tanner, who poured in a career-high 37 factors in opposition to Oklahoma, 15 within the closing two minutes. “He was combating and enjoying as onerous as he may, and he virtually bought us again into it.”
Byington famous that Miles and Collins do not have timetables for returns, however they could possibly be again earlier than the tip of the common season.
Auburn (14-9, 5-5), in the meantime, is out to keep away from its first set of consecutive residence losses since February 2021. A yr faraway from their second Last 4 look in program historical past, the Tigers are eleventh within the SEC standings with a month remaining within the common season.
First-year head coach Steven Pearl’s staff held a 10-point first-half lead in opposition to rival Alabama on Saturday, earlier than permitting 59 factors after halftime in a 96-92 residence loss. Auburn will not have a lot time to lick its wounds with one other Quad 1 alternative across the nook.
“You have to have a brief reminiscence since you’ve bought such a fast turnaround on Tuesday in opposition to one other actually good offensive staff,” Pearl mentioned. “Vanderbilt runs a ton of offensive units, so it’ll be actually onerous to interrupt that down to point out the blokes. I’ve bought to do an excellent job of actually figuring out areas that we bought uncovered.”
Vanderbilt ranks twelfth within the nation with 88.9 factors per sport, whereas Auburn permits 78.4 ppg — third most within the SEC.
Hoping to steer the Tigers away from the NCAA Match bubble has been Keyshawn Corridor, who ranks second within the convention at 21 factors per sport. Taking part in on his fourth staff in 4 years, Corridor is averaging 23.8 factors throughout the final 5 outings.
–Discipline Stage Media
