Joseph Goodman: Bruising Auburn flexes on Arkansas, SEC

Auburn ahead Dylan Cardwell doesn’t waste his fouls.

There are a couple of basketball gamers within the SEC this season who can take over video games with their offense. Anthony Black of Arkansas is one. He was in Auburn on Saturday night time. Brandon Miller of Alabama is one other. He scored 19 towards Kentucky earlier within the day. I’m not saying Cardwell is an offensive maven like Black or Miller, however when the game-changers of this league drive the lane towards Auburn for the remainder of this season, and truly stroll away and not using a limp or busted lip, then they need to all thank Mr. Cardwell by his household identify for not dropping them on those stitched throughout their backs.

No.22 Auburn won’t be fairly like final season, however the Tigers served discover on Saturday night time with their stunning 72-59 roughneck victory towards No.13 Arkansas that opponents are going to earn their buckets with a aspect of ache and possibly just a little paint on the uniforms from right here on out.

“They by no means had been capable of successfully assault,” coach Bruce Pearl stated. “Easy.”

Such an exquisite euphemism, coach, for the bruising actuality Auburn inflicted on an Arkansas group that’s led by some nice finishers on the rim. Take Auburn’s Cardwell, for instance. He solely performed 10 minutes, however he made them rely greater than any quantity of offense by Arkansas. Cardwell picked up two fouls throughout his time on the court docket, however they had been every so devastating that officers went to the video evaluate displays each occasions to find out if the frequent fouls must be upgraded to the flagrant selection.

Nope. Simply good, clear enjoyable inside The Jungle.

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What ought to opponents know once they drive to the basket towards Dylan Cardwell? I requested Auburn’s Wendell Inexperienced Jr. that precise query after the sport.

It’s “not protected,” he stated. “They’re going to get whooped up.”

Such a pure, uncut gem of reality. That’s Auburn basketball at its greatest whether or not there’s a first-rounder on the roster this season or not.

Auburn despatched Arkansas to the road 32 occasions. The Razorbacks solely made 19 free throws.

“They actually confirmed me one thing tonight,” Pearl stated. “The bounce-back, the short turnaround, performed nice from the beginning.”

Right here’s one thing I don’t assume sufficient individuals recognize about Pearl as a coach. Sure, he’s gregarious. Sure, he’s an incredible recruiter. Sure, he has scratched out just a little piece of school basketball heaven on a speck of highway in Auburn that’s actually named Heisman Drive. Ask your self this. What number of occasions have you ever discovered your self saying, “Man, Pearl’s group actually got here out flat as we speak?”

It doesn’t occur a lot in any respect, and if it does then no means it’s going to occur two video games in a row. Uncommon are the times when Auburn comes out trying like a group caught within the mud. That’s not luck or by chance or due to some mysterious cosmic power. It’s nice teaching. On this night time, Auburn began issues off with a four-point play by Inexperienced, and after that Arkansas was enjoying catch up all recreation.

Down season for Auburn (12-3, 2-1 within the SEC), you say? Nonetheless fairly nice. This recreation didn’t have a single change of the lead from the opening seconds, and the rating was by no means even tied. The Tigers led the entire means towards a group that’s going to be penciled deep within the NCAA Event on a whole lot of brackets.

“You guys have seen us play all fall, and we wanted that,” Pearl stated, opening up with reporters in his postgame information convention. “I feel everybody in right here would agree. May you might have anticipated it?”

Uhh, going to reply that one within the affirmative, coach. To play off a euphemism, we’ve seen your optimistic interactions with extremely motivated student-athletes for greater than a minute.

“In all probability one of many High 5 wins I’ve had at residence at Neville Enviornment,” Pearl stated. “It was an vital win. I’m very pleased with the children. It was an incredible group effort.”

High 5? Nicely, possibly solely as a result of it got here on the identical day that Alabama clobbered Kentucky by 26 factors over at Coleman.

Is Auburn the favourite to win the SEC regular-season championship this season? In all probability not. It’s No.7 Alabama (13-2, 3-0 within the SEC) at this level, however I’m nonetheless not choosing anybody to win at Neville Enviornment. Don’t get me unsuitable. Alabama is nice, however Auburn has received 27 in a row at residence. It’s so many consecutive victories that the constructing the place it’s all gone down has had two completely different names and the soccer stadium throughout the road has launched three completely different head coaches.

It was Auburn Enviornment when the streak began and now they name their little store of horrors Neville Enviornment as a result of the stuff that grows so wild inside The Jungle impressed a man who isn’t even an Auburn graduate to donate a preposterous amount of cash.

The Tigers entered this weekend with questions after dropping at Georgia. That was a troublesome recreation to a rival, however high quality wins can imply extra on this sport on the finish of the season than any loss. Auburn answered all that with what seems like one of the best victory for any SEC group to start convention play.

Joseph Goodman is a columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and writer of “We Need Bama: A season of hope and the making of Nick Saban’s ‘final group’”. Yow will discover him on Twitter @JoeGoodmanJr.