Auburn Basketball Sets Sights Higher

by Jay Coulter on Oct 25, 2011 2:05 PM CDT in Basketball

It's all about baby steps for Tony Barbee in his second year as Auburn basketball coach. At least that's what the SEC media believes. On Monday, Auburn was picked to finish 10^th in the SEC this upcoming season. That's two spots higher than a year ago when the Tigers were picked dead last.

Before you get down, remember Auburn's football team was also picked tenth in football this season. Something tells me they are going to finish much better.

As expected, Kentucky is the overwhelming favorite to win the conference, followed by Vanderbilt and Florida. Because of the overall weakness of the SEC West (although conference officials won't admit it), the SEC is moving to an open format this season, doing away with divisional standings.

While schools will continue to play teams in their traditional divisions twice, when it comes to standings, everyone will be together. If all goes as planned this will help the Eastern Division significantly come SEC Tournament time.

Considering the condition of the SEC East in football, why aren't we doing the same in that sport? Who wants to watch a school from the SEC West crush South Carolina for the second year in a row?

But I digress...

Junior Forward Kenny Gabriel says depth will be the difference this season.

"We have a lot of experience coming back, and we have a lot more bodies that what we had last year," says Gabriel. "We can go 10 to 12 deep this year. Everybody is willing to do whatever it takes to win."

Another key will be the return of junior guard Frankie Sullivan. When he went down with injury early in the year last season, Auburn not only lost its star, it lost its leader. Sullivan says he's seen a big difference in preparation this off-season and believes that will help once SEC play begins in January.

"Everyone on the team has worked and prepared hard," says Sullivan. "Last year, some people were looking at me to be the guy to come in and lift the team off the boat and when I went out, some people were not prepared for it. This year, everyone is on top of their game.

"Everyone has been in the gym 24-7 and working out developing as players. It is going to be a great year for us. I think our defense is going to be on top because everyone is competing for a starting spot and everyone wants to play in the ball game. Coach (Barbee) says that if you cannot play defense then you cannot play in the game."

The biggest news in the off-season has been the addition of some much needed talent. Sullivan likes what he sees so far.

"They are great," Sullivan said. "Starting with Willy (Kouassi), he is a great shot blocker and he is going to help us out. I think he is going to end up being the leading shot blocker probably in the country because there is nothing he cannot go get. You see him in practice rejecting all of the people trying to dunk on him. It is good for him to come out with that kind of confidence, and it will help him out a lot during a game.

"Cedrick McAfee is a great scorer, gritty guy and a hard-nosed player. We needed a guy like that to come in who is not afraid of anything and who wants to start and play. He is one of those guys who does not want to wait his turn and wants to come in and take a starting spot, and that is great for us.

"Bernard (Morena) is a great defensive player. He is ready to show everyone that he can compete in the SEC as one of the better defensive guys. That leaves me with Varez (Ward). We all know his credentials coming from Texas. He is a great guy coming in and an all-around great point guard. It is going to be a real battle between him and Josh Wallace for the one spot."

Auburn opens the preseason on November 1^st when it welcomes Paine College to the Auburn Arena. The regular season begins on November 11^th at home against McNeese State.

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Comments

I think that Auburn basketball might actually become interesting!

Which is really quite exciting. I feel like we’ve talked about conference expansion and its affects on football, but I feel in this instance both A&M and Mizzou will add a little something something to basketball as well. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

by Tiger on the mountain on Oct 25, 2011 2:43 PM CDT reply actions

Haven't really thought about this but adding those two teams can only help this conference from a Bball perspective.

2011 LSU Accolades:

"I really like corndogs" -Sparky

"Imperial Intergalactic Overlord Barkevious Mingo" -Andy Staples

"If Alabama's defense is a boa constrictor, slowly sucking the life out of opposing offenses, LSU's is more like a goon that throws the offense into a burlap sack and starts beating it with a stick." -Matt Hinton

"Oregon’s Chip Kelly is generally considered a coaching mastermind. Miles toyed with him here Saturday night." -Dan Wetzel, Yahoo Sports

"I don’t want to say that I think Mo Claiborne is faster than Patrick Peterson…..but I think Mo Claiborne is faster than Patrick Peterson." -Les Miles

by LSU Jonno on Oct 25, 2011 4:07 PM CDT up reply actions

Agreed...

We are going to have to step it up even more. I really believe we’ll see a lot of improvement over a year ago. It will disappointing if we don’t. Winter is great when basketball is interesting – something we don’t see enough of around Auburn.

by Jay Coulter on Oct 25, 2011 3:49 PM CDT reply actions

You know...

The fact that a basketball article only gets three other comments on TET is not a good thing. Auburn people just completely don’t care about basketball. They love football and after that they’re through. If I could afford it, I’d buy season tickets for Auburn basketball immediately. Those kids deserve our support too, and they’re just as much a part of Auburn as the football team is. Hell, we even have a brand new gym and nobody is watching the damn games.

It's Auburn against the world. Good luck world.

by Sparkey on Oct 26, 2011 5:14 PM CDT reply actions

I think you inadvertantly hit the root of the problem...

Auburn people just completely don’t care about basketball.

Given what followed, I think you meant to say “people just completely don’t care about Auburn basketball”. And that could be true.

But there are some of us who are “meh” at best to that hoopy-ball sport, making your statement about not caring about basketball true as well.

This does raise interesting questions about how long one should feel obliged to root for a traditionally-bad team.

(Not a knock on Barbee or anything…just sayin’…Auburn don’t light it up on the court)

"The ball will be spotted at the six-inch-yardline."

by AU Tiger on Oct 26, 2011 5:21 PM CDT up reply actions

In your case...

I actually appreciate your lack of enthusiasm about basketball. Why do I not really judge you by the same rules? Well, you don’t do that whole “True Auburn Person” BS that I hate so much. I find it funny that TRUE AUBURN PEOPLE are only interested when it comes to football. When it comes to basketball, they’re nowhere to be found. I suppose that being a true auburn man only counts if football is involved.

It's Auburn against the world. Good luck world.

by Sparkey on Oct 26, 2011 5:28 PM CDT up reply actions

Well, let's be fair here...

I’m not exactly in the best position to go playing that whole TRUE AUBURN FAN ®, given my short time here.

With that said, I don’t much buy into that line of thinking. I got blasted for not being a fan of the Steelers, while living in the heart of their fanbase (no, I wasn’t some dumbass who pulled for the Browns just to be difficult — I just followed the NFL at large).

Regional loyalty means everything to those that buy into it, and absolutely nothing to those that don’t.

I think you’re agreeing that a person could be forgiven for not supporting the basketball team if they don’t like basketball. What if they DO like the sport at hand, though?

Case in point: after a long, bitter break in which we saw other people, baseball and I are back on amicable terms. During the summer, I’ll make sure to have a game on for background noise. I don’t have a team I follow, but I tend to find a rooting interest in a matchup.

Now, given that, is it excusable that I don’t care to follow the baseball team? And that’s not a loaded question — I mean it’s not like anyone believes you should be strung up for not supporting the team. But does it make me a bit hypocritical that I’ll follow MLB but remain disinterested in Auburn’s team?

I don’t really know. When I break it down like that, it does make me feel a bit sheepish (but only a bit — they use ALUMINUM BATS, people!).

What’s your take, Sparks (or anyone else)?

"The ball will be spotted at the six-inch-yardline."

by AU Tiger on Oct 26, 2011 6:39 PM CDT up reply actions

I was using this as a platform...

to show how ridiculous that whole True Auburn Fan BS really is. The reason why I don’t mind you saying you don’t care too much about basketball or Auburn’s basketball is because you’ve never tried to pound that AUBURN MAN hammer on my head. There are some though that think you can never complain, never be realistic, and never do anything but trust the coaches and say that Auburn is great. That’s just not me. When we’re great, I’ll say it but for me to say that it takes a hell of lot, last year’s comeback performance against Alabama was great. The national championship was great. However, nothing this year in regards to the football team has been great in my mind. Consequently, I’m not going to just trust the coaches and blindly cheer for Auburn. That’s not who I am.
For me, the ones that claimed I wasn’t a true Auburn man (or insinuated it for that matter) should be claiming how great the basketball team is. They should be trusting the coaches and nothing but blind faith is a True Auburn Man. The same goes for baseball. If we play a bad game on the diamond, we must not mention it. We must simply cheer and say War Eagle and trust the coaches. If I sound bitter, I am.
I don’t give a damn about baseball. I can’t stand the sport and could care less about it as a whole. I watch it sometimes because I love anything Auburn but other than that, I really would be happy if it just completely disappeared. Still, I watch Auburn because it’s Auburn. Yes, the fact that you like baseball but don’t watch Auburn baseball is a bit hypocritical in my view but you aren’t pushing the TRUE AUBURN FAN BS so then again, maybe not.

It's Auburn against the world. Good luck world.

by Sparkey on Oct 26, 2011 9:59 PM CDT up reply actions

Sparks, you have the patience of Job when it comes to the round ball.

For me personally, I don’t mind talking about the negatives of any game—I do mind when talking about the negatives leads to the ‘Fire-the-couch-rhetoric’. We have no patience anymore. I remember a time when we could all talk about negative things in a constructive way, now it honestly seems so divisive. So, let’s all go to blog-posters counseling and work this out, K?

I don’t follow Auburn bball as much, because my Pops did not. I grew up in a football-centric house. Right or wrong that’s just how it was. I try to pay attention to the round ball, but it only gets fun for me in March. I used to LOVE baseball, and then they went on strike for the uptenth time and I lost my faith and my love for America’s game.

by Tiger on the mountain on Oct 27, 2011 9:00 AM CDT up reply actions

The problem with Roof...

Since I think that’s what you’re referring to in this matter is that I just feel like he doesn’t belong. First of all, I thought he was the worst hire Chizik made so I didn’t like him from the beginning. Next, all of the staff has a certain energy and swagger about them except Roof. He’s rigid and he doesn’t seem to do so well in a public setting. This day and age, you need both of your coordinators to be at home in front of the camera or at least able to handle it better than he does. Roof looks like he’s miserable while he’s on camera. Chizik doesn’t have a maximum security operation like Saban does with his unit. I prefer Gene’s approach, but I think in the case of Roof he would do better if Chizik didn’t let the media talk to him at all. He just looks lost and ready to get away from everybody.
Furthermore, he’s not bringing in the big time defensive recruits. Other than a few exceptions, Alabama and LSU are getting the top defensive guys coming out of the South. We seem to be getting our fair share of top offensive talent, but we’re missing out on the Five Star Defensive guys over and over again. That’s not to say we aren’t getting good defensive recruits. It’s just not on the same level that we’re getting offensive recruits.
Lastly, Roof can’t stop a spread. He’s good when it comes to traditional power-set offenses. The spread eats his defenses up, though. Unfortunately, that’s what the SEC is running mostly these days. In addition, Roof’s defenses always seem lacking some extra quality. They’ve never had that “it” factor in the three years he’s been here. He’s not a bad coach. There’s just guys that Auburn could get that are much better than he is I personally believe.

It's Auburn against the world. Good luck world.

by Sparkey on Oct 28, 2011 7:06 AM CDT up reply actions