Every week, we’ll be previewing Auburn basketball’s upcoming opponents. This week, Auburn hosts a heavyweight matchup with Kentucky before traveling to Missouri.
Kentucky
Kentucky is coached by John Calipari, who has built a basketball powerhouse and carved a legendary career. He arrived in Lexington in 2009, and has since been one of the most successful coaches in college basketball since, winning one national championship and making four Final Fours.
This year, Kentucky has built another strong contender, currently holding a 14-3 record at the time of this writing. As the conference shakes out, they are one of three teams that many consider a contender for the SEC Championship, with the other two being Auburn and LSU. The Wildcats average 84 points per game, while only giving up 63.
Players to watch for: #3, Freshman Guard TyTy Washington, and #34, Junior Forward Oscar Tshiebwe
While Kentucky always has great players, the dynamic Washington and dominant Tshiebwe are the two that are drawing the most attention. Washington is the second-leading scorer on the team, averaging 14.5 points per game. He’s a very good 3-point shooter, at 41.1% from deep. Tshiebwe is an imposing big man, standing at 6’9″, 245 pounds. He leads the country in rebounds at 15 boards per game. He is also the leading scorer for Kentucky, averaging 16.5 points.
While I usually limit this segment to two players, I feel I would be remiss if I didn’t mention junior guard Sahvir Wheeler. The 5’9″ point guard has been the main passer for Kentucky this season, averaging 7.3 assists per game.
Auburn hosts Kentucky Saturday, January 22nd.
Missouri
The Missouri Tigers are coached by Cuonzo Martin, who is in his 5th year in Columbia. He has hovered around .500 since his arrival, and has continued that trend this season.
This year’s Mizzou squad, at the time of this writing, is 8-9, with a 2-3 conference record. They have some odd losses, such as a 19-point loss to Liberty and a 44-point blowout against Arkansas. They do have an impressive win on their schedule though, beating Alabama earlier this year. They score 67.2 points per game while allowing 71.3.
Players to watch for: #24, Forward Kobe Brown, and #5, Guard Jarron Coleman
Brown is the main player to watch. The 6’8″ 250-pound is a dynamic scorer and rebounder, at 14.5 and 8.2 respectively. He is also incredibly efficient, shooting at a 50% clip from the field this season. He was the main reason that Mizzou beat Alabama, scoring 30 in that game. Coleman is the biggest deep threat on the team, shooting 30% from deep, and leads the Tigers in assists at 3.2 a game.
Auburn travels to face Missouri Tuesday, January 25th.
