The way the Tigers played Thursday against Alabama State was disheartening at best in a game that many people believed should have been a blowout.
Thank goodness for Johni Broome, who saved the game in the second half. But it looked and felt like Chad Baker-Mazara was trying not to let his lousy gameplay choke the game away. And yet, it almost happened.
Scoring five points on 1-9 shooting and grabbing two rebounds with two costly turnovers late in the second half a game like that can't happen again. The three-pointer he made late looked nice but one play won't fix an entire game's worth of screw-ups.
A team can only carry someone so long before not being able to carry anymore.
Creighton is no slouch coming into the March Madness tournament after destroying Louisville in the Round of 64. They are surprisingly a +9.5 underdog to the Tigers. When that spread starts swinging so soon one way, it shows even on a gambling point that Auburn might be in some trouble -- and Baker-Mazara might be the Achilles heel to this outstanding team.
Baker-Mazara can transfer this year thanks to the NCAA's ruling on the JUCO years. If Auburn loses to Creighton tomorrow, and it's from another really bad game from Chad where he accrues unneeded fouls trying to look like the tough guy, then the shame will be more than he can handle and he'll leave.
Where CBM goes is a mystery. He could chase a paycheck or try for a shot at redemption and transfer to a contender.
My guess would be North Carolina or Tennessee.
Chad's departure would also impact other parts of Auburn. It could force Bruce Pearl's hand who has mentioned before that Indiana University is his dream job.
Why would BP stay? Broome will be gone. So will Denver and Moore. Pearl is the winningest coach in program history and there isn't much else left to prove or do on the Plains. Indiana would be a new chapter and he wouldn't look like the bad guy for leaving when his team of mavericks blew up on him at the end of the year.
Believe it or not, Baker-Mazara holds the key to Auburn winning a championship in the palm of his hands more than anyone else.
If he doesn't turn his game around this dream of winning the title will be gone. And then maybe he will be too.