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Auburn Basketball: Tigers Host Texas A&M in Important SEC Matchup

By Nicholas Ian Allen

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Following a disappointing 57-55 loss to Alabama Saturday, the Auburn basketball team looks to reverse a two-game losing streak with a win Tuesday against Texas A&M.

Auburn Tigers (10-9, 2-4) vs. Texas A&M Aggies (13-5, 4-2)

  • Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2015
  • Start Time: 8:00PM Central
  • Location: Auburn, AL
  • Arena: Auburn Arena
  • TV Info: SEC Network
  • Live Stream: WatchESPN
  • Odds (VegasInsider.com): Texas A&M (-2.5)

The Auburn Tigers had an opportunity to pick up a huge rivalry win on the road in the Iron Bowl of Basketball Saturday, but an eight-point second half lead crumbled down the stretch and the Tigers lost 57-55 to the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The loss was the second in a row for the Tigers, and dropped their record to 2-4 in SEC play.

Auburn followed their traditional recipe for success this season by leaning on senior guards K.T. Harrell and Antoine Mason, as well as forward Cinmeon Bowers, and though the trio all scored in double-figures led by Harrell’s 22, it wasn’t enough to score the upset victory. Especially since there were no other Tigers that scored more than two points in the game.

“I’m playing well, but at the end of the day, I want to win games. I’ve never been a guy who is satisfied with his own individual stats,” Harrell told auburntigers.com this week. “I could care less about me. I want to win. If I have zero points and we win the game I’m happy. I’ve been focusing on trying to do my part and playing as well as I can to give us the best opportunity.”

Harrell is certainly showing the attitude, but if he’s held scoreless against Texas A&M Tuesday night, the odds of the Auburn basketball team earning a victory – even in front of a raucous home crowd – are roughly zero.

RELATED: Missed Opportunity got Auburn in Iron Bowl of Basketball

Following two losses to begin conference play (including a double-overtime loss to No. 1 Kentucky), the Aggies travel to Auburn Arena on a four-game SEC winning streak and on the NCAA Tournament bubble. They have great size and athleticism, which will once again put the Tigers at a size disadvantage.

However, it’s Texas A&M’s 6-foot-5 to 6-foot-7 guards, rather than their post players, that will prove the biggest obstacle for Auburn’s smaller roster. It’s a tall order, not only to overcome the size disadvantage, but to beat the favored surging Aggies.

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For Auburn to earn the upset victory over the Aggies, and move their home record to 10-2 this season, the Tigers will need a similar performance from Harrell, Bowers and Mason to the one that nearly led the squad to a win in Tuscaloosa. But in addition to that scoring trio, head coach Bruce Pearl needs a much better output from the rest of the roster.

Tahj Shamsid-Deen and Malcolm Canada generally do a terrific job of infusing the Tigers with energy off the bench, and Trayvon Reed is capable of breaking out of his freshman shell at any time. Plus, Jordon Granger actually has a favorable matchup at the four-position against Jalen Jones.

If Auburn can exploit that matchup and the Auburn bench rises to the occasion, the Tigers can win. If it’s a three-man show like we saw in Tuscaloosa, Auburn could be in for a long night.

Projected Lineups:

Auburn

#5 Cinmeon Bowers, F, Jr., 6-foot-7, 278 pounds, 13.5 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 29.8 MPG
#25 Jordon Granger, F, Jr., 6-foot-8, 210 pounds, 4.9 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 22.8 MPG
#1 K.T. Harrell, G, Sr., 6-foot-4, 212 pounds, 17.4 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 32.3 MPG
#12 K.C. Ross-Miller, G, So., 6-foot, 178 pounds, 6.2 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 24.5 MPG
#14 Antoine Mason, G, Sr., 6-foot-1, 216 pounds, 13.9 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 28.7 MPG

Texas A&M

#21 Alex Caruso, G, Jr., 6-foot-5, 184 pounds, 9.2 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 5.3 APG
#5 Jordan Green, G, Sr., 6-foot-5, 191 pounds, 5.9 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 1.7 APG
#23 Daniel House, G, Jr., 6-foot-7, 207 pounds, 13.8 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.0 APG
#12 Jalen Jones, F, Jr., 6-foot-7, 223 pounds, 14.2 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 0.9 APG
#14 Kourtney Roberson, F, Sr., 6-foot-9, 247 pounds, 7.9 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 0.8 APG

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