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Auburn Basketball: Missouri loss exposes why ’17-’18 a key year for Pearl

By Chris Roush

Feb 18, 2017; College Station, TX, USA; Auburn Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl on the sidelines against the Texas A&M Aggies during the second half at Reed Arena. Texas A&M won 81-62. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 18, 2017; College Station, TX, USA; Auburn Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl on the sidelines against the Texas A&M Aggies during the second half at Reed Arena. Texas A&M won 81-62. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports /
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3. Playing smart

auburn basketball
Mar 8, 2017; Nashville, TN, USA; Auburn Tigers guard Ronnie Johnson (35) is defended by Missouri Tigers guard Frankie Hughes (3) during the first half of game one of the SEC Conference Tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports /

Giving up a six-point lead with 27 seconds to go in an SEC Tournament game is a sign of a team that doesn’t understand key game situations — or maybe one that has not been properly coached. Poor game decisions cost Auburn down the stretch in games against Georgia, Ole Miss and nearly cost the team in games against LSU and Mercer.

Yes, this was a freshman-laden team. They were inexperienced. And that is why in key situations you fall back on your experienced players. Senior guard Ronnie Johnson was underutilized at the end of games many times this season.

I didn’t attend any Auburn practices this year, but what happened in games makes me wonder how much this team practiced inbound plays and other late-game scenarios. Make that a focus, Bruce.

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