Auburn basketball: Georgia on our minds and our campus

Bruce Pearl and the Auburn basketball program will reignite the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry today when the Tigers take on the Georgia Bulldogs in Auburn Arena.

It’s been over a year since the Dawgs have made the trip to the Plains, but the Tigers have won seven of the last ten matchups between the two schools–including the one that took place nearly three weeks ago in Athens. Georgia is 3-6 in conference play, while Auburn is 4-5.

The Tigers are looking for a season sweep tonight in Auburn Arena, but Coach Pearl emphasized that beating a good team twice is never easy, and Georgia has won three of their last five games since their loss to Auburn.

Never to fear, Tiger fans–our home field advantage over the dawgs is complimented by having the best player on the court in freshman Sharife Cooper.

The point guard balled out in Athens, knocking down 28 points, 12 assists, and five rebounds in what was only his second game after being cleared by the NCAA. Ironically enough, the man who is arguably the best player in the SEC was recruited out of the state of Georgia.

But Cooper isn’t the only Auburn basketball superstar to hail from the Peach State–in fact three of Auburn’s five players from Georgia went to McEachern High School in Powder Springs.

Babatunde “Stretch” Akingbola and Dylan Cardwell played together with Cooper on McEachern’s high school team, and a couple years ago former Auburn Tiger Isaac Okoro–current Cleveland Cavalier– was right there with them.

JT Thor and Jaylin Williams, two of Auburn basketball’s regular starters, also played high school ball in Georgia.

AJC reports that McEachern High School basketball coach Mike Thompson credits Bruce Pearl’s recruiting efforts in getting Georgia athletes to the Plains:

"According to Thompson, Okoro is central to establishing the pipeline from McEachern to Auburn.“Bruce was here all the time,” said Thompson…“He was the first one to recruit Isaac. He went to Argentina to see Isaac play when Isaac was on the USA team and he was the only one to do that. That’s what sold Isaac on Auburn.”"

Keeping these great basketball players from the Georgia program has no doubt been instrumental in the Tigers securing so many wins over the rival school as of late. Tonight’s game is schedule to tip off at 6pm.