This could be the Achilles heel for Auburn basketball vs Mississippi State
![Fouls leading to Mississippi State FTs could be the Achilles heel for Auburn basketball on Wednesday night. Mandatory Credit: The Montgomery Advertiser Fouls leading to Mississippi State FTs could be the Achilles heel for Auburn basketball on Wednesday night. Mandatory Credit: The Montgomery Advertiser](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/97aed5e747492b6704094803c88a8b5c603fd77b273e42392cb8e7ef02a41031.jpg)
Auburn basketball is a pack of wounded animals right now. Tigers to be precise.
Blood was drawn at the Thompson-Boling Arena this past Saturday as AU fell to Tennessee 67-62. Now, the margin for error is razor-thin for the Tigers as they look to claim sole possession of an SEC regular-season championship this week.
Before the final home game for Jabari Smith in an Auburn uniform ahead of a long career as an NBA star, Mississippi State hosts the final regular-season road game of Smith’s collegiate career.
It could also be Walker Kessler’s. There’s just as much talk for the Tigers pivot to be SEC Player of the Year due to a historic campaign defensively.
🏀 @WalkerKessler13 named Semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year!
— Auburn Basketball (@AuburnMBB) March 1, 2022
✅ Leads the nation in blocks (1️⃣3️⃣7️⃣) and blocks per game (4️⃣.7️⃣)
✅ No. 8 in @SEC History in single season blocks#WarEagle pic.twitter.com/xf9gXL05DH
The frontcourt pair’s lockdown ability to secure the glass and scare shooters out of the paint and even away from taking 3-point shots is the backbone for the team’s success. Particularly on the road where their deep shooting has collectively lacked.
That said, the pair’s ability to stay on the floor is an exploitable weakness, especially for a Mississippi State offensive attack that gets to the free throw line with frequency.
As the Auburn Observer’s Justin Ferguson points out in response to Bruce Pearl’s comments about his team’s fouling habits, there could be a perfect storm brewing…though certainly not perfect for the Auburn family…
Auburn HC Bruce Pearl: "We have fouled too much in league play. Teams are scoring 24% of their points against us from the foul line. It's great to be able to block shots... but we've got to do it without fouling."
— Justin Ferguson (@JFergusonAU) February 28, 2022
Mississippi State is 19th nationally in free-throw rate
Auburn basketball must avoid foul trouble to avoid their first losing streak
So long as the Tigers aren’t forced to play seldom-used lineup combinations, Auburn should be able to overcome a surging Mississippi State team that has won three of their last four games.
But there’s a weakness that Coach Pearl recognizes cannot go unchecked.