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Auburn basketball makes history in SEC individual awards

By Mary Kate Hughes

Auburn basketballMar 2, 2022; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Auburn Tigers forward Walker Kessler (left) and forward Jabari Smith (right) embrace after defeating the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Humphrey Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
Auburn basketballMar 2, 2022; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Auburn Tigers forward Walker Kessler (left) and forward Jabari Smith (right) embrace after defeating the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Humphrey Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Earlier this week, the Southeastern Conference’s 14 coaches gathered together to vote on SEC individual awards, and Auburn basketball made history in the results. For the first time ever, the Tigers snagged three of the five SEC individual honors.

First and foremost, Bruce Pearl became the sixth Auburn basketball coach in program history to win SEC Coach of the Year in addition to Cliff Ellis, Tommy Joe Eagles, Sonny Smith, Bob Davis, and Joel Eaves. Pearl’s 2021-22 season was decorated with achievements, from the 19-game win streak to the 15 conference wins to the #1 ranking in the AP Poll to going undefeated on the Tigers’ home court at the newly christened Neville Arena.

This honor marks Pearl’s third time winning SEC Coach of the Year, and he is also on the Naismith Men’s College Coach of the Year watch list.

As the highest-ranked recruit in Auburn basketball history, Jabari Smith Jr. won the SEC Freshman of the Year honors after an extremely impressive regular-season campaign. The power forward won SEC Freshman of the Week six times this year, the most of any Tiger in program history.

Smith shot the three-ball at 43.6 percent this season in addition to averaging a team-high 17.1 points per game. He was selected to The Sporting News’ All-American second-team earlier this week and is a finalist for the Wooden Award and the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year award. Following this season, he has the potential to be the first pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Lastly, big man Walker Kessler was selected as the SEC Defensive Player of the Year. Kessler currently leads the D1 division and the SEC in blocked shots in addition to holding Auburn basketball’s single-season record in blocked shots with 140. He has recorded two triple-doubles so far this season in addition to leading the Tigers in rebounding.

Kessler is tabbed as a finalist for the Wooden Award, the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year and was named to the SEC’s All-Defensive Team.

Next. Gus Malzahn lauds Bruce Pearl for SEC title. dark

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