The Auburn basketball team is on a roll, but despite being the only team in the SEC that has gone undefeated in conference play, the Tigers have not been playing their best basketball. Their shooting percentages have gone down, especially from beyond the three-point arc, and easy shots are not dropping so easily.
The Tigers play a grueling conference schedule including many ranked opponents. And things aren't set to get any easier. After a win at LSU, Auburn basketball will hit the road again to take on Ole Miss, the only team to beat Alabama at home so far this season, in what will be a very challenging matchup.
Following the road test against No. 23 Ole Miss, the Tigers return home to play Oklahoma in a midweek game before welcoming No. 5 Florida to Neville Arena on Saturday. With the No. 1 ranking, the target on the Tigers' back is getting increasingly larger, and the time for them to emerge from their mini-slump is now.
According to senior forward Chaney Johnson, it's not that the team is tired, it's just that they need to break through this period of struggle, and everyone is supporting and trusting one another.
“We're not tired,” said Johnson, per Auburn Rivals. “I'd say it's just a slump, man. I trust my guys. I trust Denver Jones, Haad, Miles. I feel like we have, honestly, some of the best shooters in the country, not forgetting Chad as well. We have some of the best shooters in the country.
“Miles and Denver were in the gym earlier today. C-Mo was in the gym as well. Everybody on this team wants to work. Everybody on this team wants to keep on improving. I mean, I trust them. If they're in the gym working, I trust them.”
Auburn basketball and Ole Miss will tipoff from the Pavillion tomorrow at 1:00 p.m.