The Auburn basketball team has had to fight hard for their last two wins against Alabama and Arkansas, and their defensive effort has been a big factor in their success.
Ahead of the Alabama game, head coach Bruce Pearl told the media that the Tigers' defense was "going to have to be really, really good" if they wanted to beat the Tide, especially after his team's poor performance against Florida.
"When we're locked in and flying around and engaged defensively, we could be pretty good," Pearl said of what he's learned about this team recently, per Auburn Undercover. "When we're sitting back on our heels and not playing and defending as physically and as intensely and as alertly, we're vulnerable."
Pearl shared this sentiment ahead of the Alabama game, but it rang true in the Tigers' most recent game against Arkansas, too. The team struggled mightily on offense throughout the game, shooting at just 16.7 percent from beyond the three-point arc, but lockdown defense and good rebounding kept Pearl's squad in the game. Auburn beat Arkansas 42-29 in rebounds and nabbed 13 offensive rebounds that resulted in 16 second-chance points for the Tigers.
“That was very important, because shots aren't always going to fall,” Chaney Johnson said, per Auburn Rivals. “I mean, being on the glass is effort. Being able to stay in front of your defender is effort. When shots are not falling, we're still able to give good effort. That keeps us in the game. Then, when we start making shots, we continue to give that effort, and it allows us to win games.”
The Tigers return to action tomorrow when they host Georgia — a team that Auburn beat by only two points on the road — in Neville Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.