Bruce Pearl spoke to the media Thursday afternoon to preview Saturday's game against LSU. Here's a summary...
** Just after two games you can see how wild SEC race is going to be and how challenging it will be to survive.
** We started SEC season against two preseason top five teams and now we're facing an LSU team that's 2-0 and out-rebounded TAMU and leads the league in steals.
** The eligibility of Jalen Cook just changes their roster. There are a number of two-time transfers in our league that we're going to be playing against. We didn't pursue these transfers because the SEC/NCAA advised us they wouldn't be eligible. Pearl's problem is not with the rule change but how do you change the rule in the middle of the season?
** Will be an uptempo game. LSU has depth, likes to run and really athletic.
** We had Cook evaluated as good as any guard in the portal.
** LSU impacts ball screens. They don't sit back and let you run your stuff. They press the ball and have rim protection. They guard a little like we do but they're better at it. Offense is not going to be as easy against LSU. TAMU did a great job of disrupting us. Just like TAMU, LSU holds teams to 67-68 points.
** It starts with our point guards. Both are unselfish and they don't put themselves in position to do too much and turn the ball over. This team has really worked hard and is willing to share the ball and play unselfishly. That's going to be challenged as we play better defenses that are more disruptive.
** We've also seen Jaylin Williams shine for parts of games but now we're seeing it more consistently in games and practices.
** Tre Donaldson, who Buzz Williams called one of the SEC's most improved players, worked really hard in the offseason. He's sharing time with a McDonald's All-American. There's nobody that helped Aden Holloway learn his position more than Tre while at the same time competing for the job. He deserves a lot of credit.
** Great to see Buzz Williams pay Auburn and its fans and students a great compliment. I think our fans appreciate hearing that.
*****THAT'S ALL*****
** Just after two games you can see how wild SEC race is going to be and how challenging it will be to survive.
** We started SEC season against two preseason top five teams and now we're facing an LSU team that's 2-0 and out-rebounded TAMU and leads the league in steals.
** The eligibility of Jalen Cook just changes their roster. There are a number of two-time transfers in our league that we're going to be playing against. We didn't pursue these transfers because the SEC/NCAA advised us they wouldn't be eligible. Pearl's problem is not with the rule change but how do you change the rule in the middle of the season?
** Will be an uptempo game. LSU has depth, likes to run and really athletic.
** We had Cook evaluated as good as any guard in the portal.
** LSU impacts ball screens. They don't sit back and let you run your stuff. They press the ball and have rim protection. They guard a little like we do but they're better at it. Offense is not going to be as easy against LSU. TAMU did a great job of disrupting us. Just like TAMU, LSU holds teams to 67-68 points.
** It starts with our point guards. Both are unselfish and they don't put themselves in position to do too much and turn the ball over. This team has really worked hard and is willing to share the ball and play unselfishly. That's going to be challenged as we play better defenses that are more disruptive.
** We've also seen Jaylin Williams shine for parts of games but now we're seeing it more consistently in games and practices.
** Tre Donaldson, who Buzz Williams called one of the SEC's most improved players, worked really hard in the offseason. He's sharing time with a McDonald's All-American. There's nobody that helped Aden Holloway learn his position more than Tre while at the same time competing for the job. He deserves a lot of credit.
** Great to see Buzz Williams pay Auburn and its fans and students a great compliment. I think our fans appreciate hearing that.
*****THAT'S ALL*****
