This begs the question, has @Stumpfan ever been more wrong about anything?
X-factor: Tre Donaldson
What a luxury Bruce Pearl has when five-star freshman point guard Aden Holloway hits a lull, that he can just move a linebacker-sized sophomore into the starting lineup and keep trucking. Donaldson (an actual former football star) became a starter four games ago, and he’s been instrumental in the Tigers’ move to retake a share of first place in the SEC. In consecutive blowout wins at Ole Miss and against rival Alabama, Donaldson played a total of 49 minutes, made 9 of 17 shots, scored 24 points, dished 10 assists, had six boards and turned it over just three times.
Auburn is 17-2 this season when he has at least three assists. He’s only scored in double figures 10 times in 55 career games, but he’s a steady hand on a team with tons of options. Donaldson is a career 40 percent 3-point shooter with a 2.2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. With Johni Broome and Jaylin Williams both playing at an All-SEC level — they combined for 50 points in a 99-81 shellacking of the Crimson Tide on Wednesday night — a poised point guard is all Pearl needs. In Donaldson, he has a heckuva safety net on nights Holloway isn’t up to that task. – Tucker
11. Auburn (19-4)
Last week: Not rankedX-factor: Tre Donaldson
What a luxury Bruce Pearl has when five-star freshman point guard Aden Holloway hits a lull, that he can just move a linebacker-sized sophomore into the starting lineup and keep trucking. Donaldson (an actual former football star) became a starter four games ago, and he’s been instrumental in the Tigers’ move to retake a share of first place in the SEC. In consecutive blowout wins at Ole Miss and against rival Alabama, Donaldson played a total of 49 minutes, made 9 of 17 shots, scored 24 points, dished 10 assists, had six boards and turned it over just three times.
Auburn is 17-2 this season when he has at least three assists. He’s only scored in double figures 10 times in 55 career games, but he’s a steady hand on a team with tons of options. Donaldson is a career 40 percent 3-point shooter with a 2.2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. With Johni Broome and Jaylin Williams both playing at an All-SEC level — they combined for 50 points in a 99-81 shellacking of the Crimson Tide on Wednesday night — a poised point guard is all Pearl needs. In Donaldson, he has a heckuva safety net on nights Holloway isn’t up to that task. – Tucker
