Auburn solidified its place on top of the national rankings with a brilliant victory over then-no. 2 Alabama on Saturday.
Now Tigers look to avoid a betrayal when they host up-and-down Arkansas on Wednesday evening in Southeastern Conference Play.
Auburn (23-2, 11-1 SEK) prevailed 94-85 in the exhibition No. 1 against No. 2 on the Alabama campus in Tuscaloosa.
“You never know if a game can live up to the hype,” said the Tigers coach Bruce Pearl. “We were very prepared. Coach did a good job with the playing field. The children were executed early. …
“I’m a big fan of making history, and I know 1-2 are rare.”
This year’s national player Johni Broome had 19 points, 14 returns and six assists but was ranked as just the second best player on the floor of Pearl.
The coach’s choice for top performance was the guard Denver Jones, who had 16 points on crime and helped limit Alabama star Mark Sars to 4-AV-17 shooting.
Jones was named Sec Player of the Week on Monday after an average of 18.5 points in two matches. He got a season high 21 points and matched his season best of five 3 points in an 80-68 victory on Vanderbilt on February 11.
“How do you stay in front of Mark Sears? Hardly anyone can,” Pearl said. “Denver Jones did, and no one talked about it. … He is one of the best defensive players in college basketball. He must be in the Naismith all-defensive team.”
When it comes to his approach in the big game, Jones said: “Come out aggressive. If I had an open look, I took it and trusted myself and my teammates.”
Broome injured an ankle during the second half and hobted down the distance. It remains to be seen how spice he is against Razorbacks.
Broome has an average of 18.1 points, 10.9 returns, 3.4 assists and 2.7 blocked shots.
Arkansas was crushed at home, 83-51, last season of Auburn and faces a formidable task in this season’s lonely scheduled matchup.
Razorbacks (15-10, 4-8) cannot afford many more losses with six matches left in the regular season. The pressure is really on their NCAA tournaments.
This is perhaps why Arkansas coach John Calipari snapped during the press conference after a road loss of 69-61 until then. 8 Texas A&M on Saturday.
“In order for us to switch through, we have to beat someone,” said Calipari. “I wanted to make sure they were not happy that we will be ok. No. If we won that game, we are in the (NCAA) tournament.
Then Calipari screamed, “so it’s not ok to say that we will have a good time!
“Now we have to go and get someone else. But I didn’t want to put it on them, because I have some guys who are a little fragile.”
Only one of Arkansa’s four -second victories was against a ranked enemy, which came in Calipari’s long -awaited return to Kentucky (then no. 12) on February 1.
No. 15 Missouri and No. 21 Mississippi State – both at home – remain on Razorback’s closing distance.
Against Texas A&M, Marter Knox made a team best 17 points on 7-9 shooting. Zvonimir Ivisic had 13 points after an average of 26.0 during the previous two competitions.
Adou Thiero owns the team best at 15.8 points and 6.1 returns after producing only 10 points and three boards against aggies.
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