Auburn a tough place for Razorbacks to rebound

Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl talks with Auburn guard Bryce Brown (2), Auburn guard Jared Harper, center, and Auburn guard Mustapha Heron (5) during a time out in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Crystal LoGiudice)
Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl talks with Auburn guard Bryce Brown (2), Auburn guard Jared Harper, center, and Auburn guard Mustapha Heron (5) during a time out in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Crystal LoGiudice)

FAYETTEVILLE -- The Arkansas Razorbacks are looking to rebound in more ways than one when they play at Auburn today.

The No. 22 Razorbacks (11-3, 1-1 SEC) figuratively need to rebound from a 78-75 loss at Mississippi State on Tuesday night. They also literally need to rebound the basketball to negate what has been a strength for the Tigers.

"I think rebounding is going be a big key -- and defending," Razorbacks Coach Mike Anderson said. "Which the ending of defending is rebounding the basketball."

Auburn (13-1, 1-0) has a plus-8.9 rebound margin to rank second in the SEC behind Texas A&M's plus-9.5 average, and the Tigers are especially adept at getting their own missed shots.

The Tigers are leading the SEC in offensive rebounds per game at 14.0 and in offensive rebounding rate at 38.2 percent.

In Auburn's 94-84 victory at No. 23 Tennessee on Tuesday night, the Tigers had almost as many offensive rebounds (22) as the Volunteers did defensive rebounds (24).

A missed shot by Auburn essentially was a 50-50 ball.

"I think they shoot the threes and they run them down well," Tennessee Coach Rick Barnes said after the game. "They're going to shoot 30 threes. The big guys know that if they're going to touch the ball, they're going to have to go get it.

"They're bouncy, they're active, and I think they make the effort."

Auburn, which hit 9 of 31 three-pointers against Tennessee, got offensive rebounds on 12 of the 22 misses beyond the arc and converted those into 16 second-chance points.

Overall the Tigers outscored the Vols 28-18 in second-chance points -- the same margin by which Auburn won the game.

"As they got those offensive rebounds, boy, they had a lot of kick-outs where guys were spotting up and knocking shots down," Anderson said.

Barnes said the Vols -- who had 11 offensive rebounds in a 95-93 overtime loss at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville last Saturday -- weren't as focused on going after missed shots as the Tigers.

"Our front line guys want to score the ball," Barnes said. "They don't want to do the dirty work like those guys.

"I think you have a team with Auburn right now, their players understand their roles ... and the guys that need to go rebound, they go rebound."

Auburn's success getting offensive rebounds should be especially concerning to the Razorbacks after Mississippi State rebounded 10 of its 17 missed three-pointers -- the Bulldogs shot 4 of 21 -- and converted them into 10 second-chance points.

"They get a lot of long rebounds," Anderson said of the Tigers. "They've got guys that actually pursue the ball.

"They rebound as a team and they can see when the shot's going up, and they just fly to the glass. I think they say, 'We're going shoot it and go get it.' I think they're an extra effort team."

Seven Tigers had at least two offensive rebounds at Tennessee, led by four from 6-10 freshman Chuma Okeke -- the only player in Auburn's nine-man rotation taller than 6-8.

Desean Murry, a 6-3 junior transfer from Presbyterian, is averaging a team-high 7.3 rebounds for Auburn. Anfernee McLemore, a 6-7 sophomore, is averaging 6.4 rebounds and 6-5 sophomore guard Mustapha Heron is averaging 5.5.

Horace Spencer, a 6-8 junior, is averaging 5.6 rebounds in 15.6 minutes. Jared Harper, a 5-10 sophomore, is averaging 2.5 rebounds. He had three rebounds against the Vols.

"Obviously, we're undersized," Auburn Coach Bruce Pearl said. "Our guys play bigger."

Limiting the Tigers' offensive rebounds also is important for the Razorbacks because Auburn is leading the SEC in free-throw shooting at 77.9 percent (264 of 339).

Mississippi State hit 24 of 40 free throws compared to 5 of 12 by Arkansas on Tuesday.

"We have to stop fouling as much, and I think a lot of your fouls come from offensive rebounds, when they get it and you foul them going back up," Anderson said. "That's what happens a lot, so that's why it's going to be imperative that we do a good job on the glass against Auburn.

"That's how you fix that. You limit them to one shot."

Anderson said the formula for the Razorbacks to rebound with the Tigers isn't complicated.

"There's no secret to it," he said. "You've got to put bodies on people."

No. 22 Arkansas men at Auburn

WHEN 5 p.m. Central today WHERE Auburn Arena, Auburn, Ala. RECORDS Arkansas 11-3, 1-1 SEC. Auburn 13-1, 1-0 SERIES Arkansas leads 33-17 RADIO Razorback Sports Network TELEVISION ESPNU

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS

AUBURN POS., NAME, HT., YR. PPG RPG G Bryce Brown, 6-3, Jr. 15.9 2.4 G Mustapha Heron, 6-5, So. 15.8 5.5 G Jared Harper, 5-10, So. 12.6 2.5 F Desean Murray, 6-3, Jr. 10.6 7.3 F Anfernee McLemore, 6-7, So. 8.4 6.4 COACH Bruce Pearl (57-55 in four seasons at Auburn, 519-200 overall in 23 seasons)

ARKANSAS POS., NAME, HT., YR. PPG RPG G Jaylen Barford, 6-3, Sr. 18.7 4.4 G Daryl Macon, 6-3, Sr. 17.2 2.5 G Anton Beard, 6-0, Sr. 11.7 2.8 F Daniel Gafford, 6-11, Fr. 12.3 6.3 F Dustin Thomas 6-8, Sr. 5.0 4.6 COACH Mike Anderson (139-77 in seven seasons at Arkansas, 339-175 overall in 16 seasons)

TEAM COMPARISON

Auburn Arkansas 87.3 Points for 89.3 72.8 Points against 74.9 +8.9 Rebound margin -0.1 +2.2 Turnover margin +4.7 45.6 FG pct. 50.7 36.8 3-PT pct. 40.9 77.9 FT pct. 67.6

CHALK TALK Arkansas is 7-1 against Auburn under Coach Mike Anderson, including 4-0 at Auburn Arena. … Auburn has won 11 consecutive games — its longest streak since a 14-gamer during the 1999-2000 season — since losing to Temple 88-74 on Nov. 17. … Jaylen Barford led the Razorbacks with 20 points in their 79-68 victory at Auburn last season. Daryl Macon scored 13 points. … Arkansas is 0-2 in road games, losing at Houston 91-65 on Dec. 2 and at Mississippi State 78-75 on Tuesday night. … Auburn is 7-0 at home. … Razorbacks sophomore guard C.J. Jones is 2 of 14 from the field in the past three games, including 1 of 8 on three-point attempts. … Freshman forward Daniel Gafford leads the Razorbacks with 34 dunks. … Auburn is leading the SEC in blocked shots (6.6) and offensive rebounds (14.0) per game.

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Sports on 01/06/2018

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