Five keys for Auburn basketball in the SEC Tournament

Here are five keys for Auburn if they want to win the SEC Tournament Title.

Lance Dawe | Mar 9, 2022

Five keys for Auburn basketball in the SEC Tournament /

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Auburn Tigers

The Tigers are entering the SEC Tournament in a bit of a down stretch.

If you count winning the SEC Regular Season title as a part of that stretch. Auburn started the year off 22-1 before losing three of their last four road games and finishing 27-4 (5-3 over their last eight matchups). There have been several issues through these final few games that the Tigers are going to need to correct in order to win the SEC Tournament.

Here are five keys for Auburn's run in the SEC Tournament.

Getting more out of Wendell Green Jr.

Green's long distance shooting was apart of the reason Auburn's offense was so lethal for the first half of the season. Conference play definitely took a tool on him (27.7% three point shooting) and now the Tigers need him to find his rhythm once again.

Continuing to feed Jabari Smith the ball

Auburn Tigers forward Jabari Smith (10) takes a jump shot as Auburn Tigers men's basketball faces South Carolina Gamecocks at Neville Arena in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, March 5, 2022. — © Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

SEC Freshman of the Year Jabari Smith finished the final six games of the regular season on a tear. Smith averaged 24.8 points and 7.3 rebounds during that stretch, and he has yet to cool off. Auburn's main source of offense needs to continue to thrive in the postseason if the Tigers are going to make a run in the SEC Tournament.

Avoiding slow starts to both halves

Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl signals to players during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against South Carolina, Saturday, March 5, 2022, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) — AP Photo/Butch Dill

Auburn has been notorious for starting the first and second halves slow this season, especially so in SEC play.

Adjustments out of the locker room are going to be key. If Auburn finds themselves up by double digits against Texas A&M or Florida in the quarterfinals they need to keep their foot on the gas and not crumble like they've done in several road games (Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Mississippi State).

Figuring out the small forward position

The collective of Allen Flanigan, Devan Cambridge and occasionally Chris Moore has not been getting it done for the Tigers this season. Flanigan has been solid defensively but extremely turnover prone, Cambridge has been fun to watch catch lobs and sky in for rebounds, but he can be trigger happy with very little results (fourth on the team in three point attempts, ninth on the team in three point percentage).

Auburn doesn't need Flanigan and Cambridge to play insanely well, but more efficient minutes that what they've been providing would go a very long way for the Tigers.

Keeping Walker Kessler in the game

The more minutes Kessler can play out of foul trouble, the more dominant Auburn's defense can be. The Tigers need the SEC Defensive Player of the Year to be active and energetic around the basket.

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