The No. 11 ranked Auburn men's basketball team hosts No. 24 Washington in a Friday night hoops showdown at Auburn Arena. This top-25 match-up begins at 8:30 CT and will be broadcasted on the SEC Network.
"They’ve got seven of their top scorers from a year ago," said head coach Bruce Pearl in reference to Washington. "They’ve got 96 percent of their minutes from a year ago. This is a very, very veteran team. They were picked to finish in the top two or three in the Pac-12."
About Auburn:
- The Tigers defeated South Alabama 101-58 in their season opener Tuesday, shooting 16-38 (51.4 percent) from 3-point range.
- Six Tigers scored in double figures, led by guard Jared Harper and forward Chuma Okeke, who each had 20 points. Harper also contributed with 13 assists.
- Guard Bryce Brown started off hot in the season opener, scoring 12 points on 4-9 shooting from 3-point range.
- Over the last two seasons, Auburn has posted a 14-0 home record against non-conference opponents, including a 7-0 mark last season.
- The Tigers have posted a 28-3 home record against non-conference opponents in the Bruce Pearl era.
About Washington:
- The Huskies came back from a nine point deficit in the first half to defeat Western Kentucky 73-55 Tuesday, limiting the Hilltoppers to just 19 second half points.
- Forward Noah Dickerson was the leading scorer for Washington in Tuesday's game, scoring 18 points, including 16 in the second half.
- Forward Matisse Thybulle had six blocks in Tuesday's game, tying a career high.
- A veteran team, the Huskies possess two 1,000 career point scorers on their roster, with Dickerson and guard David Crisp.
- The ranked Huskies will be facing a ranked non-conference opponent for the first time since 2014.
Series History:
- This is the first ever match-up between these schools
Players to Watch:
- Auburn: Chuma Okeke, sophomore forward, had a career high 20 points against South Alabama. He stuffed the stat sheet by adding nine rebounds, three steals and three blocks.
- Washington: Matisse Thybulle, senior forward, is the reigning Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. He is the Huskies all-time steals leader with 206, and has recorded at least one steal in 47 straight games.
