Auburn men's basketball takes the floor for the first time this season in an exhibition game against Lincoln Memorial Friday night at 7 p.m. in Auburn Arena. Here is what to expect from the Tigers in their exhibition game.
Auburn is going to play small and fast.
With Austin Wiley out with a foot injury, Auburn will revert to their style of play from last year. The three-point shot was an integral part of their offense as they were 25th in the country in three-point field goal attempts. Three-point field goals accounted for 43 percent of their total shots taken. Auburn will take that same approach and look to run and spread the floor with a smaller lineup.
Danjel Purifoy will make an appearance.
Auburn coach Bruce Pearl announced Purifoy will play in the exhibition game. He will have to miss the first nine games of the regular season, but he is eligible to play in the preseason game against Lincoln Memorial. Although it is against an inferior opponent, this is an opportunity to see Purifoy’s growth since he last played in 2017.
“You’ll see the same things,” Pearl said. “You’ll see his ability to shoot the ball. You’ll see his offensive patience. His tempo is really good. You’ll see a little rust because it’s been a year since he’s played.”
Auburn will not have a clean performance.
In addition to Wiley and Purifoy being eligible to play for the first time since the 2016-17 season, the Tigers have added several newcomers in J’Von McCormick, Samir Doughty and Myles Parker. With injuries to Wiley and Doughty, Auburn will not be able to fully integrate these new players. Furthermore, there is a learning curve that comes with major roster changes. It will be Auburn’s first time out as a team, and it won’t be without mistakes.
Getting to know Lincoln Memorial
Nickname: Railsplitters
Conference: South Atlantic (Division II)
Location: Harrogate, Tennessee
Enrollment: 4,770
Fun fact: Abraham Lincoln used “The Railsplitter” as a nickname in the 1860 presidential election. Lincoln Memorial is named in honor of Lincoln, and that is where their sports teams’ nickname originated.
This decade, Lincoln Memorial is the second-winningest program in Division II with a .860 winning percentage. Last year, the Railsplitters finished 32-2, won the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) regular-season title, won the SAC tournament and reached the Sweet 16 of the Division II tournament.
Point guard Cornelius Taylor is Lincoln Memorial’s only returning starter. He averaged 14.5 points, 3.9 assists and 2.2 rebounds per game last season, and he has been selected to the preseason All-SAC first team. The Railsplitters graduated six of their top eight scorers, so expect them to rely heavily on Taylor.
