Auburn (7-2) will take on USC (5-4) inside Neville Arena on Sunday afternoon in one of the biggest home non-conference games in recent history for the Tigers. It will be the fourth meeting between the programs, and Auburn is still looking for its first victory in the series.
Since losing to Appalachian State two weeks ago, the Tigers have won their last two games by double digits. They'll look to stay hot against a talented but young Trojan team.
USC is led by its star-studded backcourt. True freshman point guard Isaiah Collier creates matchup nightmares for every opponent that faces him. Collier was the top recruit in the country in last year's recruiting class and is projected as the possible top pick in next year's NBA Draft.
“Isaiah was the number one recruit in the country," Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said. "We were recruiting him to Auburn. He’s a top-5 consensus pick in the draft next year. He’s a great downhill, pro point guard; he’s got great size and length, great athleticism, great ability to finish, a very aggressive player."
While Collier draws plenty of attention, he may not even be the best guard at USC. Boogie Ellis is one of the best scorers in the country. He is averaging 21.4 ppg this season so far and shooting near 40% from three-point range.
"Then Boogie Ellis is probably the best scoring guard we’ll see," Pearl said. "He lit us up for 28 last year, and he’s a tough cover."
USC's guards draw lots of attention, and deservingly so, but a storyline to watch could be the battle in the front court. Auburn prides itself on having one of the best front courts in the country, led by Johni Broome and Jaylin Williams, but USC's size could present a challenge.
"These guys will be the biggest team we’ve played, the longest team we’ve played, and their ability to contest shots is going to be our challenge," Pearl said. "We’re going to have to make some contested shots.”
The Trojans have four players listed at 6'10 and above on their roster. Johni Broome has been quiet scoring in the last couple of games, scoring just eight points in the last two games. It has not been an issue as Auburn's guards have picked up the slack, but against USC, he'll need to be a threat on the offensive end.
All eyes will be on Neville Arena Sunday for a highly anticipated matchup. Bruce Pearl believes his team will be motivated to play against some of the best players in college basketball, including Bronny James, the son of Lebron James.
“I think the guys know who their personnel is," Pearl said. "The guys recognize the star power of USC, and they know these guys were all heavily recruited. They will obviously be excited about playing."
The stars will be out Sunday afternoon in Neville Arena, but the Tigers hope the spotlight will shift to them by the time the buzzer sounds for the end of the game.
The game will tip at noon on ESPN and the Auburn Sports Network.
