​​Lyle's Corner

Thursday, December 31st, 2015
 
I'm going to write a briefer post than you're used to to summarize Auburn's 31-10 win over Memphis in the Birmingham Bowl yesterday. 
 
In the first half, the Tiger offense was as dreary as the weather, committing three turnovers, all on interceptions, one of which was returned for a Memphis touchdown. Also, a face mask infraction led to a Memphis field goal to put them on the board in the second quarter. The two teams were deadlocked at 10 apiece at intermission.
 
The second half, however, was different. Very different. Auburn put up 21 points in a span of just 5:15 to take a three-touchdown lead. In the blink of an eye, a barnburner turned into a blowout. Memphis had no answers for it. The star of Auburn's offense was running back Jovon Robinson, who recorded 126 yards on 27 carries with a touchdown. The score came on a dazzling 4-yard scamper in which he dragged a mass of would-be Memphis tacklers into the end zone with him as the offensive line gave him a good push. 
 
Auburn's defense, meanwhile, was superb. They used all the pre-game talk surrounding Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch as inspiration. By the end of the day, Lynch had only completed 16 of 37 passes, for 108 yards and an interception. That was just Lynch's fourth pick of the year. Memphis moved into the red-zone three times, but came away empty-handed every time. Auburn defensive back Blake Countess blocked a 34-yard field goal try by Jake Elliot in the second quarter. 
By game's end, Memphis had generated only 205 total yards. Auburn forced five three-and-outs, and stopped two other drives on failed fourth-down tries. It was Memphis' worst offensive output this season. Certainly not what we're accustomed to with one of the most potent offenses in the nation. 
 
Auburn's special teams also had a moment worthy of the highlight reel. Marcus Davis returned a punt for a season-long 56 yards in the final quarter to set up the Tigers' final score of the day. When it was all over, Auburn had won its first bowl game in 1,460 days. That's right. Auburn last celebrated a postseason win after beating Virginia in the Chick-fil-A Bowl by a final score of 43-24 on the last day of 2011. This was quite a satisfying ending to what was a roller-coaster 2015 campaign. 
 
True, Auburn could have folded, not just in this game, but at several points throughout the season. Yes, this wasn't a monumental season by any means. However, I personally saw the team regain its grit and determination as the season came down the back stretch. I am reasonably confident that this will give us something to build on so we can put together an even better season in 2016....especially with new defensive coordinator Kevin Steele coming on board. 
 
In closing, I'd like to wish you all a safe, blessed and prosperous 2016! May God's rich blessings be upon all of you! Life isn't always magical, but life is undeniably precious. Never take it for granted, because anything can happen at any time. Always cherish every moment....especially the little things, for they bring us the greatest joy. If you plan to be out tonight to ring in the new year, please stay safe!
 
That's all for now. I look forward to writing so much more about Auburn athletics in 2016! Until next time, God Bless, Happy New Year, and WAR EAGLE!
 
Wednesday, December 30th, 2015
 
At the time of this writing, Auburn's tangle with Memphis in the Birmingham Bowl is just two hours away. 
 
Here are some keys to victory for Auburn:
 
1. Offense must open up the passing game. While the running game has been a staple of Gus Malzahn's offense this year, it could be a hassle against a Memphis defense that has only allowed one opponent to rush for over 200 yards this season. Its pass defense, on the other hand, has been far more susceptible. They've given up 269.3 passing yards per contest, while yielding 14 pass plays of 40 yards or more. 
Auburn's passing attack has struggled often this season, with only 28 completions of 20 yards or more. Even so, they'll likely have to convert long balls to keep an excellent Memphis run defense honest. (Incidentally, our starting quarterback will be a game-time decision. Frankly, what do you expect from Gus Malzahn?)
 
2. Defense must slow down Memphis' passing game: If Auburn's aerial attack is lukewarm at best, Memphis' is red-hot. Quarterback Paxton Lynch isn't exactly a dual-threat, but he has connected on just less than 70 percent of his 406 attempts this season, with 28 touchdowns against just three picks. 
Three Memphis receivers have over 40 receptions, so Auburn's secondary will really need to be on alert. The defensive line will obviously have to disrupt Lynch at every opportunity, but Memphis has only allowed 15 sacks this year, so it won't be a cinch by any means. 
 
3. Avoid costly mistakes. Given today's weather (a 50% chance of rain), this may be wishful thinking, but Auburn must avoid turnovers and crucial penalties at all costs. 
 
The Orange and Blue will have to put up an inspired performance if they want to prevent ending up with only their third losing season since 2000. 
 
In other news....
 
- ESPN's Chris Low has reported that, barring a last-minute snag, Kevin Steele, who just wrapped up his lone season as LSU's defensive coordinator, is headed to Auburn for the same position. I can tell you that this guy has been all over the place as an assistant: Tennessee, New Mexico State, Oklahoma State, Nebraska, the NFL Carolina Panthers, Alabama, Florida State, and Clemson. He's also an impressive recruiter. Hopefully, if this news becomes definitive, he can pick up where Will Muschamp left off and light the fire in Auburn's defense.
 
- Four-star 2017 linebacker Leonard Warner dropped Auburn from his top five. 
 
- The Tigers extended an offer to Trey Blount, who is a four-star receiver from Powder Springs, Ga. He's also received offers from a few of Auburn's SEC rivals. 
 
- Four-star offensive tackle E.J. Price, the No. 8 prospect in Georgia, dropped Auburn from his newest top three. 
 
- Four-star defensive tackle Tyrone Truesdell currently has no official offers, but that may change after a strong performance at the Rising Seniors all-star practice in Georgia. Will Auburn try to snatch him up?
 
That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
 
Tuesday, December 29th, 2015
 
We often get as wishy-washy as Charlie Brown when it comes to making decisions, especially important ones. 
 
This weekend, one-time Auburn commit Nate Craig-Myers will be catching passes from current Tigers commit Woody Barrett when the two highly touted prospects take part in the annual Under Armour All-America game in Orlando, Fla. 
 
Although Barrett, a four-star quarterback, isn't concentrating on recruiting prospects to Auburn, he did offer his insight on the Tigers' chances of persuading Craig-Myers to return to the Plains after he de-committed in May. 
 
"I think we have a pretty good shot," Barrett, the fourth-ranked dual-threat QB in the nation told SEC Country. 
"We haven't really talked about it yet. Right now, we're just relaxing and enjoying ourselves." 
 
Craig-Myers, the No. 3 receiver in the nation, lives near Barrett in Tampa, where he's established himself as one of the most coveted uncommitted prospects in America. Florida, Florida State, Ole Miss and North Carolina will all be in the mix when it comes time for him to make his final decision on National Signing Day in February.
 
It's interesting to note that he and his brother, four-star cornerback Jayvaughn Myers, both mentioned Auburn when asked what school(s) could snatch them up. "I'd probably say the only one that I could see both of us playing at is Auburn," Myers recently told SEC Country, who then predicted that his brother would re-commit to the Tigers. "I know for sure he likes them a lot." 
 
Despite the optimism, Barrett has no desire to egg the issue on any further, though he admits that he'd have no problem with a handful of uncommitted receivers at the event joining him on The Plains. 
 
"I'm not really recruiting, I'm just having fun," he stated. "If they want to come to Auburn, they can join and play. Other than that, I'm just enjoying myself, the coaches." 
 
Life is so full of perplexing choices, isn't it? 
 
Don't forget: Auburn concludes its 2015 campaign tomorrow against Memphis in the Birmingham Bowl at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala. Kickoff is set for 11 AM, with the game being televised on ESPN. Let's all hope they can pull off a win to salvage what has been a ho-hum season at best. I'm sad to say that Beth Mowins will be calling the play-by-play for the aforementioned network. Personally, I share the same view on her that so many other people do: She's the equivalent to the duo of Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson on CBS. All three of them annoy the living heck out of me! It's like nails on a chalkboard! Take my advice and hit the mute button as soon as the telecast begins. 
 
That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!
 
 
 
 
            
 
Monday, December 28th, 2015
 

And then there were four.

 

With Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn aiming to name a new defensive coordinator by the end of this week, the pool of candidates has increased a bit. 

 

Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Ted Roof, who guided the Tigers to a national title in 2010, said in a text message last Monday that he had not talked to Malzahn. Still, there is little doubt that he is genuinely interested in the position. 

 

Louisville defensive coordinator Todd Grantham also has serious interest. Mississippi State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz, who is in his second tour of duty with the Bulldogs, has also drawn interest and expressed willingness to listen. 

 

South Florida defensive coordinator Tom Allen has had multiple conversations with Malzahn. It was widely assumed that he was the favorite for the job. While it's unclear whether or not Allen remains in the mix, he still bears attention. 

 

As Auburn fans may recall, Roof was the Tigers' defensive coordinator from 2009-2011 when Malzahn was offensive coordinator. They became close friends and maintained a strong professional relationship. Roof's Auburn defense led the SEC in stopping the run.  Roof departed after the 2011 campaign. He was briefly defensive coordinator at Central Florida before joining Bill O' Brien at Penn State. He moved on to Georgia Tech, his alma mater, after one season. 

 

Grantham enjoyed great success as the defensive coordinator at Georgia. He has spent the past two seasons at Louisville. 

 

Diaz had previously served as defensive coordinator at Texas from 2011 until midway through the 2013 season, when he was fired. He spent the 2014 season at Louisiana Tech before rejoining Dan Mullen at Mississippi State. 

 

Allen just concluded his first season as defensive coordinator at South Florida. He spent three seasons coaching linebackers at Ole Miss.                       

 

I, like all Auburn fans, hope that whoever is selected for the job can revive a defense that wore thin as this season progressed. That side of the ball hasn't exactly fit the "ferocious" category in recent years.

 

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

 

 

 

       
Saturday, December 26th, 2015
 
This past week has been quite busy and bizarre for me. Stormy weather, a three-hour power outage, getting ready for Christmas, spending time with some friends on Christmas Day....whew! But I'm past all of that now. I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas. Now, on to Auburn. 
 
In my eyes, a general rule of thumb in basketball is the more 3-pointers a team scores, the better off it will be.  When Auburn faced Hawaii yesterday, Bryce Brown and Kareem Canty combined for 11 treys, but it wasn't enough as the Tigers squandered a second-half lead in the Diamond Head Classic. 
 
Hawaii overtook Auburn 79-67 to win the tournament's third-place game by outscoring the Tigers 10-0 in the waning minutes. 
 
Even without injured starting guards T.J. Dunans and Tahj-Shamsid Deen, the Tigers kept themselves within striking distance. Unfortunately, Horace Spencer fouled out with about 10 minutes remaining. Auburn played in foul trouble for most of the second half, surrendering a nine-point lead as a result. 
 
With head coach Bruce Pearl limited by a short bench, four Tigers - Brown, Canty, Cinmeon Bowers and Tyler Harris - each played for at least 32 minutes. In the end, it didn't help Auburn's case. 
 
"Very difficult situation," Pearl said bluntly after the game. "Heavy, heavy minutes. Third game in four days. I would have loved to have been able to play more of our bench. We got fatigued in the second half. The injuries have been daunting. Our basketball team competes. We did not make it a Merry Christmas. I think we represented ourselves pretty well. We competed. We fought." 
 
Auburn, which went 1-2 in Hawaii, fell to 6-5 on the season. Hawaii, meanwhile, improved to 9-2. 
 
With 6:42 to play, the Tigers clung to a 63-62 edge, but were held to just four points the rest of the way. 
 
Brown kept Auburn in contention in the early going, finishing with six 3-pointers and a career-best 20 points. Pearl was sure to praise Brown's performance.
 
"Bryce played very well. He stepped up in a big way with T.J. Dunans being hurt." 
 
Canty, who had a subpar outing in Wednesday's game, vastly improved this time around with five treys and 22 points. Harris accumulated 15 points. 
 
Sadly, Auburn's free-throwing woes continue. Hawaii outscored the Tigers 25-9 from the foul line. 
 
"When you have a 9-point lead in the second half, you've got to get stops," Pearl said. "We did not get stops in large stretches out there."
 
Auburn was on top at intermission by a score of 30-29, but a 10-2 run by Hawaii to begin the second half swung the momentum in their favor....at least temporarily. Brown's sixth 3-pointer put the Tigers back in front 44-42 with 12:57 left.
 
The Tigers got off to a sluggish start, but a sudden 10-0 surge gave Auburn an 18-16 edge with 8:17 remaining in the first half. Brown's fourth trey of the half gave the Tigers a 26-21 cushion. Canty and Bowers combined to make just one of 10 shots in the first half, but improved on that in the second half. 
 
Auburn won't return to action until next Saturday, January 2nd, in its SEC opener at home against Tennessee. Tipoff is set for 1 PM CT in Auburn Arena, with the game being televised on CBS. 
 
"Are we prepared to be able to compete in the SEC? I think our team is," Pearl said.
 
Let's all hope so. There's no denying that the Tigers are heading to the real nit and grit of their schedule at this point. 
 
That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sunday, December 20th, 2015
 
In the Bible, there's the famous battle between David and Goliath. The little warrior against the big giant. In the end, the little giant won. The Auburn men's basketball team's match against Xavier in Cincinnati yesterday could best be described as a David versus Goliath showdown. 
 
But in this case, the final outcome was different. The Musketeers overpowered the Tigers, 85-61. Worse still, point guard Tahj Shamsid-Deen reinjured his shoulder, forcing head coach Bruce Pearl to consider moving T.J. Dunans back to point guard to at least split those duties with the red-hot shooting Kareem Canty, who is otherwise Auburn's shooting guard. 
 
Pearl said he "would figure out where we go from there" before playing New Mexico on Tuesday in the first of three games in the Diamond Head Classic. 
Pearl said that Shamsid-Deen's latest injury was "just devastating" to the lineup. Shamsid-Deen, who had surgery on both shoulders last season, has suffered three different shoulder injuries since preseason practice got underway. 
 
Unsurprisingly, Canty led Auburn in scoring with 25 points, including five more 3-pointers, to boost his totals over the last three games to 74 points and 17 treys. However, as you might imagine, Pearl was seeking support from Canty's teammates. 
 
"We can't win unless we get more contributions from other people," he said on his post-game interview on the Auburn IMG Sports Network. Well said. 
 
The Tigers fell to 5-3, while Xavier improved to 11-0, its best start in school history. 
 
It doesn't take a long look at the stat sheet to see how this one panned out. Xavier's bench outscored Auburn 32-8. Also, the Musketeers outscored Auburn on second-chance points by an overwhelming 24-2 margin. 
 
"They're big and strong and physical," Pearl lamented. "They're able to move us around a little bit. Our young kids played young....against the No. 1 RPI team in the country." 
 
Xavier got off to a swift start and hardly let up, though Auburn did manage to trim the count to 39-30 at the break. But the Musketeers increased the lead to 17 in the first six minutes of the second half, and led 80-55 with 4:18 remaining, putting this one on ice. 
 
Cinmeon Bowers posted his fifth double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Dunans countered with 10 points. 
 
Auburn flew from Cincinnati to catch a commercial flight in Nashville that was to take them to Los Angeles yesterday evening. They journeyed from there this morning to Honolulu, and are scheduled to visit Pearl Harbor today. 
 
The Tigers go up against New Mexico on Tuesday, with the opening tipoff set for 1:30 PM CT. The game will be televised by ESPNU. 
 
That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Thursday, December 17th, 2015
 
Auburn football has just landed another vital commitment. 
 
Antwuan Jackson's first college offer came when he was in the ninth grade. Since then, seemingly every major college football program joined in an intense search for his services. In the end, it came down to four schools: Auburn, Florida, Georgia, and Ohio State. 
 
Now, the word is out: He will don the orange and blue. Jackson, a four-star defensive tackle, a U.S. Army All-American and the No. 55 recruit nationally in the 247Sports Composite, verbally committed to the Tigers this afternoon during a ceremony at his school. 
 
For the Tigers, this is crucial. The 6-foot-2.5-inch, 300-pound Jackson is a player that the Auburn staff offered nearly three years ago and has vehemently recruited ever since. He has visited the Tigers more than a dozen times, most recently last weekend for his fourth and final official visit. Unsurprisingly, Auburn got good vibes from that trip. 
 
Jackson, who will enroll at Auburn in January, is commitment No. 18 for the Tigers, who moved up two spots to No. 8 in the recruiting rankings with his verbal. He is a player at a position of major need for Auburn. The Tigers could sign up to eight defensive linemen in the 2016 class. 
 
In other news....
 
- The Auburn men's basketball team will travel to Cincinnati on Saturday to face off against Xavier University. The opening tip is set for 11:00 AM CT, and the game will be televised by FoxSports 1. 
 
That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 
 
Sunday, December 13th, 2015
 
The Auburn basketball team was dealt an 88-81 overtime upset at the hands of Middle Tennessee yesterday in Nashville. 
 
The Tigers' Kareem Canty tied a career-high with 28 points, including eight 3-pointers, and seven assists. His most crucial shot was a trey from the top of the key with 1.7 second left in regulation to tie the count at 73-all. In the end, though, it wasn't enough to avoid defeat. Cinmeon Bowers was close behind with 19 points and a career-high 19 rebounds. Tyler Harris also contributed with 14 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out with 2:40 remaining in overtime.  
 
Auburn led 38-29 at intermission, but the Blue Raiders opened the second half with a 21-7 run to grab a 50-45 advantage. They also outscored the Tigers in overtime, 15-8. The victory avenged a 64-48 loss to the Tigers last season.
 
Perhaps the biggest factor that shot Auburn down was free throw trouble. The Tigers only canned 11 of 24 foul shots for a 46 percent clip. 
 
Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl fell to 12-4 at Bridgestone Arena. "My teams play best when everybody contributes and (today) there was too big a disparity between the guys that played well and even some that played as intensely as they needed to," he said. "So it's just hard to beat a good team on the road when we don't get more productivity from more players." 
 
Reggie Upshaw led Middle Tennessee with 21 points, 13 rebounds and four assists. 
 
The Tigers and Blue Raiders will play the last game of a three-year contract next season at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala. 
 
Auburn will return to action on Tuesday when they host Mercer. The opening tipoff is set for 8:00 PM CT, and the game will be televised on the SEC Network. 
 
In other news....
 
- Former Auburn quarterback Jonathan Wallace got engaged this weekend. I've already seen a picture on Facebook that shows that he proposed to his fiancé inside Jordan-Hare Stadium, and the giant jumbotron even had the burning question, "WILL YOU MARRY ME?" Best of luck to both of them in their marriage. 
 
That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!                                    
 
Wednesday, December 9th, 2015
 
I'll start off today's post with a bit of good news in the recruiting department. 
 
South Carolina and its new head coach, Will Muschamp, were bound and determined to latch onto 4-star Auburn defensive end commit Paul James. But the touted recruit from Copiah-Lincoln Community College (Ms.) told J.C. Shurburtt of The Big Spur yesterday that he is firmly sticking with the Tigers. "I heard from South Carolina, but I turned them down," he said. 
 
The 6-foot-4, 260-pound James committed to Auburn in November. Defensive line coach Rodney Garner is his primary recruiter and the two have developed a close bond. 
 
James, the No. 1 junior college weak-side end in the 247Sports rankings, is expected to sign with Auburn on December 16th and enroll in January. A Miami native who transferred to Copiah-Lincoln from Illinois, he will have two years to play two seasons. 
 
The way things stand right now, James should vie for plenty of playing time in 2016. 
 
In other news....
 
- While head coach Gus Malzahn has not publicly stated a timetable for naming a new defensive coordinator, he has reportedly told people inside the program that he plans to make a selection by Friday. Only time will tell if that's the case. 
 
- Don't forget: The basketball team will go to Nashville to play Middle Tennessee State on Saturday. The opening tip is set for noon CT. Although the game will not be televised, you can listen on the Auburn IMG Sports Network, and you can also watch it online at www.goblueraiders.com. 
 
That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 
 
 
 
 
  
Sunday, December 6th, 2015
 
Aren't we all familiar with the ancient adage "Easy come, easy go"? Of course we are. That certainly applies to coaching jobs in the SEC. 
 
It's now all but a done deal that Will Muschamp's second stint as Auburn's defensive coordinator is over less than a year after it began. He is expected to be named the new head coach at South Carolina tomorrow. Muschamp will succeed former coach Steve Spurrier, who resigned midseason, with Shawn Elliott finishing out the year as interim head coach. 
 
Though Auburn's defense ranked near the bottom of the conference in most statistical categories this season, it made substantial improvements near the end of the campaign, and gave up 30-plus points in regulation only once. Muschamp said from the beginning that he wanted to be a head coach again, but it was surprising that another opportunity arose so swiftly. He arrived on the Plains last December 12th, days after being fired as Florida's head coach. 
 
Now, a two-decade on-again, off-again relationship with the Tigers is over. Muschamp began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Auburn, then returned as defensive coordinator in 2006 and 2007. In between his two stints on the Plains, he was head coach in waiting and defensive coordinator at Texas, and head coach at Florida, where he won 11 games in his second season. 
 
At Auburn, coming off a disappointing 6-6 regular season, the big question now becomes, who will be next? Among potential replacements for Muschamp are secondary coach Travaris Robinson, a former all-conference Auburn safety, and Florida State defensive coordinator Charles Kelly, who played for Pat Dye at Auburn in the early 1990's. Former Auburn secondary coach Phillip Lolley, who guided the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL to the Grey Cup, and Bucks/strongside linebackers coach Lance Thompson could also be candidates. 
However, reports indicate that Muschamp is strongly considering having Robinson join him in the same capacity at South Carolina. Regardless, it's a mystery who will coach Auburn's defense in their bowl game. Only time will tell. 
 
I wish Coach Muschamp nothing but the best at South Carolina, and I hope he can turn their program around. That said, it's believed that he and Gus Malzahn didn't get along very well. Also, many people believe that Muschamp's tirade on the sideline during the Iron Bowl was the beginning of his end. That may very well be true, because while nobody knows what he shouted word-for-word, it was pretty clear to most television viewers that he violated Coach Malzahn's "no potty mouth" policy. But needless to say, that's certainly not the first time I've seen a coach lose his temper on television, and it sure as heck won't be the last. You can't tell me that you haven't seen Nick Saban say and do far worse things on television than Muschamp ever did. Oh, yeah: Did I mention Dabo Swinney's belittling of Clemson's punter during last night's ACC Championship game against North Carolina? Still, it's usually a good idea to not let your emotions get the best of you. 
 
In other news...
 
- It's now official: Auburn will square off against Memphis in the Birmingham Bowl on December 30th in a "Battle of the Tigers." Auburn lost two of its last three games to close the regular season, but clinched bowl eligibility with a 56-34 win over Idaho during that stretch. Meanwhile, Memphis (9-3, 5-2 AAC) lost three of its final four games, but pulled off a shocking 37-24 upset of Ole Miss this season, and finished the regular campaign with a 63-0 drubbing of SMU. 
 
While Muschamp is leaving Auburn, Memphis is in the midst of its own coaching staff change. Memphis just hired Mike Norvell to replace head coach Justin Fuente, who has accepted the same position at Virginia Tech. Auburn has played Memphis only twice before, in 1975 and 1976, with Memphis having won both meetings. Let's all hope that this time around, things are different for the orange and blue. 
 
- The Tigers landed a big-time commitment yesterday evening from four-star 2018 quarterback Joey Gatewood. ​The Jacksonville, Florida native is ranked as the country's No. 2 dual-threat QB for the class of '18, according to 247Sports' player rankings. While the 6-3, 206-pound signal-caller has yet to attend a game at Auburn, I'd like to believe that that will change in the coming years. 
 
"It's the place that I thought I could really see myself at in the future," Gatewood told 247Sports. "It's a great program run by great people and great coaches. It's great to be a Tiger." 
 
Gatewood is your prototypical Gus Malzahn quarterback, and he picked the Tigers over Florida State. 
 
That's all for today. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Thursday, December 3rd, 2015
 
Last year, the Auburn men's basketball team was dealt a defeat at the hands of Costal Carolina, coached by former Auburn head coach, Cliff Ellis. This year, however, the Tigers got their revenge. 
 
But in doing so, they had to hang on for dear life. 
 
Auburn had to stave off a serious Chanticleer comeback in the closing minutes to come away with an 81-78 victory in Conway, S.C., yesterday evening. The Tigers led by 18 with 10:20 to play. But that lead was cut to one with just 24.4 seconds left. 
 
Kareem Canty nailed two free throws with 11 seconds left to give Auburn a bit of breathing room before Costal missed a last-ditch trey that would have tied the game. The Tigers improved to 4-1, while the Chanticleers fell to 3-4. 
 
Tyler Harris led six Tigers in double figures, scoring 21 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Elsewhere, T.J. Lang scored 14; Bryce Brown and Cinmeon Bowers had 12 each, and Canty scored 11. 
 
Auburn coach Bruce Pearl was sure to praise Harris' performance. "Tyler Harris was terrific," he stated. "Tyler has a lot of real strengths in his game - scores inside, scores outside, good passer, can put it on the floor, moves his feet defensively. Tyler is playing tougher this year than he has in the past."
 
In the injury department, the Tigers were without point guard Tahj Shamsid-Deen, who was on the bench nursing a sore shoulder. But it didn't matter in this one. 
 
Nonetheless, Pearl didn't deny the near-collapse his squad had. "It was survival because we were discombobulated," he said. "We're going to learn a lot from it." 
 
Dunans stepped in to play point guard for Shamsid-Deen for a portion of the contest. He finished with 10 points, five assists, and just two turnovers on the evening. 
 
It didn't take long for Auburn to set the tone for this one. They hit 8-of-18 three-pointers in the first half and went on an 11-0 run to take a 13-6 lead with 14 minutes to go in the first half. The Tigers had a 12-point cushion with 1:43 left before intermission, but Costal crept closer with four straight free throws and a late basket to trim Auburn's advantage to 44-37 at the break. 
 
Speaking of breaks, the Tigers will be off the next 10 days for final exams. They won't return to the court until December 12th, when they travel to Nashville to take on Middle Tennessee State. 
 
That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!