AU HOOPS: Offensive struggles lead to 1st loss

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — For the second straight game, Auburn’s basketball team faced a mid-major opponent that was physically outmatched.

And for the second straight game, the Tigers failed to establish themselves as aggressors in the game’s opening half.

Only this time, there would be no last-minute heroics as there were in Auburn’s opening-night comeback victory against Niagara last week.

This time, the Tigers fell to Missouri State, 73-62, Monday night inside a noisy JHQ Arena in a game that was characterized by careless turnovers, poor shot selection and defensive breakdowns.

The Tigers made only five of their 24 3-point attempts and turned the ball over 25 times. Their offensive struggles could be partly attributed to the absence of senior guard Tay Waller, who was nursing a quadriceps injury. Waller is listed as day-to-day, but didn’t
travel with the team.

That left Auburn coach Jeff Lebo with an inexperienced roster playing in an unfamiliar environment.

“We had one guy that started for us last year, and all the rest of them are new guys out there,” Lebo said. “So it was the first road game for a lot of those guys, and we had a lot of freshmen out there, who at times, looked like freshmen.

“But it’s good for them. They’ll grow up, and they’ll know what it’s like to play on the road.”

No Tiger struggled more than senior point guard DeWayne Reed. After scoring a career-high 24 points against Niagara, Reed shot just 5-of-12 from the field and committed seven turnovers.

“He’s played the point for me for three years, so he’s experienced there,” Lebo said. “I think we just struggled shooting the ball.“

Lebo said the lack of offensive rhythm prevented the Tigers from mounting a serious run.

“We never got in one of those, where we were in a comfort zone for four or five possessions in a row,” he said. “We’d make one, and then when have a drought. We’d make another, then we’d have another drought.“

Senior forward Lucas Hargrove provided one of the few bright spots for the Tigers. Hargrove finished with 24 points, six rebounds and four assists. But for the second straight game, the Tigers had only two players score in double-figures.

“Scoring’s going to be a problem for us this year,” Lebo said. “Especially without Waller.”

The loss drops the Tigers’ record to 1-1. Auburn’s next game is against the University of Central Florida at 5 p.m. on Friday in the
Glenn Wilkes Classic at Daytona Beach, Fla.