Kentucky vs. Auburn: 2020-21 college basketball game preview, TV schedule

Kentucky and Auburn are attempting to pick up their play after rough starts to their seasons.

Date: Saturday, January 16. 2 p.m. ET. ESPN

Arena: Auburn Arena in Auburn, Alabama.

The turnaround that Bruce Pearl has had with his program has been nothing short of a masterful job. The Jeff Lebo and Tony Barbee eras in Auburn was more than forgettable for Tiger fans. They went on a 14-year drought of missing the NCAA Tournament.

Bruce Pearl has made huge strides within the program, making a Final Four a few years ago and a 25-6 record last season. This Auburn team has not matched the success of last year’s. They have matched the loss total from last season in middle January.

Auburn has sputtered out of the gates of SEC play, dropping their first four games. Most recently, against Alabama in a 94-90 loss. Excitement for Auburn fans did exceed watching the debut of Sharife Cooper. The former Top 25 was eligible for the first time on the season and made an instant impact against Alabama.

Cooper would continue his impressive display of performance against Auburn on Wednesday. He collected 28 points, five rebounds, 12 assists, and two steals in their win over Georgia, 95-77. He shot 9-22 from the field. JT Thor lead the Tigers in rebounds with eight and Williams led the team with five blocks

Cooper doesn’t have ideal shape, as he is undersized and underweight at 6’1, 180 lbs. However, Cooper is excellent at driving and can create separation and shoot well at all three levels. Cooper finished with 26 points, nine assists, and three steals. He shot 42 percent from the field and 90 percent from the free throw line.

Auburn is a three-point shooting team, as the volume, they shoot at is very high. They lead the conference in three-pointers made and second in attempts. Adding Cooper will keep that clip at a high rate. The Tigers live and die on the three-ball.

The other leading scorers for Auburn has been the sophomore duo of Allen Flanigan and Jaylin Williams. Flanigan averages 14 points per game and Williams averages near 11 points per contest.

Rarely do you see a blue blood like Kentucky locked inside the bubble and unclear the direction of their postseason. Their chances took another hit as the Wildcats lost their seventh game of the season.

Kentucky also had got a chance to play Alabama and could not contain John Petty Jr. The All-SEC star collected 23 points and shot four of seven from beyond the arc. The Wildcats have struggled with offensive consistency and still are not cohesive as a team. However, the Wildcats did get some ammunition with the return of Keion Brooks.

Since their 1-6 start, Kentucky was able to go on a winning streak, winning three straight. That ended against Alabama and the offense was stagnant. No starter shot 50 percent or better and the Wildcats had 19 turnovers.

The turnovers didn’t seem to make much of a difference, even in their wins. In their two wins over Mississippi State and Florida, Kentucky had 14+ turnovers. In their three-point win over Vanderbilt, they coughed the basketball up just twice.

Brooks will be a much-needed help for a young team. Olivier Sarr is one of few experienced players on the team and Brooks adds maturity on the court.

A key to a victory for Kentucky is making smarter shots. During their three-game winning streak, they only took 15 or more three-pointers just once. During wins over Vanderbilt and Florida, they took just 13 three-pointers.

In their Alabama game, they took 30. Limiting wasted possessions and working near the paint will be a key. Kentucky’s defense will need to get back on track after playing three above-average games on that end.

For Auburn, getting the ball in Sharife Cooper’s hands early and often will be a key. He is the most explosive player on the team and proved in his debut that he can score at an efficient clip. Cooper, however, might be more of a liability on the defensive end.

Running some zone in this game, using the length of 6-6 Allen Flanigan and 6-4 Jamal Johnson is important. Kentucky is their most efficient away from the perimeter and Auburn guards have to keep the Wildcats in front of them.

Both programs are trending in the wrong direction and neither has given reason for an NCAA Tournament appearance. The debut of a player on each team makes the team a much more formidable foe for any SEC team. Neither team has looked impressive, however, one team does have a player with superstar potential.

In a back and forth affair, Auburn pulls off the upset behind a motivated effort from Sharife Cooper.

Prediction: Auburn 72, Kentucky 68.