Auburn faces big challenge in Cancun

AUBURN | Off to a 3-0 start, Auburn faces its toughest test of the early season with back-to-back games in the Cancun Challenge.

The Tigers play Texas Tech Tuesday and either Purdue or Utah State Wednesday.

“I'd say the physicality of this tournament will be the biggest challenge,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. “We talked about two things before the start of the season. One was our lack of experience and secondly, the fact that we're a little light and teams that are real physical will give us problems. That's kind of the teams we're going to see in this Challenge starting with Texas Tech.”

The Red Raiders are 3-0 on the season with wins over Houston Baptist, North Texas and Eastern Kentucky. EKU led TTU by 15 points in the first half but TTU rallied to win 90-71 Nov. 19. Auburn beat EKU 85-64 Nov. 17.

Texas Tech starts a senior and four juniors, and two juniors are the first players off the bench. Guard Keenan Evans is averaging 14.0 points and 2.7 assists per game, one of four players scoring in double figures. Forward Zach Smith is averaging 8.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game.

“In college basketball, I'd say 80 percent of the game right now is ball-screen defense and ball-screen offense, and Texas Tech runs good old fashioned Bobby Knight motion,” Pearl said. “Coach (Chris) Beard was an assistant at Texas Tech and the stuff is really hard to guard. It's worked forever. When it's run right, it is so hard to guard. Their personnel is suited to it but what makes it even better is nobody runs it anymore. We've not had to drill it much because we don't seen it. It's a unique scout.”

Auburn is led by freshman Danjel Purifoy, who is averaging 16.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. Freshman Mustapha Heron is averaging 14.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.

Tip-off at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT and the game will be carried on CBS Sports Network. Wednesday's game will also be carried on CBSSN.