When a player arrives at college and has to adjust to a new level of basketball, it often takes time for the freshman to become comfortable and play at their maximum level.

For Tahaad Pettiford, that transition didn't take long, if there was any time at all.

"From the summer when he first came in, basically just giving him the ropes and telling him what we're all about here," Denver Jones said. "That was no problem with him just because of who he is. Mostly just teaching him the ropes, him looking up to us, and just playing his game. Being the Tahaad Pettiford that we all know."

Pettiford has let it be known that he was ready to be productive in his first year at Auburn from the very beginning. In just his second game for the Tigers, the New Jersey native scored 21 points and hit some clutch shots and free throws in Auburn's victory at No. 4 Houston.

And while he has been solid in every game, it is in the big matchups when he shines. In the loss at Duke, Pettiford went for 20 points. A couple of weeks later, with the Tigers facing No. 16 Purdue, he scored 18 points and dished out five assists as Auburn routed the Boilermakers.

His best came this past Saturday as his 24-point effort, a career-high thus far, helped the top-ranked Tigers escape Athens with a win over No. 23 Georgia without Johni Broome.

"You saw it with Tahaad last game; he stepped up against Georgia," Jones said.

And, as Jones points out, making massive plays in clutch situations isn't always something a player has, especially early on in their career.

"You can't teach that," he said. "You've just got to have it. Tahaad has it, that's for sure."