K.D. rebounds

GREENVILLE | Ten seconds into Friday's game against Jacksonville State, K.D. Johnson let everyone know that there would be no repeat of his performance against Texas A&M. The Auburn guard took a pass from Jabari Smith and laid it in to start the scoring for the Tigers.

It was his first point since the regular-season finale against South Carolina, as Johnson finished 0-for-14 in the upset loss to Texas A&M in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament. It boosted the sophomore's confidence.

"It was very big," Johnson said. "I struggled the last game. Coming into this game, I was focused on the win. So when I seen I got a bucket, that just turned us up in all areas."

Johnson finished with 10 points on 3-of-8 shooting (2-of-6 from three), and his overall offensive game was on point, dishing out a team-high seven assists while committing one turnover and coming down with five boards. Johnson said he's been dealing with a hand problem that has affected his shooting, but it also helps when his jersey is specific.

"I don't like my jersey tucked in," Johnson said. "I feel like it's stuck in my stomach when I shoot. So I took it out, and it made it feel a little looser."

The performance also brought out the Johnson that Auburn fans love seeing: making faces, celebrating after a tough basket, and playing like an insane person. But, of course, Bruce Pearl doesn't mind that from his guard.

"I could be crazy and be myself on this team," Johnson said. "He wanted me to be here, and I wanted to be here all along. He let me just play how I play, and that's how I have fun."

Pearl also noticed that Johnson didn't force anything.

"He let the game come to him," the Auburn coach said. "He turned some things down. He got the ball back to his point guards. He mixed in those explosive plays at the rim and obviously played really, really well defensively."

It was an excellent sign for Auburn that the real K.D. was back.