Almost every freshman will have struggles in their debut season of college basketball. Few have played well throughout the year when transitioning to the college game, so it's no surprise that Aden Holloway would go through a slump at some point.

The Auburn guard had his worst week as the Tigers dropped back-to-back games after an 11-game winning streak, shooting 2-for-15 from the floor (0-for-7 against Alabama), scoring nine points and having the same amount of assists (4) as turnovers.

It's all part of the learning process, according to his coach.

"He's not shot the ball like he's shot it his whole career," Bruce Pearl said. "But guys are a little bigger, stronger, faster, getting to him, scouting is better. But he has to make the open ones. And he's getting some open ones. And when he does, it makes us a lot better."

Holloway has been a solid producer for the No. 16 Tigers this season after coming in with high expectations as the second-highest signee in the program's history. As Pearl states, he has more than held his own while learning on the job.

"Aden's expectations are through the roof coming in as a McDonald's All-American point guard," the coach said. "But if you look at the freshmen in the country, he's one of the leaders in assist-turnover ratio of all of them, just any player that plays as much as he does. That's pretty strong."

Pearl also points out that it is challenging for a true freshman to go up against veteran guards who have been in college for four or five years, saying, "18-year-old kids are going to be challenged compared to 23-year-old men," but he has confidence that Holloway's slump won't last long.

"I think it's going in every time he releases it," Pearl said. "I think it's less about shot selection and a little bit more about just making shots. We've taken a couple of bad shots. So just being open and honest with him, just continue to put him in position to be successful."