In just over two weeks, Auburn will tip off against No. 20 Baylor in Sioux Falls, S.D. By then, we will know Auburn’s starting point guard. For now, it’s a battle up in the air.

With Aden Holloway being a freshman and Tre Donaldson being a sophomore, the point guard position is the youngest group on the team.

With that in mind, there is still a lot that Bruce Pearl needs to see from his lead guards, but there is one skill that both have that he’s seen enough of.

“They can both really shoot it,” Pearl said. “They can both shoot it as well as any of the point guards I've had. The question is, whether they play make as well? Will they defend as well? Will they lead a team as well? That's a lot of stuff to be Determined.

Despite standing at just 6-foot-1 and 178 pounds, Holloway was able to earn his way to a top 30 ranking in the class of 2023. That didn’t happen by accident. His shooting talent has been on display since day one, and his teammates have taken notice.

“We know Aden brings that energy, that specialness to the team, to where you come off the pick and roll and there's just a little bit of space, he's shooting and it's going up and it's going in,” said Johni Broome. “He's one of those players to where, if he shoots the ball, get back on defense. It's going in.”

It was an up and down freshman season for Donaldson that culminated in him shooting 5-of-5 from deep in Auburn’s two tournament games. Having a year of experience in Pearl’s system has given him an advantage.

“He's a little bit older,” Broome said. “He had a year on his belt. He makes a couple more reads that Aden is really still trying to learn and see. He kind of knows the offense. He's a little more fluid.”

It’s not a runaway for either guard, and they both know it. Both are going at each other in practice with the results varying practice by practice.

“Tre will have a good day. Aden will have a good day,” said Jaylin Williams. “They’re just going out there and guarding each other. And they’re great point guards. Playing with both – I can’t play with both of them every day in practice, but it’d be nice to play for them both at the same time.”

Overall, both have different skill sets that match what Auburn wants to do, and both will be major contributors for this upcoming season.

“They're both very capable,” Pearl said. “Aden has something special in him, from the standpoint of being a gamer. Tre has some toughness and leadership in him. They're both going to play.”