Veteran scoring paces Auburn in exhibition win over Eckerd

In an exhibition game where the young and experienced members of Auburn’s roster were given a chance to play more minutes than they likely will moving forward, it was the Tigers’ seniors who led the way.

J’Von McCormick, Samir Doughty and Danjel Purifoy combined for 48 points in Auburn’s 97-53 victory in Auburn Arena on Friday night. The senior trio shot 16-for-26 from the floor — including a 9-for-17 mark from 3-point range.

"We've just been working hard in the offseason," Doughty said. "We know how tough this season is; we know it's a long season. So most of the seniors — well, all of the seniors spent a lot of time in the gym this offseason just to get better for moments like this. So I think it just comes from working hard."

McCormick led all scorers with 20. Doughty and Purifoy each had 14.

Doughty, whom Pearl called Auburn's top offensive option in the offseason, rotated some at point guard behind McCormick in the exhibition. Pearl said that's by design to get the ball in the 6-foot-4 wing's hands earlier in possessions.

"It’s a little harder to get it into an off-guard’s hands," Pearl said. "... So sometimes, for example, if you think back to Bryce (Brown), there were times during games where Bryce was really quiet and you would wonder, 'Where is Bryce?' Well, the defenses were working hard to take him away, and we’ve got to do things to get him the ball.

"By Samir having the ball, he’s good with the ball. By having it in his hands sometimes, I think it lets him do some more playmaking."

Senior big men Austin Wiley and Anfernee McLemore added 10 and 13 points, respectively. Wiley turned in a double-double, corralling 10 boards in 18 minutes played, and the 6-foot-11 center blocked three shots, as well.

The two played together on the floor for a few minutes in the win, something Pearl has been experimenting with in the offseason with McLemore adapting to play both power forward and center.

"It’s really hard to play 4 and 5," Pearl said. "It’s really hard, because the center is a certain cover and a certain matchup. It’s a little simpler. All of a sudden you get to playing in the four spot, and you’re involved with switching with the guards, you’re involved with all sorts of different coverages. I mean, it is a night-and-day difference.

"And so Anfernee has got to work on that ability, to be able to process that. But, again, he— his athleticism, his ability to finish around the basket, shoot the ball, and just his experience out there — I’ve got to put the best players on the floor and that’s why he needs to be out there."

Freshman starting forward Isaac Okoro was the only Auburn newcomer to make a dent in the scoring column until wing Devan Cambridge buried a corner triple 17 minutes and 10 seconds into the exhibition.

Okoro grabbed four rebounds, dished out four assists, blocked two shots and swiped a steal, but he shot just 1-for-6 with three points on the night, including an 0-for-3 mark from long range, and committed four fouls.

"There’s a lot of things that we do for Isaac that we didn’t do tonight that we’ll do as the season progresses," Pearl said. "He got in a little foul trouble tonight, but he’ll play a lot better.”

Cambridge, who played 16 minutes after being ruled out three-to-four weeks on Oct. 17, was the most productive first-year player, at least on the offensive end, with 11 points, including a handful of high-flying dunks.

"He’s obviously a high flyer and his motor runs," Pearl said. "He’s a sponge. He’s going to get better. But for us to win, he has to be able to — him being out three weeks really kind of sets us back because you could see, he’s got a real shot to be in the top eight or nine players, for sure."

As Bruce Pearl promised this week, Auburn played a 12-man rotation. The subs, in order of appearance off the bench, were: McLemore, Jamal Johnson, Allen Flanigan, Jaylin Williams, Cambridge, Babatunde Akingbola and Tyrell Jones. Walk-on Preston Cook checked in with under a minute remaining.

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