AUBURN | Austin Wiley is still feeling pain in his lower right leg and it’s showing.

In the last three games since returning from his injury, Wiley has averaged just 1.0 points and 1.0 rebounds in just over 5 minutes per game.

“Yeah, Austin still absolutely is feeling his lower leg injury,” Pearl said. “He is at no risk to injure it further, because he can still feel it. But I still think, in feeling that and having some pain, it limits what he’s willing to do and how hard he’s willing to push. So as a result, he’s just not as effective.

“I think it’s a statement about his toughness, I think it’s a statement about his character that even though he is not able to perform and produce like we know he’s capable, he’s still out there trying to work his way through.”

Before the injury, Wiley was averaging 10.8 points, and a team-leading 6.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game. He had started five-straight games before suffering the injury and missing five games between Jan. 19 and Feb. 2.

“We’re hoping that, any time, the pain he’s experiencing goes away,” Pearl said. “And then he’ll then have the confidence to go ahead and do the things he’s capable of doing; running with speed, moving laterally, jumping. There are rebounds and there are plays that he could make, but I just know that, right now, his body is feeling like he can’t explode.”

Auburn, losers of two-straight games, plays at Vanderbilt Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT on ESPNU.