Barbee questions Tigers’ effort, “I’m not a very good coach with this team”

AUBURN — Lack of effort and consistent play continues to plague the Auburn Tigers. Across the board, no player is immune to the wrath of Tigers coach Tony Barbee, who has grown increasingly frustrated with his squad’s pathetic play.

Despite opening with a 12-point lead, Auburn could not put Texas A&M away when it had the chance. Allen Payne scored 11 points and was the only player in double-figures for Auburn, which fell apart in the second half and lost to Texas A&M, 65-56, before an announced crowd of 5,322 at Auburn Arena Wednesday night.

“We’re not a very good team right now,” said Barbee, whose squad fell to 9-17 and 3-10 in the Southeastern Conference after losing for the 10th time in 11 games to match the worst 11-game stretch for the program since 1993-94. “I’m not a very good coach with this team.”

It’s hard to discern the continued lack of effort from Auburn as both the players and their coach have spoken about the subject at length during this horrific stretch.

“It’s not him, it’s not the staff, it’s not coach Barbee,” Payne said. “We can’t blame anybody but ourselves. It comes to a point where it’s time to stop talking about it and start doing it.”

Barbee made 44 substitutions as eight Tigers played 15 or more minutes on Wednesday but said “mistakes” are not what led him to pull his players so quickly.

“Effort, hustle, desire, passion, energy, that’s not a mistake,” he said. “Forgetting a play, forgetting where you’re supposed to go, those are mistakes. But not coming up with loose balls, not diving on the floor when it’s around your feet and they’ve got three guys on the floor and you’re standing there looking at it, that’s not a mistake, that’s a lack of desire.”

Elston Turner (21 points) scored seven straight points to give Texas A&M (16-10, 6-7 SEC) a 48-42 lead with 10:05 to go and the Aggies never looked back.

“I just try to do what I can for the team to win,” Tuner said. “Right now it’s just scoring the ball, especially tonight since we didn’t have Fabyon Harris and we needed other people to step up, and we did.”

Payne made a pair of free throws to cut it to 55-53 with 3:16 to go but the Aggies held off the Tigers. Chris Denson (nine points) made a free throw to make it 57-54 with 1:46 to go but the Tiger would not get any closer.

Freshman Alex Caruso added season-highs in points (14) and assists (eight) for the Aggies, which opened the game shooting 0-for-13 and trailed Auburn 12-0 before Tuner converted on a three-point play with 13:51 left in the first half.

After holding Texas A&M to just 11-for-30 (36.7 percent) in the first half, Auburn allowed the Aggies to go 11-for-20 (55 percent) in the second while shooting just 8-for-30.

With five games left before the SEC Tournament, Auburn has to try and avoid finishing in last place.

“I’m going to keep fighting because that’s what I am,” Barbee said. “I’m going to find out who is going to fight with me.”