Tigers go 13 minutes without basket, match worst stretch in 66 years

Auburn’s Chris Denson in the first half against Vanderbilt on Saturday, March 2, 2013 in Auburn, Ala.
Credit: Todd Van Emst

AUBURN – For a team which is woefully inept on offense, a stretch of more than 13 minutes without a field goal was not what Auburn needed.

Despite opening the game with great defensive effort and ball movement on offense, Auburn could not make an attempt from the floor in the final 9:52 of the first half, a trend which continued for 3:42 into the second half with Chris Denson shots bookending a dreadful 0-for-17 shooting span in 13:34.

Though the Tigers clawed to get back in it each time they came close to making it a one-possession game, Vanderbilt responded. Denson scored 16 points and twice cut the deficit to four points in the second half but Auburn lost to Vanderbilt, 62-55, before an announced crowd of 7,295 at Auburn Arena Saturday night.

“I saw a lot of wide open shots. I saw a lot of point-blank shots at the rim. I saw a lot of wide open threes,” said Barbee, who dropped to 35-56 overall and 12-36 in SEC play at Auburn. “We collectively fought harder, collectively. I thought we were engaged, I thought we were persistent defensively. But you’re not going to win many games in this league shooting 35 percent from the floor and 16 percent from three.”

It was the 13th loss in 14 games for Auburn (9-20, 3-13 Southeastern Conference), matching the worst stretch for the program since 1947.

The Tigers shot 20-for-55 (35.7 percent) from the field in their fifth straight sub-40 percent shooting performance.

“You have to have confidence as a player,” Barbee said. “When you step on that floor you got to believe. You got to have confidence.”

Vanderbilt went on a 20-1 run to build its lead up to 31-17 with 16:39 to go before Denson scored again for the Tigers.

Denson hit a three-pointer, his first in five games though he attempted few in that span, to make it 35-31 with 11:55 to go. Vanderbilt immediately responded but Rob Chubb came down and cut it to four again, only for Rod Odom to drain a three to put the Commodores up 40-33 with 10:28 to go.

“I tried to make it my duty today to come out and bring that extra spark especially we since we had that slump,” said Denson, who went 5-for-12 from the field and made five of seven free throws.

Denson converted a three-point play with 9:21 to go to make it 40-36 but the Tigers would not get any closer.

Kedren Johnson scored 16 points though he was just 2-for-11 from the field and added 10 from the foul line and Kevin Bright added 14 for Vanderbilt (13-15, 7-9 SEC). The Commodores shot 16-for-49 (32.7 percent) from the floor but made 10 of 26 three-pointers.

The Tigers fall into a three-way tie for last place in the conference with South Carolina and Mississippi State with two regular season games remaining. The Tigers play at Mississippi State in the season finale and both teams will play in one of the two opening round games in Nashville on Wednesday March 13.

Barbee, who said he had met individually with players in recent weeks in an effort to boost confidence, was not sure where the disconnect

“I don’t know I can’t shoot the ball for them,” he said. “That’s something you’re going to have to ask the players. I think we’re getting pretty good looks.”

Notes:

Bo Jackson was the celebrity letter at Saturday’s game.
Credit: Todd Van Emst

Frankie Sullivan’s shooting woes continued. He was 2-for-9 from the field and scored just seven points. Sullivan was 1-for-9 on Tuesday … The 50th anniversary of the 1962-63 Auburn basketball team was honored at halftime. The Tigers went 18-4 that season … Auburn great Bo Jackson was the celebrity letter