Tigers look to build chemistry, close non-conference play strong

AUBURN -- The next two and a half weeks will go a long way in determining Auburn's hopes for a postseason berth.

The Tigers close out their non-conference slate with five straight home games, beginning tonight with Winthrop (4-4).

Auburn (3-5) needs to ring in the new year with at least a winning record over this stretch, preferably a 4-1 mark, in order to enter SEC play with a winning record.

"I know these wins at home are going to be tough to come by, but we have not played a game yet where we couldn't have won it," Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. "We haven't played that opponent yet. When we get to conference play at home and on the road it will be consistent with what we have been seeing."

Auburn has struggled, with losses in three straight and four of its last five, but were without guard Antoine Mason for all but Sunday's loss at Clemson during that span.

"Stepping back on that court is an amazing feeling," Mason said. "I'm not going to lie, I was nervous at first. When you are coming off an injury, you are concerned about it, but as the game went on I got into a rhythm. It was amazing waking up and feeling almost normal. (Sunday( was the first day it felt almost close to normal. So that was a good thing. I would say I am about 80 percent. I had to shake off the rust (Sunday), I made a lot of mistakes, but it felt good to be back on the court."

With Mason, the nation's leading returning scorer, back from an ankle sprain that cost him five games, the team once again has a player that can consistently drive to the basket.

"Offensively it was nice having him on the other side of the floor from K.T. (Harrell), because you have to guard him because he can knock down the three ball and he is explosive going to the basket," Pearl said. "One of the biggest weaknesses we have had without him is finding where to get 2-point baskets. We can get them from Cinmeon, I can get some from K.T., but you go beyond that and finding 2-point baskets is difficult. He is a guy that can attack the rim and post up and do some things for us. I was pleased at what I saw from him on Sunday for his first day back."

Auburn has also added seven-foot-two center Trayvon Reed to the lineup, a major addition to a team desperately lacking size. With only one practice before his debut, Reed was limited on Sunday and had just one block and was 0-for-1 from the field in eight minutes of play.

"That is the first time I ever played with a 7-footer," Mason said. "You can see a big difference. He gets a lot of attention just being 7 feet, someone has to always be around him."

With five games to build chemistry with Mason and Reed in the rotation, Auburn will be a very different team once conference play begins. But first, the Tigers can't dig themselves a hole at the end of non-conference action.

"Winning these could really get our confidence up, especially if we defend our home court like we are supposed to," Mason said. "If we come out 8-5 that would be a great thing, especially for our confidence. So we just have to take care of business at home like we usually do."

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WHEN: 8 p.m. today

WHERE: Auburn Arena, Auburn

RECORDS: Auburn (3-5), Winthrop (4-4)

ON THE AIR: TV — SEC Network; Radio — WMSP-AM 740

AUBURN LINEUP: G K.C. Ross-Miller (6-0, GS) 7.1 ppg.; G Tahj Shamsid-Deen (5-9, So.) 7.5 ppg.; G K.T. Harrell (6-4, Sr.) 18.0 ppg.; F Jordon Granger (6-5, Jr.) 5.4 ppg., 4.1 rpg.; F Cinmeon Bowers (6-7, Jr.) 12.3 ppg., 11.5 rpg.

WINTHROP LINEUP: G Keon Johnson (5-7, So.) 11.3 ppg.; G Andre Smith (5-10, Sr.) 11.1 ppg., 5.4 apg.; G Keon Moore (6-5, R-Sr.) 17.3 ppg., 4.9 rpg.; F Tevin Prescott (6-5, Jr.) 5.9 ppg., 6.1 rpg.; F Jarad Scott (6-8, So.) 7.4 ppg., 4.1 rpg.

NOTEWORTHY: This is the first of five straight home games for Auburn. The Tigers are 2-1 at home thus far. … K.T. Harrell is seven points shy of 1,000 for his career. ... Antoine Mason returned to the lineup and scored 14 points in Sunday's loss at Clemson after missing five games with an ankle sprain. He is 33 points shy of 2,000 career points. … 7-foot-2 center Trayvon Reed made his debut at Clemson, with just one block in eight minutes. … Former walk-on Alex Thompson is available to play tonight. … Auburn is 14-7 all-time against Big South teams, losing to Coastal Carolina earlier this season, and leads the all-time series 3-1, but Winthrop won the most recent meeting of the teams, in Dec. 2012.