Arizona will get an early opportunity to measure itself against one of the toughest home-court environments in college basketball when the No. 12 Wildcats take on Auburn on the road Friday night.
Arizona (2-1) is coming off a Final Four season and is working to integrate several new contributors around returning standouts Motiejus Krivas and Ivan Kharchenkov.
Auburn (2-0) is looking to establish itself as an SEC contender under second-year head coach Steven Pearl.
The Tigers enter the game with a 69-game nonconference home winning streak, the longest active run in the country.
Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Arizona time on ESPN2 at Neville Arena. Rich Hollenberg and Fran Fraschilla will call the action on ESPN2. Brody Dryden and Ryan Hansen will broadcast the game on Wildcats Radio 1290AM. Brian Jeffries, the Voice of the Wildcats, remained in Tucson to be the master of ceremonies of Arizona’s 100th Anniversary Hall of Fame Celebration at Casino del Sol.
The Wildcats defeated Northern Arizona 90-59 on Tuesday at McKale Center at ALKEME Arena, receiving another impressive performance from Kharchenkov, who finished with 20 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
Tommy Lloyd has emphasized the importance of steady improvement as the Wildcats work through the early portion of their schedule.
“I thought there was a lot of progress,” Lloyd said. “Just keep growing day to day. I think the most important thing in a season is understanding that the season’s a continuum and, while you’re in that continuum, you gotta make progress.”
The Wildcats have shown considerable offensive potential, averaging 89.7 points through three games. They are shooting 51.1% from the field and averaging 20.3 assists per game.
Arizona also has been active defensively, recording 25 steals over its last two games.
Pearl has taken notice of Kharchenkov’s overall abilities.
“He does so many things offensively,” Pearl said. “He can play one through five for any team. Very unique, dynamic player. A matchup nightmare.”
Krivas presents another significant matchup problem. The 7-foot-2 center is averaging 18 points and eight rebounds while shooting 73.1% from the field.
Pearl also singled out Krivas when discussing Auburn’s preparations.
“They may have two of the most impactful players in the country on their roster,” he said.
Pearl recognizes that his frontcourt will have to be physical to contain Arizona’s interior production.
He specifically mentioned centers Narcisse Ngoy, Bukky Oboye and Owen Freeman as players who will need to respond to Krivas.
The Tigers have considerable size with 7-footers Ngoy and Oboye, giving Pearl the ability to rotate multiple big men and maintain an imposing defensive presence.
Arizona’s ability to get the ball inside, finish around the basket and create opportunities for its perimeter players could determine how successful the Wildcats are offensively.
The Tigers have defeated Southeastern Louisiana and Appalachian State, holding both opponents below 60 points.
Auburn’s defense has also benefited from its depth. The Tigers have used 10 players regularly, allowing them to maintain energy and physicality throughout games.
Pearl explained the importance of that depth.
“It’s crucial for us to be able to really buy into the depth that we have,” he said. “Guys coming in and having had a four-minute break, it makes a huge difference and it’s going to allow us to hopefully wear down a team over a 40-minute game. Our depth’s gotta be our calling card. I feel confident in all 10 of these guys.”
Auburn’s biggest offensive threat is junior guard Tahaad Pettiford, who is averaging 22 points per game.
Pettiford is coming off a strong start to the season, including seven assists without a turnover through the first two games.
Pettiford scored a career-high 30 points against the Wildcats last season in Tucson, although Arizona won the game, 97-68.
Kevin Overton gives Auburn another experienced perimeter threat. The senior guard is averaging 6-for-10 from 3-point range through the opening two games.
Kolby King has also been productive, averaging 10.5 points off the bench.
The Tigers have made 40% of their 3-point attempts through two games
Lloyd acknowledged Auburn’s home-court advantage and the challenge of playing in front of its fans.
“It sounds like a lot of teams have gone there and come out with a loss,” he said. “So I’m excited to see how we respond, and it’s going to be a great challenge.”
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