Auburn Aims to Extend Nonconference Winning Streak Against Arizona
Auburn hosts No. 12 Arizona on Friday at 8 p.m. CT at Neville Arena, aiming to extend the nation’s longest nonconference winning streak to 70 games.
For 10 years, visitors to the Jungle have left empty-handed. Steven Pearl noted the caliber of this matchup.
“Excited for another great opportunity,” Auburn coach Steven Pearl said. “It’s pretty cool for our fans to see a nonconference game of this caliber against a historic program. I’m excited for our fans.”
Auburn enters the contest with a 2-0 record. Arizona stands at 2-1 following the early-season schedule.
Ivan Kharchenkov and Motiejus Krivas lead Arizona offense
Arizona arrives on the Plains with an offense featuring international standouts Ivan Kharchenkov and Motiejus Krivas. Kharchenkov paces the Wildcats with 24.7 points and nine rebounds per contest.
“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 adds 18 points and eight rebounds per game while shooting 73.1 percent from the field. Pearl emphasized the physical challenge awaiting his frontcourt.
“They may have two of the most impactful players in the country on their roster,” Pearl said. “Defensively, he does a good job moving his feet. He’s a handful. Narcisse (Ngoy), Bukky (Oboye) and Owen (Freeman) are going to have to step up physically in this game to match the production he brings at that position.”
Auburn defense faces Arizona in home-and-home series
Auburn’s defense held Southeastern Louisiana and Appalachian State below 60 points each through the first two games. Pearl pointed to defensive effort as a key factor.
“Multiple efforts is something we constantly talk about,” Pearl said. “Having size at the rim to contest shots and having guys who will make multiple efforts to come up with stops has allowed us to improve.”
Friday’s game serves as the second leg of a home-and-home series. Arizona won the previous meeting 97-68 last December in Tucson when the Wildcats were ranked No. 2.
Returners Tahaad Pettiford and Kevin Overton experienced that loss firsthand. Pearl noted the value of that previous trip.
“Those guys can pull from experience because they were there,” Pearl said. “There’s some value in that. You can talk about it all you want but you’ve got to go out and perform.”
ESPN2 broadcasts game as fans wear white
The matchup will air on ESPN2 and the Auburn Sports Network, with Andy Burcham and Randall Dickey handling the broadcast. Auburn students will receive free white Fear the Jungle t-shirts, and all fans are encouraged to wear white.
“We can’t change how we prepare and go about our routine because it’s Arizona,” Pearl said. “We understand the gravity around it but we’re not changing how we go about things. It’s about sticking to our strengths, the things we’re good at and the things we work on repeatedly in practice.”