Auburn Basketball Faces Major Early-Season Test Against Arizona

Auburn has gotten off to an encouraging start in year two under Steven Pearl, but Friday night's matchup against Arizona will present a challenge unlike anything the Tigers have faced so far this season.

And it's also an opportunity that could mean quite a bit for the direction of the program.

With a team coming off a Final Four appearance traveling to Neville Arena, Auburn has a chance to earn an important early-season victory while showing just how much progress it's made.

And considering what happened when these two teams met last season, there's certainly plenty of motivation.

Arizona defeated Auburn 97–68 in Tucson last December, despite Tahaad Pettiford finishing with 30 points.

But this Auburn team looks considerably different.

Pearl has rebuilt much of the roster, particularly in the backcourt, and the Tigers have shown some encouraging signs through their first two games.

However, Friday will provide a much better indication of where Auburn stands.

And one area Pearl believes could make a difference is the Tigers' depth.

Following Auburn's victory over Appalachian State on Monday, Pearl discussed the importance of being able to rely on his entire rotation.

"It's crucial," Pearl said. "Our depth's got to be our calling card."

All 10 players in Auburn's rotation played at least 13 minutes against Appalachian State, with nobody playing more than 26.

And Pearl believes that depth could help the Tigers wear down opponents throughout games.

Arizona could potentially give Auburn their most difficult challenge in the frontcourt this entire season.

The Wildcats feature Motiejus Krivas and Ivan Kharchenkov, two talented players who could test Auburn's ability to defend around the basket.

Narcisse Ngoy, Bukky Oboye and Owen Freeman will have important roles in that matchup, particularly when it comes to rebounding and avoiding foul trouble.

Auburn collected 16 offensive rebounds against Appalachian State, but Pearl acknowledged that his team still allowed too many opportunities on the offensive glass.

And he understands the challenge will become considerably more difficult against Arizona.

"Obviously, you know, the physicality is going to step up, you know, extremely immensely on Friday against Arizona," Pearl said.

But Auburn will have something working in its favor.

The Tigers enter Friday with a 69-game home winning streak against nonconference opponents, and Neville Arena should provide an atmosphere that makes things difficult for Arizona.

And protecting that streak against a nationally ranked opponent would be another significant accomplishment.

Auburn still has plenty to prove, and one game isn't going to determine what Pearl's team accomplishes this season.

But with a challenging stretch of nonconference games approaching in Las Vegas, a victory over Arizona could provide some important momentum.

It would also give Pearl a signature victory early in his tenure while showing that Auburn's rebuilt roster is capable of competing with some of the best programs in college basketball.