Auburn

College Cheerleader of the Day: Auburn

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:44:45 -0500

Each day (just about), CollegeHoops.net features a Cheerleader (or in this case Dancer) of the Day. Today's picture is courtesy of Icon Sports Media. Check out the archive for more

-- AUBURN

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Poll: Who Will Win the SEC Tournament?

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:22:19 -0500

College Basketball Odds & Predictions: Thursday

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 11:29:52 -0500

Betting odds are a great guide to college basketball entertainment. I'll discuss my daily predictions after the lines.. these are posted solely for fun, as I do not bet on games myself, nor do I suggest anybody else does either (it's not easy). If you agree or disagree with my picks, have thoughts on the day's lines, or have upsets or picks to announce, post them below.

February 18th: Odds & Predictions

- listed are the day's 6 most popular/intriguing games. I only predict games from this pool due to fan interest.

7:00

Auburn
at Florida

Favorite

Florida by 8.5

Over/Under

144.5

7:00

Vanderbilt
vs Mississippi

Favorite

Ole Miss by 3.5

Over/Under

154.5

7:00

Syracuse
vs Georgetown

Favorite

Georgetown by 2

Over/Under

144

9:00

Gonzaga
at Loyola Marymount

Favorite

Gonzaga by 11.5

Over/Under

153

9:00

Pittsburgh
at Marquette

Favorite

Marquette by 6.5

Over/Under

131

9:00

Wisconsin
at Minnesota

Favorite

Minnesota by .5

Over/Under

124

10:30

Southern California
at Washington

Favorite

Washington by 8

Over/Under

131

10:30

California
at Oregon St.

Favorite

Cal by 6

Over/Under

130

11:00

St. Mary's
vs San Diego

Favorite

St. Mary's by 7

Over/Under

134

- Lines as of 11:00 am (from SportsBetting) - Check out the day's other odds as the day progresses, including odds from other betting sites. Predictions below:

SEC Tournament Watch: Who Will Be Dancing?

Jason Brubaker — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 08:19:32 -0500

Valentine’s Day for many people involves an intimate dinner, flowers, perhaps some candy, maybe even a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride through the snow. But for college basketball fans – it means that teams have one month left to earn their dance cards. One more month of proving their worth against conference opponents, trying to build momentum as they enter March.

With the conference season halfway done, the SEC is in decidedly better shape than last year, when Cupid arrived and saw a mess of bubble teams that had no shot of reaching the second weekend. This year, as many as six teams could find themselves dancing, although as always, there’s still a lot that can happen.

Here’s the breakdown right now.

Tournament Locks:

Kentucky: 23-1 (8-1 SEC)

RPI: 6

Strength of Schedule: 51

Key wins: Vanderbilt, at Florida, Mississippi

Bad losses: None

Big games remaining: Tennessee, at Mississippi State at Vanderbilt, at Tennessee

The Cats have hovered in the top five all year, and should be in contention for a top seed come March. Despite some inconsistent efforts and youthful mistakes, they’ve simply been able to overwhelm people with their talent all year. Their non-conference schedule doesn’t look great, especially with North Carolina, Louisville and UConn struggling, but if they continue to win like they have, it won’t matter. With three tough road games left, it’s not unconceivable that the Cats could stumble once more, but barring a major surprise, they should be quite pleased on Selection Sunday.

Tennessee: 18-5. (6-3 SEC)

RPI: 19

Strength of Schedule: 38

Key wins: Kansas, Mississippi

Bad losses: at USC, at Georgia

Big games remaining: at Kentucky, at Florida, Kentucky, at Mississippi State

The Vols have responded better than many thought after the dismissal of star Tyler Smith, but they still have work to do to improve their seed. Since losing Smith, the Vols have knocked off Kansas, but also have dropped a pair of games to Vandy, and struggled to win against Florida and LSU. They still have a pair of games left with Kentucky, and winning one of those would be huge for their resume. Right now, the Vols look to be around a 5-seed, but they could go a couple spots in either direction depending on how strong they finish the season.

Vanderbilt: 18-5 (7-2 SEC)

RPI: 18

Strength of Schedule: 24

Key wins: Tennessee (2), Florida, Missouri

Bad losses: Western Kentucky, at Georgia

Big games remaining: at Mississippi, Kentucky, at Florida

The Commodores are a team to keep an eye on in March. They have veteran leadership, a balanced attack, and are playing well as of late, having won nine of 11 since the calendar flipped to 2010. If they’re able to score an upset of Kentucky in a huge home game on Feb. 20, they could find themselves as high as a three-seed in the NCAA. Right now, they’re probably in 5-seed range along with Tennessee, but they’re certainly capable of climbing higher. Look for Vandy to be a tough out this year in the NCAA Tourney.

Probably Dancing:

Mississippi: 17-6 (5-4 SEC)

RPI: 39

Strength of Schedule: 52

Key wins: at Kansas State

Bad losses: None

Big games remaining: at Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Florida

The Rebels are in good position to make the tournament, but they may need to find another signature win somewhere. They don’t have any terrible losses, with four of their six losses coming to teams ranked in the top 15, and the early season win over Kansas State continues to look better. However, the Rebels need a strong finish to avoid being on bubble watch. If they’re able to get to 10 conference wins, and make a good showing in the SEC Tournament, they’ll likely find themselves in the 8-9 seed range. Knocking off Vanderbilt would be a huge boost for their resume.

On the Bubble:

Florida: 17-7 (6-4 SEC)

RPI: 50

Strength of Schedule: 70

Key wins: Michigan State, Florida State

Bad losses: South Alabama

Big games remaining: at Mississippi, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, at Kentucky

The Gators have been rolling lately, having won six of their last seven heading into a showdown with South Carolina on Wednesday. They don’t always win pretty, and have relied on some late-game heroics more than once, but regardless, they’re still sitting in a good position heading into March. They have two great non-conference wins, and even the loss to Richmond doesn’t look as awful as it did at the time. However, they’re still searching for a big SEC win to add to their resume. If they’re able to hold home court against Tennessee and Vanderbilt, as well as knock off Auburn and Georgia, 10 conference wins should get them into the tournament. They’re certainly not a sure thing, but they’re on the right track.

Mississippi State: 16-7 (4-4 SEC)

RPI: 71

Strength of Schedule: 126

Key wins: Mississippi

Bad losses: Rider, Western Kentucky

Big games remaining: Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee

The Bulldogs have plenty of work to do if they want to dance into March. The good news for them is that they’ll have plenty of chances, starting with a showdown against Ole Miss on Thursday. The Bulldogs also have homes dates with Kentucky and Tennessee, and they’ll probably need both to make their resume more tournament-worthy. Rick Stansbury’s club has some nice pieces, but they haven’t seemed to find a rhythm in conference play, having lost four of their last five. It’s not too late to make a run, but for a team that entered the season with expectations of a deep run through March, they’ve been largely disappointing so far.

On the Outside But Have a Chance:

South Carolina: 14-9 (5-4 SEC)

In all likelihood, the Gamecocks will need to win the SEC Tournament to earn a bid, but don’t count them out. Devan Downey is making a run at SEC Player of the Year, and he’s shown the ability to carry the team through long stretches. Another win over Kentucky certainly wouldn’t hurt, but overall, they still probably need to win out to even think about the bubble.

Arkansas: 13-11 (6-3 SEC)

Like South Carolina, the Hogs probably have too much work left to do to count on an at-large bid, and will need to run the SEC Tournament to get in. However, with Courtney Fortson back, the Hogs are a dangerous team, and they’re playing their best ball of the season right now. They may not win it, but look for the Hogs to at least put a scare into someone during the SEC Tournament.

There’s always next year:

Georgia 10-12 (2-7 SEC)

They may be the best 10-win team in the country, but at the end of the day, they’re still a 10-win team. The Dawgs have some good pieces, but just don’t have enough to compete this year.

Alabama 13-11 (3-7 SEC)

Like Georgia, the Tide can’t be faulted for their effort, but they just don’t simply have enough talent. On the bright side, spring football practice is only a couple months away.

Auburn: 12-12 (3-6 SEC)

The Tigers have attempted close to 600 three-pointers this year. When you’re shooting them at 32 percent, that’s not a recipe for success.

LSU 9-15 (0-10 SEC)

Nothing much to say here. The Tigers just simply aren’t a good team. Help may be on the way next year, but unfortunately, they have to finish this season first.

SEC to Make Big Impact on 2010 NBA Draft

Jason Brubaker — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 11:31:31 -0500

For SEC fans, the 2009 NBA Draft was about as exciting as watching paint dry.

First there was the lottery... nothing. Next, the rest of the first round... nothing. It was nearly two hours into the draft before the Bucks selected Kentucky SG Jodie Meeks with the 41^st pick. Two picks later, LSU guard Marcus Thornton went to New Orleans, and two picks after that, Florida PG Nick Calathes was selected by Dallas.

But it was there the excitement ended, with just three SEC players selected. Three. And by the time Meeks finally heard his name called, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, UCLA, Wake Forest and Louisville had all seen multiple players selected. In fact, UNC produced more picks by themselves than the entire SEC, with four. Safe to say, it was not a banner year for the conference.

But it's also safe to say 2010 won't be more of the same. With the influx of talent into the league, as well as the development of some returning players, the SEC should be much better represented this year. With the season approximately halfway over, here's a look at some of the top NBA prospects.

John Wall, Kentucky

Key stats: 17. 1 points, 6.9 assists

Draft prediction: Top pick

Barring a major surprise, Wall will be the top pick in the 2010 draft. Although just a freshman, he has the speed, athleticism and poise to become an instant impact player, and there's no reason he shouldn't become a star in the league. Wall has great size for the point, and he's virtually unstoppable in transition. Look for him to fill up NBA highlight reels for years to come.

DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky

Key stats: 15.3 points, 9.3 rebounds

Draft prediction: Lottery

Cousins is overshadowed by Wall at times, but he is a tremendous talent in his own right. He has great size, solid ball skills and an NBA-ready body. The only thing holding Cousins back is his attitude. He's known to have a quick fuse, and can sometimes lose focus on the floor. However, if he's able to continue to keep his composure and help lead UK on a deep tournament run, he could find himself shaking David Stern's hand not long after Wall.

Scotty Hopson, Tennessee

Key stats: 13. 3 points, 3.7 rebounds

Draft prediction: Late lottery – mid first round

Hopson has great size for a shooting guard, as well as top-notch athleticism and a sweet stroke from the perimeter. However, his production doesn't always match his potential, and there are questions about his drive. If he proves he can lead the Vols this year in the absence of Tyler Smith, look for his stock to skyrocket.

Patrick Patterson

Key stats: 16.9 points, 7.9 rebounds

Draft prediction: Late lottery – mid first round

Patterson is no longer having to shoulder such a large load for the Cats this year, and as a result, his game has expanded. Patterson has been able to showcase more of a perimeter game, having made 10 three-pointers this season after making zero in his first two years. With good size, good athleticism and a high basketball IQ, Patterson is likely to become a solid NBA player for the next 10-12 years.

Jarvis Varnado, Mississippi State

Key stats: 14.1 points, 11.3 rebounds, 5.3 blocks

Draft prediction: Mid to late first round

Varnado may never be an offensive force, but his defensive ability should keep him in the league for a while. Varnado has great athleticism for his size, and he attacks the glass with an attitude that scouts love. He's willing to do the dirty work, and he could make an instant impact as a defender off the bench. If he continues to put up numbers this year, look for him to land in the first round.

Michael Washington, Arkansas

Key stats: 13.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.3 blocks

Draft prediction: Early second round

Washington has intriguing size and athleticism, but he hasn't taken the step forward that scouts wanted to see. He still doesn't take over games the way he should with his skill set, and the Hogs' mediocre record the past two years won't help his case much. As it is, he's likely to draw some interest based solely on potential, but at some point, he's going to have deliver on that potential.

Tasmin Mitchell, LSU

Key stats: 16.9 points, 9.4 rebounds

Draft prediction: Late second round

Mitchell lacks the flash of the rest of the players on this list, and as a fifth-year senior, scouts question how much upside he still has left. But Mitchell is still a versatile player who is closing in on 2,000 career points and he can guard multiple positions because of his size and quickness. He also has a high basketball IQ and his effort will never be questioned. Although he likely will never be more than a role player in the league, he's got a good chance of finding a home somewhere.

Other notables:

Tyler Smith, Tennessee: Dismissed from the Vols for an arrest stemming from gun possession, Smith's legal case has yet to be determined. A borderline first round talent heading into the year, Smith could still find a way into the league, but obviously needs to stay out of trouble first. His stock has obviously gone down, but how far is anyone's best guess.

Renardo Sidney, Mississippi State: Sidney was a highly touted recruit who has yet to play because of eligibility issues. Billed as power forward with three-point range, Sidney has made no secret of the fact that he wants to enter the league as soon as possible. However, with questions surrounding his attitude, conditioning and overall game after taking a year off, his stock is anyone's best guess.

Players to watch for 2011 Draft

Terrico White, Ole Miss: White has the size and strength the play SG at the next level, and he's shown the ability to get to the rim at will. Another year of seasoning could see his stock climb even higher, especially if helps lead the Rebels on a run through the NCAA Tournament.

Eric Bledsoe, Kentucky: Bledsoe is an explosive athlete who thrives in transition and has the ability to score in bunches. Given the chance to run the UK attack after Wall leaves, Bledsoe could play his way into the lottery in 2011.

Jeffery Taylor, Vanderbilt: Taylor has great athleticism and is developing into an all-around player. He already has the attention of NBA scouts, and if he continues to improve his perimeter game, his stock could continue to rise.

Trey Thompkins, Georgia: Thompkins has two things scouts love – size and toughness. Thompkins' numbers are up across the board after a solid freshman season, and if he continues to improve, he could soon find himself in an NBA frontcourt.

Daniel Orton, Kentucky: Orton is battling Cousins and Patterson for minutes now, but the frontcourt should be all his next year. Orton is a solid defender, and although he's limited offensively, he's demonstrated a great attitude and work ethic, and he should continue to improve.

AJ Ogilvy, Vanderbilt: Ogilvy arrived at Vanderbilt two-and-a-half years ago billed as a future lottery pick. However, after a great freshman year, his numbers have continued to go down and there are some scouts who question his toughness. But, because he’s 6’11 with good ball skills, there’s still a good chance he’ll find a home somewhere in the league

SEC Mid-Season Stock Watch

Jason Brubaker — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 12:07:39 -0500

The buzz around the SEC this year was how much stronger the conference would be, top-to-bottom, with so many key players returning and new faces ready to make an instant impact. A year after getting only three teams into the NCAA Tournament, this was supposed to be a rebound year, with as many as six or seven teams competing for berths in the Big Dance.

Well, with the non-conference season nearly wrapped up for most teams, it's still hard to get a great read on the overall strength of the conference. Only three teams are currently ranked in the latest AP poll, and of those, only Kentucky looks like a sure bet for a long postseason run. Teams like Georgia and Arkansas have continued to struggle, and the muddled mess in the middle doesn't look to have any teams who will distinguish themselves.

But there's still plenty of basketball to play, so there's a good chance things may change as the season goes on. So here's an SEC Stock Watch as we prepare to enter conference play.

Alabama

Record: 8-4

Quality wins: Michigan, Baylor

Postseason prediction: NIT

The Crimson Tide may have to hang their hat on winning the championship in football this year, because they likely won't be getting a chance to run through the NCAA Tournament. The Tide have some talent, including big man JaMychal Green, but they often don't play smart or disciplined, two traits that were evidenced when they blew a 16-point second half lead against Purdue. New coach Anthony Grant brings a ton of passion to the sidelines, and the Tide have enough talent to scare some teams, but in the end, it's likely they'll struggle to do better than the NIT.

Arkansas

Record: 7-5

Quality wins: None

Postseason prediction: None

The Razorbacks struggled mightily in the conference last year, finishing 2-14, and this year isn't shaping up to be much better. The Hogs give up 72 points per game, shoot 64% percent from the foul line and don't have a player averaging more than seven rebounds per game. The loss of Courtney Fortson robbed the Hogs not only of a terrific scorer, but someone whop provided the team with confidence and swagger. Michael Washington is a talented forward and Rotnei Clarke is as good a shooter as anyone in the country, but that isn't going to be enough this year. Look for the Hogs to finish near the bottom of the SEC West again.

Auburn

Record: 7-6

Quality wins: None

Postseason prediction: None

Speaking of the bottom of the West...meet the 2009-10 Tigers. They shocked many observers last year by finishing second in the West, winning 10 conference games and 24 games overall. Don't look for a repeat. The Tigers don't take great care of the ball, don't shoot particularly well, and are still trying to adequately fill the shoes of departed leaders Kovortney Barber, Quantez Robertson and Rasheem Barrett. Senior DeWayne Reed and Lucas Hargrove are solid players and good leaders, but neither would be described as a star. Expect a long season on The Plains.

Florida

Record: 9-3

Quality wins: Michigan State, Florida State

Postseason prediction: NCAA 1^st round

The Gators have already surprised with their 8-0 start this year, and they certainly have enough talent to make their way back to the Big Dance after two straight years in the NIT. Freshman Kenny Boynton looks to be a future star, and returning players like Alex Tyus, Erving Walker, Chandler Parsons and Dan Werner are experienced enough to keep the Gators in most games. But with shaky depth up front, and a small backcourt, the Gators likely don't have enough to expect a deep postseason run. Look for them to challenge Tennessee for second place in the SEC East.

Georgia

Record: 6-4

Quality wins: Illinois

Postseason prediction: None

First-year coach Mark Fox arrived with plenty of excitement as he hopes to pull the Bulldogs out of the SEC East cellar. Unfortunately, he didn't inherit a roster loaded with talent to match that energy. The Bulldogs have some nice pieces, especially forward Trey Thompkins, but they simply just don't have enough talent to compete this year. They don't have a great backcourt, and outside of Thompkins, they lack a scorer in the post. The 'Dawgs will play hard this year, but their lack of talent will do them in on most nights. While Fox may have the program on the right track, look for another rough year in Athens.

Continue to Part Two of the SEC Stock Watch

Kentucky, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi St, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

Auburn at Florida St: GameNight Preview

Jeff Borzello — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:04:15 -0500

Start: Dec 17 2009 - 7:00pm

It is a very light week in college basketball, with colleges and universities taking final exams and winding down their semesters. On Thursday, there are only 18 games, with no ranked teams in action. Furthermore, just two games pit two .500-plus teams against each other, with only four BCS teams in action. Despite that, there is an interesting game on the docket, with Auburn (5-4) travelling to Tallahassee to take on Florida State (8-2). Auburn has split its two games against the ACC this season, beating Virginia but falling to North Carolina State. Florida State has only lost two games this season, road contests at Florida and Ohio State, while Auburn has lost to Troy and Central Florida and has won only one road game.

Auburn has a very solid perimeter group, led by three double-figure scorers. DeWayne Reed has struggled shooting the ball, but is still averaging 15.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.0 steals. Starting next to him is Frankie Sullivan, a very effective three-point shooter who has scored in double-figures in every game but two this season. The team’s best shooter, Tay Waller, missed the first six games of the season, but he has returned and been a good scorer. Earnest Ross started seven games in his absence. Up front, Lucas Hargrove has really come on strong lately. Over the past four games, he is averaging 16.0 points and 10.8 rebounds. Brandon Knox and Johnnie Lett split time down low.

Florida State looks like it could be a sleeper in the ACC this season, mainly because the Seminoles have some of the best frontcourt talent in the league. Center Solomon Alabi is an excellent shot-blocker who has vastly improved his offensive game this season, while forward Chris Singleton has plenty of potential and has become a very good all-around performer this year. Xavier Gibson and Ryan Reid combine to average 12.0 points and 7.8 rebounds at the other starting spot. In the backcourt, journeyman Derwin Kitchen is a double-figure scorer, while Deividas Dulkys is the team’s best three-point shooter. Freshman Michael Snaer could eventually be an all-conference guard.

Can Auburn win the rubber match in its three-game series against the ACC? Doubtful. The Tigers have won only one road game this season, and don’t have enough frontcourt firepower to deal with Florida State. Alabi leads a deep and tall post group that should be able to corral Hargrove, while the Seminoles are also ranked No. 29 in the country when it comes to defending the three-point shot. If Auburn is not able to knock down its outside shots, and Hargrove can’t continue his outstanding stretch, this game could get out of hand quickly.

Prediction: Florida State 73, Auburn 57

Poll: Who Will be the Next Coach Fired?

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 11:39:31 -0500

Poll: What Team is Off To the Worst Start?

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:31:19 -0500

Auburn Finalizes Impressive 6-Man Class

Press Release — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:46:37 -0500

AUBURN - Shawn Kemp, a 6-foot-10, 215-pound center from Canton, Ga.; Heath Houston, a 6-foot-7, 225-pound forward from Powder Springs, Ga.; Jalen Steele, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound guard from Knoxville, Tenn.; Anthony Salter, a 5-foot-11 point guard from Tallahassee, Fla.; Allen Payne, a 6-foot-6, 205-pound forward from Cincinnati, Ohio; and Adrian Forbes, a 6-foot-8, 230-pound power forward from Spanish Town, Jamaica; have signed national letters of intent to attend Auburn University and play basketball in 2010-11, head coach Jeff Lebo announced Wednesday.

"I think we really helped ourselves in some areas," said Lebo, whose class has been ranked fifth nationally by HoopScoop magazine. "Obviously, we lose a lot of players so this is going to be a big class for us. We lose guys who played a lot for us so we are looking for some immediate impact from this class.

"We feel really good about our class. They come from winning programs and are used to winning. They are tough kids, and you hope that they come in and contribute right away. That is why you recruit them. This is a big class for us. There is no doubt about it."

Kemp attends Hargrave Military Academy where he scored 21 points, making 9-of-12 shots from the field in a recent scrimmage against prep school power Oak Hill Academy. Playing his high school basketball at Cherokee County High in Powder Springs, Ga., he is the son of former NBA All-Star Shawn Kemp. He averaged 12 points and eight rebounds and had 78 blocks as a senior for Cherokee County in 2008-09.

"Shawn Kemp has tremendous upside," said Lebo. "He is 6-foot-10, can shoot the ball from the perimeter and has a legitimate low post game. Shawn is a kid who has really unlimited potential to go certainly to the next level with his play. He can block shots. He can run. He has size. He is already 6-foot-10 and long at Hargrave this year and can really, really run the floor. He is just on the first step of becoming a very good basketball player. He will bring tremendous inside help to us."

Victoryland

Houston is a four-year starter at Hillview High and is a face-up power forward with 20-foot range. He plans to major in aerospace engineering.

"Heath Houston is a very strong inside player," said Lebo. "He is kind of an undersized player who can play the four and the three for us. He is big, strong, has a tremendous upside and is explosive around the basket area."

Steele averaged 21 points, seven rebounds and almost five assists per game as a junior last year in leading Knoxville Fulton High to back-to-back state championships as he was named the Class 2A State Tournament MVP in 2009. Steele, who made 100 three-pointers last season, has led Fulton to a 58-8 record the last two seasons.

"Jalen Steele is a kid who is a winner,* said Lebo. *He has won two state championships already. He is one of the top perimeter shooters in the country. He will be a guy with the loss of Tay Waller, who is going to be able to come in and shoot the ball from the perimeter for us. He has been very well coached in high school and will be able to make the transition to college very well."

Salter is ranked as the No. 3 overall junior college player in the country by Rivals' JUCO Junction on Nov. 12. He was an All-Region selection last year as a freshman at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa, where he averaged 15.4 points and 3.8 assists while shooting 48 percent from the field. He was a Class 4A All-State selection at Tallahassee (Fla.) Rickards High after averaging 19 points, six assists and four rebounds per game as a senior in 2007-08.

"Anthony Salter may be the top junior college point guard in the country," said Lebo. *He is very good in transition. He is very quick, can score, can shoot the three and is very good at the mid-range stop and pop area. He played at Iowa Western, which is one of the top junior college programs in the country. He is from Tallahassee (Fla.) so he is excited about coming back close to home.*

Payne averaged 15 points and eight rebounds at Cincinnati*s Winton Woods High School as a junior last season.

"Allen Payne is a small forward, and he has a very good upside," said Lebo. "He's trying to make the transition from a post guy in high school to a perimeter-type player in college. He has good athleticism on the wing and can run and play inside and out."

Forbes, who is ranked as the No. 10 overall junior college player in the country by Rivals* JUCO Junction on Nov. 12, averaged 6.3 points and 5.4 rebounds last season as a freshman at Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas. He also played for the Jamaican National Team over the summer.

"Adrian Forbes is a big junior college player who has a lot of potential and has played for a very good junior college program," said Lebo. "He is big and strong at 6-foot-8 and 230 pounds to help us inside."

-- http://auburntigers.cstv.com