AuburnTigers.com
    Blue Defeats Orange 65-60 In Intrasquad Scrimmage Solid Practice
    Chris Denson


    Chris Denson

    Oct. 29, 2011 

    

    

    AUBURN -- Varez Ward scored 18 points, Chris Denson 16, Rob Chubb 15 and Frankie Sullivan had 14 points and seven rebounds as the Blue defeated the Orange 65-60 in Auburn's first intrasquad scrimmage in Auburn Arena on Saturday.

    "Overall, I thought it was a decent scrimmage," said Auburn head coach Tony Barbee. "We still have a long way to go. It was a little sloppy in points, a few too many turnovers. I like the way some of our veteran players are playing and where they are at. Chubb is definitely playing stronger. He's rebounding the ball better. He is scoring. He is demanding that ball in the post, which is what we need him to do for this team."

    Ward went 7-of-14 from the field, making half of his six 3-point attempts while Denson was 6-of-9 from the field, making all four of his foul shots. Chubb went 7-of-18 from the floor, and Sullivan was 5-of-12, including 3-of-7 from behind the arc.

    "It was my first game back, and we didn't have any subs so I had to play 40 minutes. Overall, I think I did pretty well," said Ward, who has not played a game since the third one of his sophomore year at Texas in the 2009-10 season. "I think I ran my team well. We got the `W.' That's the most important thing.
"Overall, the team did pretty well. We can limit some of the turnovers. We can always do better in that area and in rebounding the ball."

    Josh Wallace added 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting, Kenny Gabriel had 12 points on 3-of-6 shooting from the field and was perfect on all six free throw attempts.

    Gabriel also had a scrimmage-high tying nine rebounds with Josh Langford, who scored eight points on 2-of-8 shooting. Freshman Cedrick McAfee notched 11 points, making 3-of-6 shots from 3-point range. Allen Payne had 10 points, going 4-of-11, including 2-of-5 from 3-point range, and Willy Kouassi had seven rebounds and a point.

    "I like the way both Varez and Josh Wallace were running their teams," said Barbee, whose Tigers play their exhibition opener on Tuesday vs. Paine College at 7 pm Central. "They are going to give us a good one-two pop at the point guard spot, but we have to get some of the other guys playing better. Like I told these guys, it is a good thing we don't have a real game tomorrow.

    "We have a few exhibition games to try to clear out all of the cobwebs and get in not game-physical shape, but game-ready shape with our execution, which at times was good, but at times was bad. A lot of that had to do with a lot of guys who were still fatigued. When they get tired, the legs go and the mind goes. That was the case of we did not have many subs because of the guys who were out of the scrimmage so I understand that."

    Playing in the prestigious Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic as well as playing in the Big East-SEC Challenge highlights the 2011-12 basketball schedule.
Auburn has the possibility of playing 19 games against 2011 postseason tournament teams, including nine who played in the NCAA Tournament and 10 in the NIT.

    The Tigers have back-to-back games against Big East Conference teams at Seton Hall in Newark's (N.J.) Prudential Center in the Big East-SEC Challenge on Dec. 2 and vs. South Florida in Auburn Arena on Dec. 14. Auburn closes out its non-conference schedule on Jan. 4 at Florida State, a NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 participant last season that Auburn defeated 65-60 in Auburn Arena.Auburn will play seven 2011 postseason opponents at Auburn Arena against NCAA teams Kentucky on Jan. 11 and Georgia on Feb. 1 and NIT teams in McNeese State in the season opener on Nov. 11, Alabama on Feb. 7, Mississippi State on Feb. 18, Ole Miss on Jan. 14 and Bethune-Cookman on Jan. 2.

    After a pair of exhibition games vs. Paine College on Nov. 1 and Victory University on Nov. 5, Auburn plays its first four games at home beginning with McNeese State in the season opener on Nov. 11.

    "I'm looking forward to playing against somebody else," said Ward. "I'm getting tired of beating up on my teammates every day. It will exciting to finally play somebody else."

    Season tickets for 2011-12 are available now with prices starting at just $125. Fans can also order tickets online by visiting www.AubTix.com , by phone at 1-855-282-2010 or in person at the Auburn Arena Ticket Office located at 250 Beard-Eaves Court (open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. CT). 


    

    

    


     
    

    

     
    		



    


    





    		

		    		
	
		
			
		
		
		
	
    

    




    	

	
    Auburn Tiger Features
    
		
	
	
    
2012 Fan Guide 
iOS App: FREE 
Shop

    

Louisville Slugger
Shop