Jabari Smith is having one of the best seasons ever by Auburn basketball player. He’s become a consensus All-American, SEC Freshman of the Year, and the potential No. 1 pick in the coming NBA Draft.
He is Auburn’s best player and is going to try and carry them on a deep run in. the NCAA Tournament. Auburn took their first step towards that Friday morning, beating Jacksonville State 80-61.
Smith scored 20 points and a season-high 14 rebounds in the first-round victory. He added four assists and put an exclamation point on the victory with a thunderous dunk.
With his dominant performance, he joined Charles Barkley as the only Auburn players to have 20 points and 10 rebounds in their tournament debut, per ESPN Stats & Info.
Barkley appeared in just one tournament game for Auburn in his three-year career, posting a 23-point, 17-rebound double-double in Auburn’s 72-71 loss to Richmond in the 1984 tournament.
Unlike Barkley, Smith will get to play at least one more game in the tournament. The Tigers are set to face Miami on Sunday at 6:45 p.m. CT. The game will be on truTV.
Jabari Smith joins Charles Barkley as the only Auburn players with 20 Points & 10 Rebounds in a tournament debut. pic.twitter.com/3fSBSdQMwZ
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 18, 2022
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