Tag: Yohan Traore

Chance Westry becomes second Auburn player to enter transfer portal

In a bit of a surprising move, freshman forward Chance Westry has elected to explore new opportunities within the transfer portal.

It was only a matter of time, but the transfer portal wheel has begun to spin for Auburn basketball.

On Tuesday, freshman center [autotag]Yohan Traore[/autotag] announced via Instagram his intention to enter the transfer portal one season after signing with the Tigers as the top prospect of the 2022 class.

A mere moment after Traore’s announcement became public, the second-highest signee of the cycle announced his intent to enter the transfer portal.

In a bit of a surprising move, [autotag]Chance Westry[/autotag], a former four-start forward from Compass Prep in Chandler, Arizona, announced Tuesday that he will also explore new opportunities within the portal after spending one injury-ridden season on the Plains.

Westry had the makings to be a household name at Auburn after a stellar overseas tour in Israel for Auburn last August. However, he underwent arthroscopic knee surgery before the season began, which hindered his ability and playtime.

Westry was only able to compete in 11 games this season and had not appeared in a game since Auburn’s 76-64 loss to Georgia on January 4. In those 11 games, Westry scored 2.5 points per game and averaged 9.3 minutes per game.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyzb4ahnasj2m3 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1365]

Texas basketball: Potential targets in the transfer portal

Here is a look at a few potential targets Texas could pursue in the transfer portal.

It is officially Rodney Terry’s program in Austin. Texas and Terry agreed to a five-year deal after guiding the Longhorns to the Elite Eight in an interim role.

Texas’ 2022-2023 season was one of the school’s more successful years in recent memory. Texas finished 29-9, took home the Big 12 Tournament title and won three NCAA Tournament games. The Longhorns advanced past the first weekend of March Madness for the first time since 2008.

Terry’s first task as head coach is to rebuild Texas’ roster into a contender yet again. Texas must replace its senior leadership as Marcus Carr, Sir’Jabari Rice, Timmy Allen and Christian Bishop are departing.

With a solid core of young players set to return along with five-star signees Ron Holland and AJ Johnson joining the program, Texas has a strong foundation to start with.

Adding instant impact talent via the transfer portal is going to be a priority for Terry and his staff. Texas has had tons of success in recent years from utilizing the portal.

Here is a look at a few potential targets Texas could pursue in the transfer portal.

Chance Westry working to come back from injury better than ever

Westry is putting in work behind the scenes in an effort to have a bounce back season in 2023-24.

After a stellar Israel summer tour that saw him score 10.3 points per game, Auburn fans were excited about the potential production that freshman [autotag]Chance Westry[/autotag] could bring to Auburn’s already talented squad.

However, Westry has not returned to his standard playing shape after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery in October. This has caused him not to see the floor since early January and has limited him to only seeing action in 11 games this season.

After Auburn’s 76-64 loss to Georgia on Jan. 4, head coach [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag] elected to shut down Westry, which will allow him to redshirt and get a second chance at being a freshman again in 2023-24. In his time away from the action, Westry has been working to prepare for next season.

“It’s been pretty hard, you know, because I’m not out there playing,” Westry said Wednesday at Legacy Arena. “Seeing everything and also being the player that I am, I want to go out there and try to fix some things, but it’s been hard. I’ve been getting stronger every day… and getting ready for next year so I can be out there myself.”

Several changes that Westry has taken on have been adding weight. He weighed 183 pounds in the summer but has now grown to 197 pounds thanks to a plan set forth by Auburn’s strength and conditioning coach, Damon Davis. That is one of the main reasons why Pearl remains confident that Westry can ultimately become the player that he was before the surgery.

“I mean, it means a lot,” Westry said. “(Pearl) believes in me. Obviously, he sees the best, so I’m just going to live up to what he sees and be even better.”

Westry was a four-star combo guard from Chandler, Arizona as a member of the 2022 signing class, joining [autotag]Yohan Traore[/autotag] and [autotag]Tre Donaldson[/autotag]. Looking ahead to next season’s roster, Westry will join [autotag]Wendell Green Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]K.D. Johnson[/autotag] as one of four returning guards, with freshman signee [autotag]Aden Holloway[/autotag] joining the mix.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyzb4ahnasj2m3 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1365]

Bruce Pearl provides update of Dylan Cardwell’s injury status

Cardwell was injured late in Auburn’s loss to Alabama on Wednesday. Will he be available to play Saturday against Tennessee?

Auburn center [autotag]Dylan Cardwell[/autotag] exited Auburn’s game at Alabama on Wednesday after what appeared to be an ankle injury.

Head coach [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag] insinuated on Wednesday during his postgame radio interview that Cardwell would miss Auburn’s next game due to the injury, and provided an update on Friday that does not seem promising.

“He won’t practice today, so I therefore I think he’s doubtful for tomorrow,” Pearl said Friday.

Cardwell has been a valuable bench role for Auburn this season by providing relief for [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] at the five spot. He averages 3.7 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, playing for an average of 13.3 minutes per contest.

If Cardwell is not able to go on Saturday, the “next man up” could be [autotag]Yohan Traore[/autotag]. Traore took Cardwell’s place during the last meeting between Auburn and Tennesse on Feb. 4 where he recorded eight minutes and one rebound. Traore played valuable minutes in Auburn’s first 12 games, but his production has been limited a bit since the beginning of SEC play.

Auburn plays No. 14 Tennessee on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. CT. The game can be seen live on ESPN.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyzb4ahnasj2m3 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1365]

Instant Analysis: Tigers crush South Carolina for fifth straight victory

Auburn has now won five games in a row and has won their last two games by an average margin of 16.5 points.  

For the second game in a row, the No. 16 Auburn Tigers made themselves at home inside an opposing arena.

The Tigers made 50% of its shots and scored 46 points in the paint as they defeated South Carolina, 81-66 at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia on Saturday.

Auburn has now won three games on the road in SEC play and has won their last two games by an average margin of 16.5 points.

Auburn’s convincing win was due in part to the efforts of [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] and Wendell Green Jr. After missing out on the feat the last two games, Broome recorded his sixth double-double of the season by scoring a season-high 27 points and reeling in ten rebounds.

As for Green, he earned his keep while making sure everyone else ate as well. Green scored 16 points while recording 12 assists in the win.

The first half belonged to the Tigers, who were solid offensively.  [autotag]Dylan Cardwell[/autotag] connected on a jumper with 13:54 remaining in the first half to put Auburn ahead by six points, 11-5. From that point on, Auburn’s lead would not dip below that mark in the half.

The Tigers took it a step further with 3:35 remaining in the half when a made free throw by Broome put Auburn up by ten, a margin that would not shrink for the rest of the half.

Broome led the team in points with 14 in the first half, [autotag]Jaylin Williams[/autotag] was next with nine points, while Green scored seven. The Tigers shot 57% from the field in the half opposed to South Carolina’s 26%.

Auburn would continue its dominance by not letting its lead dip below ten points in the second half. Auburn’s largest lead would occur with 15:16 remaining in the contest when [autotag]Yohan Traore[/autotag] connected on a three-pointer to put the Tigers ahead by 26 points, 51-25. Traore ended the evening with eight points, which ties his second-best outing of the season. Broome would make 6-of-9 shots to score 13 points in the final half.

Auburn returns to Neville Arena next Wednesday to face Texas A&M. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT and will be broadcasted on ESPN2.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyzb4ahnasj2m3 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=]

[listicle id=60483]

Sharp-shooting, bench play leads Auburn over Colgate

The Tigers connected on a season-high ten three-pointers in Friday night’s win over Colgate at Neville Arena.

The No. 19 Auburn Tigers went into Friday’s game with Colgate knowing that a strong defensive outing could give its’ offense enough of a boost to shut down a precise Raider scoring attack.

The Tigers did their job defensively, but the offense is what drew attention in Friday’s 93-66 win over Colgate at Neville Arena.

Auburn shot 55% from the field and connected on a season-high 10 three-pointers in their massive win. One of Auburn’s key players was senior [autotag]Allen Flanigan[/autotag], who earned the start in place of [autotag]Jaylin Williams[/autotag], who missed Friday’s game due to an illness.

Flanigan shot 5-of-7 from the field and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc en route to a 12-point outing. Flanigan credits Auburn’s offensive success to his team’s ability to step up and play new roles as a result of Williams’ not being able to play.

“It was really just everybody coming in and guys playing different roles,” Flanigan said following Friday’s game. “Chris (Moore) played the four (position) and did a great job at the four. It was just us coming together with a man (Jaylin Williams) down. We stepped up and put the pieces together in The Jungle tonight.”

Flanigan and the rest of Auburn’s starting five held their own against Colgate, but Auburn’s reserves contributed heavily to the victory as well. Auburn’s bench outscored the Raiders’ bench 44-9. [autotag]K.D. Johnson[/autotag] led the team in scoring with 16 points off the bench, while [autotag]Dylan Cardwell[/autotag] picked up nine points and three blocks. Freshmen [autotag]Yohan Traore[/autotag] and [autotag]Chance Westry[/autotag] scored eight outside of the lineup.

Auburn erased its’ recent offensive woes while remaining consistent on defense. Colgate entered the game connecting on 40% of its three-point shots, which ranked No. 16 in the country. The Tigers’ remained steady on defense by forcing 12 turnovers, pulling down 26 defensive rebounds, and blocking eight shots. The Raiders were limited to 44% both from the field and from three-point territory.

The Tigers will now focus on end-of-semester finals before playing its’ next game. Auburn will face Memphis next Saturday as part of the annual “Holiday Hoopsgiving” event at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.

[mm-video type=video id=01gjg29zdkhsqsrsrn47 playlist_id=01eqbyzb4ahnasj2m3 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gjg29zdkhsqsrsrn47/01gjg29zdkhsqsrsrn47-654edc575af8ab2f12db726a713c6d28.jpg]

[vertical-gallery id=55836]

Photo Gallery: Best photos from Auburn’s dominant win over Winthrop

Relive Auburn’s dominant win over Winthrop with the top photos from the game.

For the first time this season, the Auburn Tigers showcased their offensive firepower. Taking down Winthrow in a dominant 89-65 win in Neville Arena.

Three different Tigers scored in double digits with [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] leading the way with 18 points and 13 rebounds. [autotag]Wendell Green Jr.[/autotag] added 16 points and freshman [autotag]Yohan Traore[/autotag] scored 11 in his best game yet as a Tiger.

Auburn improved to 3-0 with the win, which was a non-bracketed game of the Cancun Challenge.

The Tigers’ defense did not slip either, they held Winthrop to 36.1% shooting and forced 11 turnovers. They also out-rebounded the Eagles 53-33.

Here are the best photos from the game.

Instant Analysis: Tigers find offensive rhythm in blowout win over Winthrop

The Tigers were more comfortable on offense in Tuesday’s win, which pushes their record to 3-0.

The early storyline for the No. 15 Auburn Tigers was offensive production… or lack thereof.

That narrative changed on Tuesday night, as the Tigers knocked off Winthrop, 89-65, in a non-bracketed game of the Cancun Challenge.

After shooting 40% in last Friday’s win over South Florida, the Tigers improved on the floor by shooting 47% on Tuesday. Auburn also scored 19 points higher than its’ previous high score in the win.

Three players reached double-digits for Auburn. [autotag]Wendell Green[/autotag], the team’s leading scorer for the team’s first two games, finished with 16 points on the night. For the first time all season, Green was not the team’s leader in points. That honor belonged to [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag], who recorded a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Freshman [autotag]Yohan Traore[/autotag] scored a season-high 11 points in the win.

The Tigers continued their strong defensive efforts in the game. Auburn limited Winthrop to just 36% from the field and out-rebounded the Eagles 53-33.

After allowing the Eagles to score the first basket of the game, Auburn’s Zep Jasper put the Tigers on the board with a three-pointer to give Auburn the lead. Auburn would go on to post a 10-0 run over a 3:20 span to take a huge, early lead over Winthrop, 12-2 with 16:20 remaining in the half.

After the run, Auburn kept Winthrop at bay, never letting the Eagles cut the lead closer than five points. Broome, whose status for the game was questionable until 24 hours prior to tipoff due to an ankle injury, led the team in scoring with eight points in the first half with six rebounds. Wendell Green and [autotag]K.D. Johnson[/autotag] was next in line with six points each.

The Tigers improved its’ shooting in the first half against Winthrop, shooting 41% from the field, and 33% from three-point territory.

Auburn continued its offensive drive in the second half by shooting 52% to close the game. Green, who has been the most productive in the 2nd half of each game played this season, furthered that trend by scoring 10 additional points in the half, shooting 66% from the field.

Broome added ten points and seven rebounds in the 2nd half as well.

Auburn returns to the floor on Friday for one final home game before departing for Cancun next week by hosting Texas Southern. Tipoff from Neville Arena is set for 7 p.m. CT.

[mm-video type=video id=01gg81ds4z6bf64ak5x0 playlist_id=01eqbyzb4ahnasj2m3 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gg81ds4z6bf64ak5x0/01gg81ds4z6bf64ak5x0-f31a697dec862fc2f3bef377504f58e3.jpg]

[listicle id=57129]

Auburn vs. George Mason: Lineups, injury reports and broadcast info for Monday’s season opener

Here is all of the key information that you need to know for No. 15 Auburn Basketball’s season opener with George Mason.

No. 15 Auburn plays George Mason to open the 2022-23 season on Monday, and if you’re wondering how you can watch the action live, you’ve come to the right place.

The Auburn Tigers look to make another run towards an NCAA Tournament berth, and the first step of that journey begins Monday night as they host the George Mason Patriots on Monday at Neville Arena for a 7 p.m. CT tipoff.

The Tigers won the SEC regular season championship one season ago and made it to the round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament before falling to Miami in Greenville, South Carolina.

Auburn loses two NBA first-rounders in Jabari Smith and Walker Kessler from its roster, but assets such as [autotag]Wendell Green[/autotag], [autotag]Allen Flanigan[/autotag], and [autotag]K.D. Johnson[/autotag] return, while newcomers [autotag]Yohan Traore[/autotag], [autotag]Tre Donaldson[/autotag], and [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] are expected to contribute to this season as well.

The Patriots of George Mason finished with a 14-16 record last season and held a 7-9 record in Atlantic 10 play. Several players to watch from George Mason are guards Devon Cooper and Davonte Gaines, as well as forward Josh Oduro, who returns as the team’s leading scorer.

Below, you will find key information regarding tonight’s season opener, including a “how to watch” guide, injury report, and the projected starting five for both squads.

Best photos from Auburn basketballs first practice

K.D. Johnson is still as entertaining as ever.

Auburn basketball had its first practice of the season on Monday and [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag] is once again excited about his team.

Despite losing Jabari Smith and Walker Kessler to the NBA, it is easy to see why. The Tigers return experienced guards in [autotag]K.D. Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Wendell Green Jr.[/autotag], and [autotag]Zep Jasper[/autotag].

Smith and Zessler will be hard to replace but adding the tandem of transfer [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] and five-star [autotag]Yohan Traore[/autotag] is an excellent way to fill their roles. [autotag]Dylan Cardwell[/autotag] is also a year older and ready for a bigger role off the bench.

[autotag]Jaylin Williams[/autotag] has also gained more experience and is ready to take on a bigger role after taking a step back to let Smith lead the offense. While the team has a long way to go, here is a look at the best photos from their first practice of the season, featuring the always entertaining Johnson.