Bruce Pearl discusses Wendell Green's strong play late against Mississippi State

Auburn basketball lives and dies with the brash confidence of point guard Wendell Green. On Saturday, the Tigers saw the best of him. With just over two minutes to play and Auburn leading Mississippi State at home by four, Green launched his patented logo-range three — which he often lets fly in huge moments — and drained it as a Bulldog defender sailed passed him with his arm up. Tigers up seven with 2:11 to play.

Then, on the very next defensive possession, Green took another risky chance, leaving his man wide open in the corner to knife in and steal a pass to a different MSU player. He got the steal, spurted past a few Bulldogs and left everyone in the dust en route to an easy layup to give Auburn a nine-point lead. Furthermore, he went on to hit four free throws in the final minute to really put the game away. That’s a veteran guard making winning plays when it matters most.

After the game, head coach Bruce Pearl credited Green for coming up huge when his number was called:

“You know, Wendell gets bounced around a lot. It wasn’t until the end that he went to the free throw line. We had a crazy lineup out there. We had Lior (Berman) at the three, Al (Flanigan) at the four and Johni (Broome) at the five, because Jaylin (Williams) fouled out.

“We did not take care of the ball as well as we should’ve, but with Al (Flanigan) at the four, I called timeout because I wanted to get Al and Wendell at the top of the floor somehow. Al did a great job of getting Wendell a circle back and Wendell was able to make a big shot. Coming down the other end of the floor, Wendell makes a big defensive play and all of a sudden the game is ours. Making plays on both ends of the floor, it’s what you have to do to win.”

Wendell Green certainly made the plays. He doesn’t always make the massive shot or come up with the huge defensive stop, but he’s never afraid to try to make them, which is confidence you simply love to have in your lead guard. Bruce Pearl’s energy combined with that confidence from his lead playmaker makes for a match made in heaven — at least when things are going right.

SEC play is a war this year. And on Saturday, Auburn escaped at home thanks Mr. Green.