Pearl remains hopeful, pragmatic

AUBURN | The Tigers are in a serious funk.

There are reasons. Good reasons. Point guard Kareem Canty, the team's leading scorer and play-maker, quit the team last week. Forward Tyler Harris is a shell of his former self due to a back injury. Shooting guard TJ Dunans remains sidelined by a pesky knee injury that hasn't responded ideally to treatment.

Bruce Pearl knows his team won't be anywhere close to full strength tonight at Arkansas, but that hasn't stopped him from at least attempting to engineer a miracle. The affable coach acknowledged earlier this week that the Tigers' seven-game skid has affected the program, but insists that nobody -- not players, not coaches -- has conceded anything.

"Believe it or not, I believe we can play a lot better than we are playing, and so from that standpoint it’s discouraging," Pearl said. "I’m still a believer."

He might be the only one.

Arkansas (12-13, 5-7) has endured its fair share of troubles this season, but the Razorbacks remain stout at home. They are 5-1 in conference games played inside Bud Walton Arena, where the team's schizophrenic personality dissipates. Mike Anderson's fifth Arkansas team is quite regimented -- center Moses Kingsley takes most of the team's two-point shots while forward Anthlon Bell and guard Dusty Hannahs have a permanent green light from there perimeter.

They both average better than 44 percent from long range.

Arkansas' plan on defense is to create turnovers in lieu of strong technique. That poses a serious problem for Auburn, which currently is operating with walk-on Pat Keim and freshman New Williams handling things at point guard.

They're a far cry from Canty and Tahj Shamsid-Deen, but that's the reality of Pearl's situation.

"I’m sure they’re probably licking their chops a little bit trying to go at us without a point guard or a true point guard," Pearl said. "As a team, we are going to have to do a good job of taking care of the basketball, breaking pressure and getting into some half-court sets. It’ll look more and more like Mike Anderson or Nolan Richardson-type Arkansas basketball."

The key to Auburn's chances tonight may rest on Harris' shoulder. Or his back.

The senior has scored a total of six points on 1-of-15 shooting during the team's past two games. He wrenched his back during the final minute of Auburn's game at Georgia Feb. 6 and has struggled to regain full range of motion.

Harris practiced lightly on Tuesday. That was his first practice in nine days.

"It's an injury where rest has helped," Pearl said. "He did feel better Saturday (against Vanderbilt) ... just didn’t translate. That’s why I’m saying I think he’s going to be more effective for us coming down the stretch."

Auburn's game at Arkansas tips at 6 p.m. CST and will be televised by the SEC Network.