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I would not want to play Auburn personally as late middle-age has dulled my crossover dribble skills and decreased my jumpshot range. Plus, I can't guard anyone anymore, much less Kenny Gabriel and Earnest Ross.
But, if I coached UGA, the team I would want to play in the first round is Auburn (or possibly LSU -- they are equally but differently crappy) for this simple reason: no matter how well Coach Barbee gets AU to play, there is not a single AU player who would start for Georgia this year (or any other team in the SEC, for that matter). There are only a couple who would get any meaningful playing time. Unless the Dawgs sleepwalk, they will pound AU -- especially if Tompkins foot is better. I don't think they will sleepwalk, because they tried that once and AU almost beat them. It is not a good matchup. If UGA gets any three-point shooting, it will likely be ugly. I am not saying AU cannot beat UGA, but I would rate its chances at 5% or less.
That being said, I would vote for Barbee as SEC coach of the year, if I had a vote. His getting Auburn to 4 wins plus half a dozen other competitive SEC games with this group is a greater coaching achievement than Coach Donovan's or Coach Grant's. And I mean no disrespect to either man. Both of those coaches have done beautiful jobs. Florida is playing great right now. But there are several high school teams in the Greater Atlanta area that have as much (or more) basketball talent as AU has this year. I doubt any of them could win an SEC game, however.
