Nice season opener for the men's basketball team Friday at Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum. Korvotney Barber matched a career-high with 22 points and the Tigers held a 42-14 advantage in the paint to put away the Bears.

Missouri State slowed the game down to make up for its lack of depth and used nearly all of the shot clock on each possession. Auburn didn't blink, playing good enough defense for a 15-point win.

Here are a few thoughts on the game:

• Barber looked good around the basket, as he should have against a Missouri State team that had two starters taller than 6-foot-6. He sounded happy just to be back from a broken hand that cost him 20 games last season. "I'm excited to be back," he said. "I've still got a little ways to go. I got a little winded."

• Barber took a scary fall with just under nine minutes left, falling squarely on his back and hitting the back of his head against the floor. He said he was fine, though.

• The same can't be said yet of backup guard DeWayne Reed, who turned his left ankle with 2:20 to go and had to be helped off the floor. With Rasheem Barrett already nursing a sore groin and Frankie Sullivan out with an ankle sprain, Auburn can't afford another long-term injury in the backcourt.

• Missouri State only traveled with eight players because of injuries. Five of them had four fouls by the end of the game.

• Free throw shooting will be a priority after an ugly 14-for-28 effort. Auburn's players didn't seem to have many answers for the dismal showing afterward, either.

• Forward Lucas Hargrove had a nice game, with 13 points, five assists and three rebounds in 33 minutes. He also went 5-fot-7 from the line, which should exempt him from extra running or something this week.

• Impressive showing by forward Brendon Knox, one of the four junior college transfers. In 13 minutes off the bench, he had 10 points, three rebounds, an assist and a block. That's good production for such limited time.

• Tay Waller came back to earth with his shooting a little bit, going 4-for-8 from 3-point range. He was 7-for-12 in the exhibition game against Morehouse. I will say that he never appears to get his shoulders squared when he shoots. He's always falling off in one direction or another. Take a look at the picture on the right. I don't know how much that will fly once SEC play starts.

Women's hoops: Auburn 91, Alabama A&M 53

DeWanna Bonner led the No. 20 Tigers with 25 points, eight rebounds and six steals. Five players finished in double figures for Auburn. KeKe Carrier had 11 and Trevesha Jackson, Sherell Hobbs and Reneisha Hobbs added 10 points apiece.