We were joined by men's basketball coach
Jeff Lebo prior to
Gene Chizik's press conference. Here's what he had to say:
- Everybody on the team has to run a six-minute mile to make the team. They all did.
- The three seniors, Korvotney Barber, Quantez Robertson and Rasheem Barrett, are going to be hard to replace, Lebo said.
- Lucas Hargrove is about 225 pounds right now. Has gotten a lot stronger.
- Said Johnnie Lett is about 70 percent after having offseason surgery.
- JC transfer Tony Neysmith should be able to add good defensive help.
- Thinks the league is going to be better.
- Excited about going in to the new arena. "We just can't wait to get over there," he said.
- On last year's finish: "We got a taste of what it was like to win. The way we finished, we had so many meaningful games. Each game seemed to grow in importance and we handled it well. ... I think we're hungry."
- Auburn's got a senior backcourt, with DeWayne Reed and Tay Waller. That's important.
- Lebo called Reed the most improved player around in the last year. "Just like having a quarterback, you've got to have an experienced guy back there at point guard. ... He's going to be one of the best point guards in the league."
- He'd like to see Waller get more consistent in his 3-point shooting.
- Hargrove's going to move around again. Auburn will play him at the 4 some and at the 3 if it needs to go bigger. "He's gotten much stronger inside," Lebo said. "Guys used to be able to plow him into the bleachers. Now they can't move him."
- Lett's injury is still the ankle.
- Neysmith might be able to replace Robertson in a defensive sense. Although he needs to improve off the ball.
- Four new freshmen on the team. Defensively, Earnest Ross and Andre Malone are physically ready.
- They have to work on ball-handling a little bit. Kenny Gabriel is a JC transfer. Can shoot it well for being 6-foot-8.
- "Physically, walking through the airport we look like an SEC team," Lebo said. "Hopefully we play like one."
- Big expectations for Frankie Sullivan. He's trying to gear him down because he plays so fast.
- Brendon Knox is important with Vot gone and Lett hurt. Lebo thinks he's got to stay out of foul problems.
- Thinks the SEC is much improved. Kentucky is going to return to a national power, he thinks. "I think our league is much better than we get credit for," Lebo said.
We were joined by men's basketball coach Jeff Lebo prior to Gene Chizik's press conference. Here's what he had to say:
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