Auburn Goes to 17-0 With Kentucky Next

With his top scorer having an off game and his best defensive player in foul trouble, Auburn Coach Cliff Ellis had no reason to worry. For the first time in his five seasons at the school, Ellis had something in reserve.

Jay Heard, a freshman reserve averaging 11 minutes and six points a game, had 18 points and four other players scored in double figures Saturday as No. 8-ranked Auburn defeated Florida, 88-69.

“I just feel comfortable because we have a bench,” Ellis said. “We had to sweat out bullets in the past to win, but now I have players to go to.”

The victory kept Auburn, 17-0 overall and 5-0 in the Southeastern Conference, as one of two undefeated Division I teams (No. 1 Connecticut is 15-0) and heightened the drama for the its game next Wednesday against No. 6 Kentucky at Lexington.

“If anybody is doubting this team, man they’ve been living in a tunnel,” Ellis said. “Facts are facts. Yes, it is Auburn. But we’re here, we’ve done it and you can’t take it away.”

Heard went in early in the first half for defensive specialist Bryant Smith, who had three fouls, and scored 11 points, making all three of his three-point shots. Heard’s play came at a good time as leading scorer Chris Porter missed all five of his first-half shots and had only two rebounds.

“What makes Auburn so good is people like Jay Heard who come off the bench and make big shots,” said Florida Coach Billy Donovan, whose team is 12-3 and 3-2. “They are so unselfish.”

Heard was an unheralded recruit from Oxford, Ala., when he signed with Auburn, but a regular in summer pickup games with former Tiger stars and NBA players Chuck and Wesley Person.