Collin Mickle
Staff Writer

The Auburn basketball team hasn’t gotten much good news on the injury front in the last few weeks.
But while the latest news for head coach Jeff Lebo’s Tigers isn’t great, it’s a rare positive in a run of setbacks. Forward Quan Prowell and guard Rasheem Barrett will both play today at LSU, though neither is likely to be 100 percent.
By the standards of Auburn’s 2007-08 season, that qualifies as good news.
Prowell (knee) and Barrett (ankle) were injured in the first half of AU’s 72-56 loss to Florida on Saturday. Both returned to that game but were slowed in practice this week.
But Lebo is confident both players will contribute today.
Auburn (9-5, 0-2 Southeastern Conference) needs both to contribute. The Tigers are already down to seven healthy scholarship players.
“Injuries are part of this game,” Lebo said. “We’ve had more than our fair share of bad injuries ... not just an ankle where you are out for a game, but for a year or most of the year.
“We just have to battle the best that we can. There are really no easy answers. We’ll just continue to stay the course, get the kids prepared and try to find a way to get some success.”
The shorthanded roster hasn’t kept AU from being competitive in each of its first two SEC games. The Tigers had a chance to tie in the final minute against SEC Western Division favorite Arkansas and were within 5 points of two-time defending national champ Florida with five minutes left.
But minimal depth and a lack of crunch-time scoring doomed Auburn in both games.
Still, Lebo is staying positive.
“Our kids have always done a pretty good job competing,” Lebo said. “When we get fatigued, we make some mental errors, we don’t shoot the ball particularly well. Those are areas that have hurt us.”
LSU (7-9, 0-2 SEC) has lost five consecutive games and is dealing with its own injury troubles. The Bayou Bengals are without forwards Tasmin Mitchell and Chris Johnson and were down to seven scholarship players until forward Quintin Thorton returned from a torn pectoral muscle against Ole Miss on Saturday.
“LSU and Auburn are pretty similar right now with the seasons they are having in regards to injuries,” Lebo said. “I know John Brady is frustrated not having his full allotment of players, as I am. You’re just trying to find ways to win with both of us having depleted rosters.”
Today’s game starts at 7 p.m. in Baton Rouge, La., and will not be televised.

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