AUBURN, Ala. -- Bruce Pearl understands if you arent sure what to expect from Auburns basketball team.Most of the roster is comprised of underclassmen and newcomers, including top recruit Mustapha Heron, redshirt freshman Danjel Purifoy and two graduate transfers.Pearl has gotten used to the mystery created by newness since taking over the Auburn program three years ago.For the third straight year, we have six or seven new guys on scholarship, so how could you possibly know as a person, as an observer, as somebody in the media or even me as a coach? he said. Part of the real challenge in building the program is just the fact that the roster has had to be reconstructed, and yet I wouldnt have done it any other way, because there really werent any other options.While it may be restructured and very new, weve got eight very, very solid freshmen and sophomores that are all good players. And so now the foundation is built and a good percentage of our team will return next year, and thats not something weve had yet.It still makes for an uncertain present even if the future seems bright. The Tigers are picked to finish 11th in the Southeastern Conference.Pearl has experienced the first two losing seasons of his 21-year head coaching career since taking over Auburns downtrodden program.The Tigers were 11-20 last season amid injury problems and the early departure of star Kareem Canty. Guard T.J. Dunans is back after averaging 11.6 points in 16 games before going down with a left knee injury.Freshman Bryce Brown also averaged double digits scoring while setting a freshman record with 78 3-pointers. While the talent infusion appears substantial, Auburn must replace starting interior players Tyler Harris and leading rebounder Cinmeon Bowers from a seemingly perpetually undersized team.Auburn also brought in graduate transfers Ronnie Johnson (Houston) and LaRon Smith, who was tied for third nationally in blocked shots last season at Bethune-Cookman. Horace Spencer returns after ranking third in the SEC in blocks as a freshman, giving Auburn a couple of shot swatters inside. The Tigers still dont have a scholarship player taller than 6-foot-8.Here are some things to watch in Auburns 2016-17 season:PURIFOYS PRESENCE: Last years top recruit sat out the season after he wasnt cleared academically by the NCAA. The 6-foot-7, 230-pounder will likely play out of position frequently at power forward but could fill some of the scoring void.Hes got a really complete offensive skill package, Pearl said. Hell be a very difficult matchup.WHOS THE POINT: Injuries and Cantys early departure left the Tigers playing power forward Bowers at point guard at times. Pearl has more options now for the position, including newcomers Johnson and freshman Jared Harper.I would say that were going to get really solid point guard play, the coach said. Ronnie and Jared, although ones a senior and ones a freshman, are both really fast and really quick offensively and defensively. We should be able to fly up and down the floor with the ball in their hands. Well be hard to press.Theyre both really good playmaking guards and they can both shoot it.TOUGH SCHEDULE: Auburn has a difficult nonconference schedule that includes games with Texas Tech, Oklahoma, UConn and UAB.BIG CROWDS? Pearls promotional efforts and recruiting have generated some excitement. Auburn has sold out season tickets in three straight years for the first time in school history, though part of that is because the Tigers play in the smaller Auburn Arena now. Before Pearls arrival, Auburn had only managed that in 1999-2000. Jarred Vanderbilt Nuggets Jersey .Y. -- Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers had no intention of changing his hard-hitting style before taking part in a disciplinary hearing for his illegal check to New Jersey forward Dainius Zubrus head. Tyler Lydon Jersey . A knee to the thigh might have stung him the most, but his sixth straight double-double made up for the brief burst of pain. http://www.nuggetsproshop.com/Will-Barton-Nuggets-Jersey/ . Canada is now down to its 22-player limit, although but players wont be registered until Christmas Day. Changes could still be made as a result of a suspension or injury. 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Smith said the decision to prefer Head in the middle order had nothing to do with Glenn Maxwells comments about team-mate Matthew Wade ahead of the match, describing Heads batting as beautiful after the two put on a century stand to revive Australia from 92 for 4 in Sydney.Head made 52, his highest international score and second half-century in 13 ODIs, to help set up the Australia innings, while Smith went on to record 164 - a record at the SCG - as New Zealand conceded a total that proved to be well out of their reach, despite a fighting hundred from Martin Guptill.It was more about giving Travis another opportunity, he played well last week, scored a hundred in Shield cricket so hes in good nick, Smith said of the decision to pick Head ahead of Maxwell. I guess it was about giving him an opportunity first and obviously he played pretty well, so hes taken that opportunity.Asked about the relationship between the two Victorians, after Maxwells criticism of Wade, Smith said: I think theyre okay. I made some comments in here the other day about him, the comments that he made were disappointing and disrespectful towards Matty and I think weve moved on from that now and its about focusing on this series. It was great for us to get a win tonight and hopefully we can play some more good cricket in the nations capital.Maxwell has not played an ODI since the tri-series with West Indies and South Africa in June, during which Head made his debut. Since then, Head has made a number of handy starts - only twice failing to reach double-figures - but he needed some luck in Sydney, with Matt Henry fluffing a simple catch when he had 7.When he came out to bat, we were just communicating, saying that wed trry and get through to about 40 overs and then wed have a bit of a crack at them, Smith said.dddddddddddd We were able to still play quit positively through that period and score five an over, so we set ourselves up nicely with that partnership and I thought the way he played was beautiful, he obviously got dropped that one at mid-off, but besides that I think he played some really good cricket. And it was nice to see Matthew Wade come in at the end and play a good little cameo as well.It looks like [Heads] improving every game, hes in good form, coming off the back of a hundred last week in the Shield, so hes playing some good cricket and Im sure hes going to continue to improve.Smith chose not to dwell on his own innings, calling it pleasing and saying he preferred the century he made at the SCG during the 2015 World Cup semi-final. He was also grateful for the indecision among the New Zealand ranks after Trent Boult appealed for an lbw when Smith had made 14 - Kane Williamson chose not to review, possibly on the suggestion of a team-mate that there was bat involved, only for Hawk-Eye to show it would have been overturned on DRS.I was pretty glad they didnt review it. I think it was out, so yeah, of course Im glad, Smith said. But not much was really going through my head, I let it go pretty quickly and moved on. Thought he set me up pretty well, actually, Boult wasnt swinging any so I was moving across even further and then he got one to come back quite late. So set me up pretty well and fortunately it got given not out, and unfortunate for NZ that it was.I think someone said that Id hit it, from point, I reckon I heard someone say that Id hit it, and I think they ran with that. I may have looked at my bat at one point as well, to throw them. ' ' '