AUBURN – Senior forward Lucas Hargrove is ready to step up his role for the Auburn men's basketball team and help the Tigers go where they have not been since 2003.
The Tigers were 24-12 overall and 10-6 in the Southeastern Conference last season, but they were left out of the NCAA Tournament field for the fifth consecutive year.
“I think the older people on the team now know what it takes to get to the NCAA Tournament,” Hargrove said. “You have to really be a special team to make it. Now that we know what it takes, I feel like we will have a better chance/
“That is what it ultimately comes down to, if you make the NCAA Tournament. I am really looking forward to seeing if we can do that.”
Auburn coach Jeff Lebo plans to use Hargrove, 6-foot-6 and 218 pounds, at small forward and power forward.
“He'll be moving around a lot,” Lebo said. “I think we'll be able to put him in different spots to take advantage of him.”
Lebo said he will use Hargrove's strength, height and athleticism to exploit mismatches.
“I think defensively he is strong enough to defend inside,” Lebo said. “It's hard for a bigger guy to have to defend him out on the perimeter."
Hargrove said he will do whatever it takes to help the Tigers succeed.
“I see myself playing a lot of positions,” he said. “I will be helping the guards bring the ball down the court or helping the post rebound. I wouldn't really say one position. I would say more like a utility player or like in football what they would call a rover. I will be just wherever I need to be to contribute.”
Last season, Korvotney Barber set the single season school record with 347 rebounds and averaged 9.6 rebounds per game for the Tigers. He also averaged 12.8 points per game. Hargrove said he is ready to help fill that void left by Barber's graduation.
“It was kind of hard last year to rebound against the other team and Vot,” Hargrove said with a laugh. “This year I am going to try to step it up really big with the rebounding. I want to improve my rebounding tremendously.”
Lebo said Hargrove has worked hard in the off-season to improve his strength.
“When he first came in, guys were able to muscle him around,” Lebo said. “Now, they can't even move him, so it's been fun to watch his body transform to the way it is now.”
Lebo brought in sophomore Kenny Gabriel, 6-foot-8 and 190 pounds from Paris (Texas) Junior College, to help Hargrove and the other big men inside. Hargrove said Gabriel is a special player.
“Kenny, I call him my prototype,” Hargrove said. “Any time I call Kenny to the gym, he is at the gym. Any time we lift weights, he is lifting trying to get stronger.”
Hargrove said Gabriel has the potential to go far if he continues to work hard.
“I see him as a younger me, except more athletic,” Hargrove said. “I am a little bit smarter than him on a couple things because he is young, but I feel like if Kenny keeps his head on straight, which he will because he is a good kid, we are going to see some big things out of him.”
The Tigers open preseason practice Friday at 5 p.m.
