When Alabama rolls into Auburn Arena tonight they’ll do so without a key contributor.  Junior forward Tony Mitchell has been put on indefinite suspension by coach Anthony Grant for “conduct detrimental to the team.”

Grant said his decision was based on “an accumulation” of issues, not just a single incident. 

Mitchell averages 13.1 points per game and 7.0 rebounds per game for the Crimson Tide. 

“It obviously hurts,” teammate Andrew Steele told TideSports.com.  “He’s such a big part of what we try to do.  But it’s a coach’s decision and we just have to focus on doing what we have to do to get a win.”

Alabama is currently 15-7 overall and just 4-4 in the SEC.  Expected to be an NCAA Tournament team — and still a probable for March Madness — Grant is making quite a statement with his suspension of Mitchell.  The Tide’s RPI and tourney resume will surely take a hit if Bama can’t overcome the loss of the talented forward tonight on The Plains.

Kudos to Grant for putting discipline first.  If the moves comes back to haunt Alabama, you can be sure his decision will be second-guessed.

Just one week after a women’s basketball game was rained out — yes, rained out — at the 45-year-old Tad Smith Coliseum, several Ole Miss officials flew to Auburn yesterday to tour the Tigers’ brand new Auburn Arena.

You don’t think the rain out helped Pete Boone kickstart talk of a new roundball arena in Oxford do you?

The Jackson Clarion-Ledger reports that Boone told the paper that conversations regarding a new arena are “positive.” 

“Right now, we’ve got a pretty strong vision as to what we need to do,” UM’s AD said.  “There’s no question we need a new arena.  No question.  By the time you build one, it could be three to five years from now, if you start and go through the process.”

The paper also asked Boone about plans to create “new dining and student recreation facilities” as part of a new arena complex.  He said a consultant would like be brought onboard to coordinate those ideas, “But it’s on, as far as those things are concerned,” he said.  “It’s on full speed.”

Good.

The Auburn Tigers finish up their seven-game homestand with a 2 p.m. CT tip against Arkansas-Pine Bluff Sunday at Auburn Arena.
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Andre Malone scored 17 points and Rob Chubb added 12 as the Auburn Tigers breezed past Division II Georgia Southwestern, 78-50, Tuesday at the Auburn Arena.
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Auburn University students and fans are invited to watch the Southeastern Conference Championship game on the videoboards at Auburn Arena following Sunday’s women’s basketball game against Temple.
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Auburn continues its homestand with a 7 p.m. CT tip Tuesday against Division II Georgia Southwestern at Auburn Arena.
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Auburn’s men’s basketball game vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Auburn Arena has been moved to 2 pm Central on Sunday, Dec. 5, a day later than previously scheduled.
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Auburn’s men’s basketball game vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Auburn Arena has been moved to 2 pm Central on Sunday, Dec. 5, a day later than previously scheduled.
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Earnest Ross recorded a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds as the Auburn Tigers dropped a 69-55 decision to the visiting Jacksonville Dolphins at the Auburn Arena. Rob Chubb added 10 points and seven boards for the Tigers.
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Earnest Ross scored 22 points and Auburn withstood a furious late rally by Middle Tennessee as the Tigers held off the Blue Raiders for a 68-66 victory at Auburn Arena.
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