Link sAUsage: 21 December 2015

BASKETBALL

Well, the game against the Musketeers of Xavier could have gone much better. It was obvious that Xavier bore a grudge from last year's loss in Auburn, and they acted as if an undefeated team with the #1 RPI defeating a team that hasn't been in the top 100 of RPI over the last few seasons was winning the NCAA Championship. Auburn fell 85-61 on a cold day in Cincinnati.

Tahj Shamsid-Deen hurt his shoulder again, and I still can't help but wonder why he was even playing. Yes, we were playing an excellent team and needed the defensive help, but I think I would have saved him for SEC play. This new injury may require surgery according to the official site, and if that's true, you have to wonder if Tahj's playing career is over. I hope not, because he's fun to watch and plays the game with such joy (not to mention a huge part of the defense), but he's so fragile, now, that every impact is a worry.

The ladies were up north this weekend to take on Coppin State and Towson. Brandy Montgomery continued her high-scoring ways on Saturday against Coppin State in a 69-54 victory. She was held scoreless against Towson in a 74-52 win, but the rest of the team obviously picked up the slack, with freshman Janiah McKay leading the way.

FOOTBALL

There are a number of players for the 2016 recruiting class who will be enrolling early on the Plains to go through Spring Practice. We wrote a short piece on each of them. Not all are guaranteed locks to come to Auburn until they enroll, but I feel pretty confident that all of them will stick.

Want to hear something that just seems strange? Auburn's seniors are trying to win their first bowl game in their last chance. The last Auburn team to be victorious in the post-season was the 2011 group against Virginia in the Peach Bowl.

If they want to do it, they're going to have to stop one of the better QBs in the nation in Paxton Lynch. Lynch will probably be the first QB taken in the NFL draft next spring, so Auburn will have their hands full.

Kris Frost believes he's leaving the defense in good hands with the youngsters behind him. I have to believe he's right with some of the young guys coming up from the last two recruiting classes. We've got to hope they're more consistent than what Auburn has been putting on the field at linebacker probably since Josh Bynes left.

The Ledger-Enquirer covered Special Teams in their position reviews, now. Legatron was awesome. Kevin Phillips was, for the most part, fantastic.

Everyone knows Cam had a great day in the NFL, yesterday. Quan Bray also had a really good day, even though his team didn't win. I'm so glad Quan has caught on in the NFL, even if it's just in a returner roll, right now. Hopefully he finds his way onto the field as a WR soon, too.

In non-Auburn news (other than previous opponents), Jacksonville State is proving to be the best win Auburn had in the 2015 season as they have run roughshod through FCS on their way to the FCS championship game against North Dakota State in January.