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. Stitched Rockies Jerseys . "Four now," Carl Gunnarsson told the Leaf Report proudly following a 5-2 victory over New York on Tuesday night, the clubs fifth straight at home. Colorado Rockies Shirts . Reigning world champion Eve Muirhead of Scotland opened with a 12-2 rout of Winnipegs Jennifer Jones in a battle of teams bound for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. https://www.cheaprockiesjerseys.us/ .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Colorado Rockies Pro Shop . Didier Drogba gave away the penalty that put Senegal one goal away from a major upset, but the veteran striker will get another chance -- probably his last -- at the World Cup after Salomon Kalous injury-time strike sealed the Ivorians place in Brazil next year. Fake Rockies Jerseys . Robredo, ranked No. 16, bounced back from an upset loss to Leonardo Mayer in the second round of the Royal Guard Open in Chile last week to down Carreno Busta in 1 hour, 25 minutes. On a day filled mostly with qualifying matches, fifth-seeded Marcel Granollers of Spain also entered the second with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 win over Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia, while Guido Pella of Argentina defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 7-6 (6), 6-4 to advance. Middleweight Gegard Mousasi (40-6-2) stunned Vitor Belfort (25-13) with a right-head kick in the second round, which eventually led to a TKO finish at 2:43 due to strikes on the ground. Mousasi ate two hard left hands in the opening minutes but emerged relatively unscathed otherwise. He immediately claimed the center of the Octagon and calmly stalked Belfort around the perimeter.Belfort, 39, defended Mousasis early attempt at a takedown and occasionally flashed the hand speed that has helped make him famous, but his activity was very low. According to Fightmetric, he landed just nine total strikes, compared to 65 for Mousasi.The Brazilian did not go down immediately from the right-head kick but was clearly stunned. Mousasi unloaded a flurry of punches near the fence before wrestling him to the floor and dropping elbows. Belforts face was badly bloodied by the time referee Marc Goddard stepped in.Hes a legend, said Mousasi, who improves to 7-3 in the UFC. Fighting him is an honor. I like Vitor a lot. Hes a nice guy, besides being a great athlete.When asked whom hed like to fight next, Mousasi said someone ranked in the top four of the division or former champion Anderson Silva.Manuwa demolishes Saint Preux in Round 2Light heavyweight Jimi Manuwa (16-2) knocked Ovince Saint Preux (19-9) out cold with a left hook at 2:38 of the second round. The finish came after a first round in which St. Preux established decent control on the ground. He threatened to take Manuwas back on several occasions in the first five minutes, although he did have to fight out of a late guillotine attempt.Manuwa, 36, seized momentum early in the ssecond round.ddddddddddddHe began targeting St. Preux to the body and trapped him along the fence. A right hand staggered him, followed by a left hook that put him out. Its a huge bounce-back win for the England-based Manuwa, who suffered a knockout loss to Anthony Johnson in September 2015.Struve scores 17th submission of careerHeavyweight Stefan Struve (28-8) has won consecutive fights for the first time since 2012, as he submitted Daniel Omielanczuk (19-6-1) via DArce choke at 1:41 of the second round. Struves advantage on the ground was clear throughout. He took Omielanczuks back in the first round and secured a body triangle but ran out of time looking for a finish.The tap came quickly in the second round, good for the 17th submission win of Struves 11-year professional career. It is the first time Omielanczuk has been finished.Bektic submits late replacement DoaneFeatherweight prospect Mirsad Bektic (11-0) submitted late replacement Russell Doane (14-7) via rear-naked choke at 4:22 of the opening round. It was the 25-year-olds first appearance since May 2015 due to a torn ACL.Fighting out of American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida, Bektic looked sharp in opening exchanges before turning to his terrific offensive wrestling. He took Doane down and eventually took his back as he tried to stand up and break away near the cage. It is the third submission win of Bektics career and his fifth career first-round finish.Doane, 30, has now lost four fights in a row. He is now 2-4 in the UFC. ' ' '