CSU Northridge @ Auburn preview

Freshman forward Isaac Okoro has been the brightest light in Auburn's 3-0 start and he'll try to lead the No. 23 Tigers to another victory when they host Cal State-Northridge on Friday. Okoro's bucket with 2.9 seconds left gave Auburn a 70-69 victory at South Alabama on Tuesday, prompting Tigers coach Bruce Pearl to tell reporters about the 6-6 Georgia native: "23's pretty good. ... I told him he was going to win some games for us this year. I didn’t know it would be (Tuesday).”

Okoro is averaging a team-high 14.7 points while making 17-of-27 from the field but is only 8-of-14 at the free-throw line as he is among the Tigers who will have a say in how the season goes. “We’ve got to get a lot better," Pearl told reporters. “... I’ve got to take this group into the SEC. ..." The Matadors, who were picked to finish third in the Big West Conference preseason poll, have been outscored by 59 points in three losses to start the season. Junior guard Terrell Gomez - an All-Big West preseason first-team selection - paces CSUN at 22 points per game after erupting for 33 in Tuesday's 94-82 setback against Pepperdine.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, SEC Network

ABOUT CSUN (0-3): Sophomore guard Darius Brown II is contributing 11.3 points, five assists and 3.7 rebounds after averaging 8.3, 5.2 and 3.6 last season. Junior forward Lance Coleman II, a junior college transfer, averages 11.7 points but is 13-for-34 from the field. Gomez is 14-for-25 from 3-point range but 7-for-23 inside the arc, and needs 33 3-pointers to break the school record of 228 set by Josh Greene from 2010-14.

ABOUT AUBURN (3-0): Senior guard Samir Doughty is the only other player averaging double-figure points (13.7) while his 6.7 rebounds share the team lead. Senior center Austin Wiley - an All-SEC preseason second-team pick - averages 6.7 points and 6.7 rebounds but fouled out against South Alabama and had four fouls in a season-opening 83-74 victory over Georgia Southern, prompting Pearl to tell reporters: “They peck away at him. His offensive fouls ... don’t get me started.” Senior forward Anfernee McLemore (9.3 points) is shooting 55.6 percent from the floor after going 9-for-14 in his last two games.

TIP-INS

1. Tigers senior F Danjel Purifoy is averaging 9.7 points and five rebounds.

2. The Matadors are getting outrebounded by 7.7 per game and are saddled with a minus-3.3 turnover margin.

3. Auburn has won 22 consecutive non-conference games at home with its last such loss 74-63 to Oklahoma State on Jan. 30, 2016.

PREDICTION: Auburn 92, CSUN 73