Filip Jovic Is Quietly Becoming a Key Piece for Auburn - And He’s Doing It the Hard Way
AUBURN, Ala. - In a conference where physicality and pace can swallow freshmen whole, Filip Jovic is doing something that’s hard to ignore - he’s making nearly every shot he takes. Through his first four SEC games, the 6-foot-8 forward has gone 10-for-11 from the field. That’s a staggering 91% clip, and while the sample size is small, the impact is anything but.
“He’s been great,” said Auburn assistant coach Steven Pearl. “He does everything we ask, does all the little things that are required to win.”
That’s not just coach-speak. Jovic has been a model of efficiency and effort.
Whether it’s diving for loose balls, switching on defense, or simply finishing around the rim, the freshman from Bosnia and Herzegovina is checking every box. And now, Auburn’s staff is looking to reward that consistency with more minutes.
“We’ve got to find a way to get him more minutes because he’s effective when he’s out there,” Pearl added. “He plays hard, he rebounds, he gets vertical at the rim, he slides his feet and he makes layups.”
Jovic, for his part, isn’t asking for anything more than an opportunity - and maybe a few more chances to crash the glass. He’s pulled down 19 rebounds in three SEC games (excluding the Texas A&M matchup, where a knee injury limited him to just six minutes), and he’s starting to embrace the gritty side of the game.
“I like crashing the glass,” Jovic said. “I’ve started loving to play defense.
I love to guard everybody on the court. I listen to my coaches, absorb this information and do what they want.
I trust my teammates; they put me in great spots.”
That mindset - humble, team-first, and hungry to improve - is exactly what Auburn needs as it tries to recalibrate after a tough loss at Missouri. The Tigers fell by 10 on Wednesday, and the energy that fueled a dominant 22-point win over No. 15 Arkansas last weekend just wasn’t there.
“What we do doesn’t work unless you play with great effort and energy,” Pearl said. “I’ve got to do a better job as their coach of being able to bring that out of them because you’ve seen what it can look like when we do.”
Next up, Auburn returns to Neville Arena on Saturday, hosting a South Carolina team that’s better than its record might suggest. The Gamecocks bring in a 10-7 mark, just like Auburn, and they’re led by senior guard Meechie Johnson, who’s averaging 14.7 points per game and just dropped 29 on Arkansas.
“A prolific scorer,” Pearl said of Johnson, who’s played in 133 college games. “They do a great job of getting to the foul line.
When they make 3s, they’re a different basketball team. This is an incredibly capable team.”
South Carolina enters the weekend leading the SEC in free throw percentage (78.7%) and taking care of the ball - averaging fewer than 10 turnovers per game. That combination of efficiency and experience makes them a tough out, especially if Auburn doesn’t bring the energy early.
After the Missouri loss, Pearl didn’t sugarcoat the message to his team.
“We’ve got to stop having conversations,” he said. “We’ve got to be more about action.”
That’s the challenge now - turning frustration into fuel. Auburn is looking for its 10th straight win over South Carolina, and if they want to get back on track in the SEC standings, this is the kind of game they have to control from the jump.
Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. CT on Saturday, airing on the SEC Network and the Auburn Sports Network. The Tigers will be hosting their “Nothing but Neon” game, with Auburn students receiving free neon t-shirts - a little extra juice for what should be a high-energy showdown on the Plains.
And don’t be surprised if Filip Jovic continues to make the most of his minutes. He’s not just filling a role - he’s earning one.