Auburn’s frontcourt could be shorthanded again when the team travels to College Station, Texas, for Tuesday night’s matchup with Texas A&M.

The status of backup center Dylan Cardwell remains uncertain for the Tigers as of Monday afternoon, according to head coach Bruce Pearl. Cardwell is dealing with an undisclosed illness and did not travel with Auburn to Knoxville, Tenn., last weekend for the team’s matchup with Tennessee.

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Pearl said Monday that it’s unclear if Cardwell will be available for the Tigers’ rematch with the Aggies, which is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN2.

“Even as we speak right now, don’t know,” Pearl said. “I think Dylan will be — I think he’ll be in the building. I don’t think he’ll practice today.”

Cardwell is averaging 4.1 points, four rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.6 blocks per game off the bench this season while playing behind Johni Broome. The junior is shooting 79.2 percent from the field in 14.2 minutes per game. In SEC play, Cardwell averages 2.9 points, 2.7 boards and one block per game while shooting 65 percent from the floor.

In Cardwell’s absence against Tennessee, Auburn turned to freshman Yohan Traore as the backup center. Traore, who did not see the court in each of Auburn’s prior three games, played eight minutes off the bench and grabbed one rebound while missing his only shot attempt. Broome played 32 minutes — just the second time this season he has played more than 30 minutes in a game — and led Auburn with 11 points, nine rebounds, three blocks and a pair of steals.

“This was the first week (Traore) practiced it,” power forward Jaylin Williams said. “He responded very well for a freshman to play a position you haven’t played all year and just know exactly like the plays and stuff like that and have that energy. I know him and what’s-his-name got into it a little bit, like he roughed him up a little bit. That was pretty good just to stand up for himself and us.”

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.