What we like: Auburn’s guards know who to get the ball to. When Johni Broome is in the game, he needs the rock. He hasn’t been iced out at all by a new-look, Auburn backcourt. Broome has a slightly higher usage rate than Purdue’s Zach Edey –– it has spiked from 27% last year to nearly 33% in 2023-24. Auburn is committed to getting Dylan Cardwell on the floor for double-digit minutes every night, but during those 26-to-29 minutes when Broome is in the game, he needs to be the centerpiece of everything Auburn tries to do offensively. So far, that has not been a problem. Broome is shooting a career-high 60% on 2s, and he’s racked up a whopping 7.8 fouls drawn per 40 minutes with elite rim defense. Broome is playing like the SEC’s best big man.
What we don’t like: Auburn has 10 guys playing at least 15 minutes per game, and the Tigers are sixth nationally in bench minutes. Not one single player has cracked the 30-minute plateau in a game this season. Having that much depth can be a blessing when you play this fast and this aggressively. Auburn, certainly, comes at opponents in waves, but the other side of the sword is noteworthy. Auburn’s best three offensive players (Aden Holloway, Denver Jones and Johni Broome) have not played together very much, but the Tigers are cooking in the 138 possessions those three are on the floor (129.86 offensive rating, +37 net rating), according to Pivot Analysis. For reference, Purdue’s best three players (Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Edey) have been on the court for 341 possessions and own a similar offensive rating and net rating.
Pearl wants to use his depth, and he has really useful players coming off the bench like Tre Donaldson, Chad Baker-Mazara and KD Johnson. But can he keep getting away with not allowing his best three offensive players to simmer together for extended stretches? That give-and-take with Pearl’s rotation will be fascinating to monitor throughout the season.
Key stat: Auburn is assisting on 68.3% of its field goals which ranks second-best nationally, per KenPom.
What it means: Auburn had a nine-point lead on Baylor before losing in a late-game thriller. It chose to play on the road (!) against a solid Appalachian State, shot 3-for-27 from downtown and lost. Not great, but we’ll give ’em a pass. This team so obviously passes the eye test on both ends of the floor. Auburn has shown real glimpses of an SEC contender thanks to its dominance around the rim on both ends (pressure and protection), and so far, Auburn has used its depth to complement its playing style. The pressure, length and physicality can give so many teams real problems. Auburn is the only SEC team rated top-20 nationally in offense and defense, according to KenPom. It will be in the thick of the race all season long because it’s elite at home and has a recipe that plays up on the road.
