Auburn basketball head coach Bruce Pearl dropped a reality bomb on the Tigers’ success after their brutal blowout of Ohio State. Auburn outdid the oddsmakers, destroying the Buckeyes in a 91-53 blowout. Star ahead Johni Broome led the assault, posting a staggering stat line. The Picket Award favourite recorded 21 factors, 20 rebounds, six assists, three blocks, and a steal. Regardless of Broome’s unimaginable season by ten video games, he isn’t the one participant groups have to fret about on the SEC juggernaut.
Bruce Pearl bought sincere about why the present No. 2 group within the nation is so arduous to defend, and his important reply centered on the squad’s depth. In an interview with the Hoop Herald, Pearl defined Auburn’s versatility from the angle of senior Miles Kelly. Kelly transferred from Georgia Tech this offseason and has been among the many finest three-point shooters within the nation this 12 months.
“Nicely, I believe that the truth that when he (Miles Kelly) was at Georgia Tech, he was possibility one and two. And right here he is certainly one of our prime choices. However there are different guys on our group you need to cowl. You may’t put your finest defender on everyone. Choose your poison, whether or not it is Chet Baker, Tahaad Pettiford, Denver Jones, and so forth. So the truth that he is enjoying with higher gamers and he isn’t the focus of each scouting report helps him.”
Auburn is able to tackle the stacked SEC convention
The Tigers have already put collectively an elite nonconference resume, which might pay dividends in March. Auburn has three wins over groups ranked within the prime twelve, together with a miracle comeback win over then-No. 5 Iowa State. That victory continues to age effectively, because the Cyclones are the present No. 3 group within the nation. The Tigers have yet another tough nonconference sport towards Purdue on December 21 earlier than beginning their SEC schedule. The convention is completely stacked this 12 months.
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The SEC presently has a staggering 9 groups ranked within the prime 25 and 5 within the prime ten. That features the No. 1 and No. 2 applications in Tennessee and Auburn. The convention showcased its dominance on this 12 months’s ACC-SEC problem. The SEC was not challenged in most of those affairs, profitable 14 of the 16 matchups. Auburn was really a type of two groups to lose in a close-knit affair at No. 9 Duke. The Tigers have rebounded effectively from the defeat, dominating their subsequent two video games by greater than 30 factors.
General, Auburn’s depth and flexibility in 2024 is what makes this Bruce Pearl’s finest group since he began teaching on the faculty. The Tigers have seven gamers averaging eight or extra factors per sport. Whereas John Broome has had a greater season than anybody else within the nation by ten video games, this squad is way from solely reliant on him. Gamers like Chad Baker-Mazara and Miles Kelly have persistently stepped up when known as upon. This program is harmful, skilled, and hungry for its first nationwide title ever.