NCAA Basketball top 25 power rankings: Tennessee and Villanova rise, Alabama falls
By Joey Loose
9. Auburn (10-1)
Though they are gradually rising up the rankings, Auburn has been sneaky good this season, which may not be a surprise for a team expecting to surprise people this year. Led by talented big forwards Jabari Smith and Walker Kessler, the Tigers have won a ton of games in nonconference play and have looked the part of a potential top team in the SEC.
That 10-1 record saw them lose a thriller in double overtime to Connecticut in the Bahamas, but take care of Loyola-Chicago and Syracuse to get two nice wins in that tournament. When you throw in wins over Murray State, Saint Louis and UCF, you get an impressive record albeit not against the toughest schedule in the world. The conference slate will be much tougher on the Tigers, but this team looks like it can handle the challenge.
Some days offense is key and other days it’s the defense that stands out. Auburn struggles with free throw shooting, but has excelled in the paint, especially on the defensive end. Those two big men give the Tigers the kind of weapons that few SEC teams have. For a team rated in the top 20 on both offense and defense, Auburn looks good and has played consistent to this point. Can they keep that up against their SEC rivals?