NCAA Basketball: Kentucky, Arkansas fall in latest top 25 power ranking
By Joey Loose
25. Auburn (3-1)
Auburn basketball has been thriving in recent years under Bruce Pearl and seek a third straight trip to the Big Dance. The Tigers aren’t too far removed from that Final Four run in 2019 and have been a pretty solid team in a tough SEC, even with yearly changes across this roster. This year they’re leaning heavily on Johni Broome but have gotten great contributions from others as well. Even after dropping their opening game against Baylor, they’ve earned this spot on the rankings.
The Tigers bounced back nicely this past week, winning the Legends Classic in New York. On Thursday, Auburn defeated Notre Dame 83-59, getting 15-point efforts from both Broome and Aden Holloway in the opening performance. The following day saw the title clinched with another fine effort from the Tigers, this time defeating St. Bonaventure 77-60. Not only did Broome lead the way with 18 points but Jaylin Williams had a double-double in the Tigers’ second big win in two days.
This squad competed hard with a tough Baylor team and proved they belonged with those great performances in Brooklyn. We know there’s plenty of talent on Auburn’s roster, especially with those names in the frontcourt; it’s all about how it comes together against these tougher foes. The Tigers looked great this past week and get a relative easy holiday, facing just Alabama A&M next week.