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Auburn Basketball: 3 keys to victory over Purdue Boilermakers

Tigers fans will welcome a No. 16 ranked Boilermakers squad to nearby Birmingham on Saturday for a top-25 clash that could see Bruce Pearl's squad hoisted to the No. 1 spot come Monday.

Holiday Hoopsgiving Atlanta - Auburn v Ohio State
Holiday Hoopsgiving Atlanta - Auburn v Ohio State | Kevin C. Cox/GettyImages
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Time to Eat What You Kill for Johnson

Johni Broome is having a National Player of the Year caliber season for the Tigers, averaging an impressive 18.1 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 3.5 APG & 2.7 BPG in just 27.3 MPG. But after suffering a shoulder injury just two minutes into Auburn's Sunday matchup against Georgia State, he's doubtful to take on last season's National runner ups on Saturday.

It's a big loss no doubt, as the big man is taking 38.4% of his squad's two point field goals at the moment. The good thing about having a top-3 nationally ranked program is, you can't really be one without having some quality depth in your rotation.

In steps sixth man sensation Chaney Johnson, who in Broome's absence on Sunday, dropped a cool 26 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists & 2 steals in thirty minutes on the floor. Including a beautiful 12-14 (85%) shooting performance from the floor with a very hot hand down low.

Purdue doesn't have the size or depth to make the loss of the Tiger's star big man a huge issue size-wise. So, in the likely event that Broome is unable to suit up in Birmingham, Johnson has the confidence from last time out to help lead this Tigers squad into conference play in 2025 with confidence.