AUBURN, Ala. – For Auburn's Johni Broome, defending LSU big man KJ Williams will be nothing new.
They met four times the past two seasons in the Ohio Valley Conference when Broome starred for Morehead State and Williams was the 2021-22 OVC player of the year at Murray State.
Next Game:
at LSU
Jan. 18, 2023
6 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN2
Radio: Auburn Sports Network
When LSU hired Murray State's Matt McMahon as its head coach, the 6-10 Williams accompanied his coach to Baton Rouge.
"KJ Williams is one of the best players in the league," Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. "They're both having great years for their respective teams. Both players are important to their teams."
Broome leads Auburn with 8.6 rebounds per game and is second behind Wendell Green Jr. in scoring averaging 12.8 points per game.
Limiting LSU begins with neutralizing Williams, who averages 18 points per game, No. 3 in the SEC, while shooting 52.4 percent overall and 45.1 percent from 3-point range.
"Stretch fives make every offense better," Pearl said. "It puts a unique challenge on your defense. It'll make all the things they do offensively and their spacing so much better because you have to guard him on the perimeter."
KJ Williams won't be the only sharpshooter named Williams on the court at LSU. Auburn's Jaylin Williams ranks No. 7 in the SEC in 3-point shooting, knocking down 42 percent after going 5-for-7 behind the line in Saturday's 69-63 win over Mississippi State.
"[Coach Pearl] has always given me the green light," Jaylin Williams said. "My teammates, they trust in me. They want to me take those shots every opportunity I can."
After an upset-filled Saturday in college basketball, Auburn climbed five spots in the AP poll to No. 16. The Tigers have been ranked in the top 25 for 30 consecutive polls, tying the program record set from 1998-2000.
"We talked about making history," Pearl said. "I have talked about that to the team. I'm proud of this team to have been able to put themselves in position to make history. Real history is made in March, not in January, but it's still significant.
"It sends a message to the world of college basketball, our fanbase or prospects that this is not a flash in the pan. This is top 25 program."
No. 16 Auburn (14-3, 4-1) plays at LSU (12-5, 1-4) Wednesday at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN2 and the Auburn Sports Network.
PLAYER TO WATCH: JAYLIN WILLIAMS
Jaylin Williams was on fire against Mississippi State on Saturday, scoring 13 of Auburn's 15 points en route a season-high 21 points to lead the Tigers to their third straight win in SEC play. It marked his eighth game in double figures this season and his fourth career 20-point outing. He was 5 of 7 from beyond the arc and has made 21 of his last 43 3-pointers (48.7 percent). He is shooting a team-best 42 percent from downtown this season.
INSIDE THE SERIES: LSU
Auburn will be searching for its first win in Baton Rouge since the 2016-17 season after LSU held court the previous two meetings in 2018-19 and 2020-21. Last year, Auburn hosted LSU in the SEC opener for both teams and picked up a 70-55 win. Jabari Smith and Walker Kessler scored 16 points apiece, and Wendell Green Jr. chipped in 15.
Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl is 12-7 all-time versus LSU and 3-3 on the road.
DENY THE THREE
On Saturday, Auburn held Mississippi State to 0-for-18 shooting from beyond the arc. It was the first time this season the Tigers have held an opponent without a 3-pointer. They currently rank No. 3 nationally in 3-point field-goal percentage defense holding opponents to 25.4 percent from beyond the arc behind Tennessee (21.3%) and Houston (25.1%).
30-WEEK STREAK
The Tigers climbed five spots to No. 16 in this week's Associated Press Top 25 Poll. They have now been ranked for 30 consecutive weeks in the AP Poll, tying the program's longest streak from Dec. 19, 1998 to Feb. 29, 2000 under then head coach Cliff Ellis. Auburn is the 41st program to have two or more streaks of at least 30-consecutve weeks in the AP Poll.
Auburn was one of 10 schools to be ranked in the AP Top 25 throughout the 2022 calendar year.