AUBURN, Ala. – By the time March Madness rolls around, No. 16 Auburn will be battle tested.
Next Game:
vs. Vanderbilt
Jan. 31, 2024
8 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN2
Radio: Auburn Sports Network
"Every one of these games is going to be like an NCAA Tournament game," Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said of the Tigers' remaining SEC gauntlet. "It's going to be a daunting challenge."
Visiting with reporters Tuesday before practice, Pearl outlined the keys that will keep Auburn in position to compete for the SEC championship.
"If we can continue to play defense, we've got to do a better job of rebounding and making shots, then we've got a chance to continue to win against some of these opponents, have a pretty good year and make the NCAA Tournament," he said.
"None of that is decided yet. I'm really pleased with where we are. I'm really pleased with the position we're in."
After consecutive road losses at Alabama and Mississippi State, Auburn returns to Neville Arena Wednesday to host Vanderbilt, a team the Tigers defeated 80-65 in Nashville on Jan. 17 during Auburn's 11-game winning streak.
"They're a good team," Pearl said, noting some of the Commodores' close calls in SEC games. "They're capable. They've got some dynamic players in transition. They're a dangerous team because they've got two great guards. There will be fewer possessions in the Vanderbilt game because they're going to run a lot of clock.
"(Vanderbilt coach Jerry Stackhouse) has a great offensive mind. He's one of the better offensive coaches in the league and his kids play hard defensively."
In their first meeting two weeks ago, Auburn's Jaylin Williams enjoyed a perfect shooting night, scoring 21 points by going 7 of 7 from the floor and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line.
"Jaylin Williams has been incredible," Pearl said. "He is one of our go-to guys. They're competitive. They want to win. If you see us yelling on the bench and arguing, we're just trying to win."
In what's expected to be the 50th consecutive sellout at Neville Arena, No. 16 Auburn (16-4, 5-2) hosts Vanderbilt (5-14, 0-6) Wednesday at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN2. Andy Burcham and Sonny Smith will call the action on the Auburn Sports Network. The Tigers are 10-0 at home this season and have won 13 straight at Neville Arena.
Johni Broome
PLAYER TO WATCH: JOHNI BROOME
Johni Broome was recently selected to the John R. Wooden Award® presented by Principal® Late Season Top 20 Watch List by The Los Angeles Athletic Club. Chosen by a poll of national college basketball experts based on their performances during the 2023-24 season thus far, the list comprises of 20 student-athletes who are front-runners for the sport's most prestigious honor.
Broome is averaging a team-leading 15.7 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game for the No. 16-ranked Tigers. He has recorded nine double-doubles along with 18 games in double figures including four 20+ point outings this season. The preseason All-SEC First Team selection currently ranks first in the league in rebounding, second in blocks and second in field-goal percentage (56.1%). He is currently on an 11-game double-digit scoring streak including 14 points, seven rebounds, two assists and three blocks at Mississippi State on Jan. 27.
He was joined on the short list by North Carolina's Armando Bacot, Houston's L.J. Cryer, FAU's Johnell Davis, North Carolina's RJ Davis, Kansas' Hunter Dickinson, Purdue's Zach Adey, Duke's Kyle Filipowski, Clemson's PJ Hall, Dayton's DaRon Holmes II, Memphis' David Jones, Tennessee's Dalton Knecht, Marquette's Tyler Kolek, San Diego State's Jaedon LeDee, Arizona's Caleb Love, Kansas' Kevin McCullar Jr., Connecticut's Tristen Newton, Kentucky's Antonio Reeves, Creighton's Baylor Scheierman and Colorado's KJ Simpson.
SERIES HISTORY
Vanderbilt leads 90-57 in the all-time series with Auburn. However, the Tigers have won six of the last seven in the series.
Auburn is looking for its eighth home-and-home series sweep in in the all-time series with Vanderbilt – its first since 1990. The Tigers also swept home-and-home games against the Commodores in 1932, 1942, 1969, 1977, 1985 and 1986.
Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl is 14-9 in his head coaching career against Vanderbilt including 6-5 on The Plains. He is 8-2 at home lifetime against the Commodores including 3-1 at Neville Arena.
Three of the last five contests in the series have been decided by six points or fewer.
LAST SIX GAMES IN THE SERIES
Feb. 16, 2019 A W, 64-53 (+11)
Jan. 8, 2020 H W, 83-79 (+4)
Feb. 9, 2021 A W, 73-67 (+6)
Feb. 16, 2022 H W, 94-80 (+14)
Feb. 18, 2023 A L, 65-67 (-2)
Jan. 17, 2024 A W, 80-65 (+15)
TOP 10 ON THE ROAD
Auburn wasn't the only AP Top 10-ranked team to be defeated on the road this season. Of the teams ranked in last week's Top 10 – most or all of their losses of the season have happened on the road including UConn (2), Purdue (2), Houston (2), Tennessee (2), Kentucky (2), Kansas (3), Auburn (3), Arizona (3) and Illinois (3).
North Carolina was the only AP Top 10 squad with three losses at neutral sites only.
According to stats research by Brandon Ramsey, AP Top 10 teams won games on the road against unranked opponents 59.8% in 2022-23 and 61.2% in 2021-22. Road wins are becoming much harder this season than ever before.
Top 10 Ranking and School (Road Losses)
1. UConn (at Kansas and Seton Hall)
2. Purdue (at Northwestern and Nebraska)
3. North Carolina
4. Houston (at Iowa State and TCU)
5. Tennessee (at North Carolina and Mississippi State)
6. Kentucky (at Texas A&M and South Carolina)
7. Kansas (at UCF, West Virginia and Iowa State)
8. Auburn (at Appalachian State, Alabama and Mississippi State)
9. Arizona (at Stanford, Washington State and Oregon State)
10. Illinois (at Tennessee, Purdue and Northwestern)
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer