auburn basketball – Syndication Server

Auburn continues to be high on five-star guard Caleb Holt’s radar

Could Caleb Holt be Auburn’s next special guard?

Auburn basketball is having an exceptional season so far, and that has caught the attention of five-star guard [autotag]Caleb Holt[/autotag].

In a recent interview with On3’s Joe Tipton, Holt discussed the programs that are actively recruiting him, with Auburn being mentioned. The Tigers’ successful season is grabbing Holt’s attention, but two other factors keep Auburn near the top of his list.

“Auburn is having a big year this year,” Holt said. “They have Tahaad (Pettiford) and he’s having a great year. Just seeing with what they do with their guards, it’s a great look for me to see because I want to play guard and get to the next level. The confidence coach Bruce Pearl has them playing with is a coach I’m looking for to have that confidence in me.”

For those hoping for a quick commitment announcement by Holt, do not hold your breathe. The 2026 guard says that he will take his time over the next few months to weigh all options and make the best decision.

“Maybe next year around my birthday, November 26th. We could say around then,” Holt said. “But don’t take my word for it. I don’t really know. That’s just a thought in my head.”

Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Louisville are among the other programs outside of Auburn that are showing extreme interest in Holt. Holt is the No. 1 shooting guard for 2026 according to On3’s Industry Rating, and is the No. 1 overall recruit from Georgia for the cycle.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

How Auburn’s win over Purdue affected its place within the USA TODAY Coaches Poll

Was Auburn’s blowout of Purdue enough to move them to No. 1?

Auburn fans had plenty to celebrate last Saturday after watching their team dismantle then-No. 17 Purdue, 87-69.

College basketball experts, including FOX Sports’ John Fanta and Turner Sports’ Andy Katz, have called Auburn the best team. However, NCAA Basketball coaches aren’t ready to agree.

This week, the Auburn Tigers remain at No. 2 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll, trailing fellow SEC foe Tennessee for the top spot.

The Tigers earned two key wins last week, defeating Georgia State and Purdue by a combined 59 points. The 11-0 Volunteers wiped out Western Carolina in its only game of the week, 84-36. Tennessee will wrap up nonconference play next week with games against Middle Tennessee and Norfolk State before opening its SEC slate with Arkansas on Jan. 4.

Purdue suffered the biggest drop in this week’s ranking after its loss to Auburn. The Boilermakers, ranked No. 17 at the time of its game with Auburn, fell eight spots to No. 25. Illinois and Mississippi State each advanced six spots in this week’s poll.

The SEC is represented by nine teams in this week’s ranking, with all being in the top 20. Following Tennessee and Auburn, Florida and Alabama each advanced one place to No. 4 and No. 5 respectively. Kentucky’s loss to Ohio State on Sunday dropped the Wildcats six spots to No. 10.

Unbeaten Oklahoma moves four places to No. 11 while Texas A&M falls to No. 13 despite blowing out Houston Baptist last Friday. Ole Miss remains at No. 16 and Mississippi State rounds out the SEC’s representation at No. 19.

Auburn will take a much-needed week away from competition, and will return to action on Monday, Dec. 30 against Monmouth at Neville Arena.

Auburn’s win over Purdue is a win for the SEC says Bruce Pearl

Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl addressed the challenges of playing a tough non-conference slate following his team’s win over No. 17 Purdue on Saturday.

The Auburn Tigers rode the positive vibes of an SEC Tournament championship into the 2024 NCAA Tournament. However, morale quickly dropped as the Yale Bulldogs defeated Auburn, 78-76, in the first round to force the championship-minded Tigers’ season to end abruptly.

That was the moment Auburn head coach [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag] knew a change needed to be made. He would need to build a stronger non-conference slate to prepare his squad for a deeper run in the NCAA Tournament.

Pearl further proved that his idea continues to work on Saturday as the No. 2 Tigers smashed the No. 17 Purdue Boilermakers at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, 87-69. The win moves Auburn to an impressive 11-1 record on the season, with six of those wins coming against “quad-1” competition. Auburn is also 4-1 against teams ranked in the latest USA TODAY Coaches Poll.

Following Saturday’s win, Pearl addressed the risk of playing a challenging non-conference schedule but is pleased with the way his squad has handled it to this point.

“We beat a good basketball team (in Purdue), but we beat a great basketball program,” Pearl said Saturday. “I’m really proud of our league. I was concerned about the toughness of our schedule. If we couldn’t handle it, we could’ve hurt our league. But we didn’t. We helped our league, and that matters to me a great deal.”

Auburn bested Purdue through strong defensive play. The Boilermakers were limited to 39% shooting from the field and 35% from three-point territory. Auburn turned 12 Purdue turnovers into 23 points, and won the defensive rebound battle, 27-20.

Pearl says its game plan for Purdue was executed positively.

“You can control your outcome with how you defend,” Pearl said. “I just thought we did a better job of making it difficult for Purdue They’re better from 3 than they are from 2. We made them make tough 2s. They made some, but they missed enough.”

According to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, Auburn holds the No. 11 toughest schedule and has the 10th-toughest non-conference schedule. Their 11-1 record against their slate to this point is the best in the nation. Auburn will take a small break before playing one final non-conference game on Dec. 30 against Monmouth at Neville Arena in Auburn. The SEC portion of the slate begins Jan. 4 at home vs. Missouri.

Photos: Auburn derails Purdue behind Broome double-double

What shoulder injury? Senior forward Johni Broome scores 23 and rebounds 11 in Auburn’s 87-69 win over Purdue in Birmingham.

What shoulder injury?

After exiting Auburn’s win over Georgia State on Tuesday, [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] was in the starting lineup for the Tigers game vs. No. 17 Purdue, where he delivered one of his best performances in his three-year Auburn career.

The senior forward notched his eighth double-double of the season by scoring 23 points and hauling in 11 rebounds in No. 2 Auburn’s 87-69 win over the Boilermakers at Legacy Arena in Birmingham on Saturday.

Broome played a major role in the win, but [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag]’s squad also received solid production from [autotag]Tahaad Pettiford[/autotag] (18 points, five assists) and [autotag]Denver Jones[/autotag] (15 points, 4 assists).

Re-live Auburn’s impressive win over Purdue by checking out this photo gallery from Saturday’s game in Birmngham.

Tigers continue chugging along, boil Boilermakers in Birmingham

The Auburn Tigers cannot stop earning themselves high-end ‘Quad 1’ victories.

National Player of the Year leader [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] and company dismantled another top 25 ranked team on Saturday, this time blowing the doors off of No. 17 Purdue in a 87-69 victory. The contest, while ending with a somewhat close 18-point spread, was mostly non-competitive.

After the programs traded baskets early, the Tigers ended the first half on a 31-15 run to take a 41-26 lead into the locker room. The aforementioned [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] scored 12 of his 23 game-high 23 points in the opening frame, while the backcourt duo of [autotag]Denver Jones[/autotag] (15 points) and [autotag]Tahaad Pettiford[/autotag] were deadly from deep as well.

While the scoring was impressive, the real story of the first half, and the contest, was Auburn’s ability to limit the fantastic guard play of Braden Smith (8 points) and Fletcher Loyer (11 points) on the other end. The duo, along with the rest of Purdue, shot a season-low 33% from the field in the first stanza. Matt Painter’s squad was able to finish the loss with a far more respectable 39% mark, although most of the Boilermakers second half field goals came when the game was already well in hand.

Auburn’s 18-point win was its fourth consecutive win by double digits, and ninth of the season. Bruce Pearl’s team has now scored a ridiculous 376 points over their last four contests, giving the Tigers about as much momentum as they could have heading into what is set to be a grind of an SEC schedule.

Before the Tigers tip off the conference part of their season, they have one final tune up against Monmouth in Neville Arena after the holidays. The Hawks will enter the Jungle boasting just two victories on the season.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Brian on Twitter @TheRealBHauch

ESPN predicts winner of Saturday’s Auburn vs. Purdue game

Will No. 2 Auburn hold off No. 17 Purdue without Johni Broome?

The final ranked nonconference game of the season is on the horizon for the No. 2 Auburn Tigers, and it could be without its biggest weapon.

It is still uncertain if three-time SEC Player of the Week [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] will play in Saturday’s game between Auburn and No. 17 Purdue. If he is unavailable, how will his absence affect the Tigers?

Broome exited Tuesday’s win over Georgia State with a shoulder injury. An MRI later suggested that surgery would not be required and that his healing time will be less than previously expected. After his departure, forward Chaney Johnson stepped up to score 26 points by shooting 12-of-14 from the field. He also logged eight rebounds and four assists.

Johnson, along with several others, are great supporting cast members to Broome, which is why ESPN remains confident that Auburn will earn another critical win on Saturday.

According to ESPN’s matchup predictor, Auburn has a 79% chance to beat Purdue on Saturday at Legacy Arena in Birmingham.

Outside of Broome, Auburn holds an advantage over Purdue in every major statistical category. Auburn outscores Purdue, 88.5-77.2, allows five fewer points per game, and outrebounds the Boilermakers by 6.3 boards per game.

A healthy mix of its stat advantage and a de-facto home game will help Auburn’s chances to earn another ranked win over a quad-1 team. The Tigers and Boilermakers square off on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. CT.

Auburn forward Chaney Johnson embraces ‘next man up’ mentality in Auburn’s win over Georgia State

Johnson delivered a career-defining performance Tuesday in the absence of Johni Broome.

The No. 2 Auburn Tigers suffered a critical blow in Tuesday’s win over Georgia State as forward [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] was removed from the game due to a shoulder injury.

The task of taking on Broome’s production is tall, but it was a role that senior forward [autotag]Chaney Johnson[/autotag] filled beautifully.

“First off, all of the glory and praise to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, because without him I wouldn’t be here and wouldn’t have been able to drop 26 points,” Johnson said postgame. “It’s a great feeling to have a team believe in you and the work finally paying off. Finally, not being in early foul trouble.”

In 30 minutes of play off the bench, Johnson built a stat line of 26 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Johnson reached a career-high in points by shooting 85% (12-of-14) from the field and connected on 2-of-5 free throw opportunities.

Johnson said he was prepared for the challenge despite unexpectedly taking on the new role.

“We always have the ‘next man up’ mentality. With Johni (Broome) going down, I knew I had to take a little more of the workload,” Johnson said Tuesday. “BP (Coach Pearl) would give me the ball in the right spots and my teammates would find me in the right spots.”

Pearl complimented Johnson’s work ethic by expressing pride in his performance. Pearl says Tuesday’s game was a by-product of the work put in by Johnson and assistant coach [autotag]Ira Bowman[/autotag].

“Ira Bowman is in the gym with him all the time and they’ve created a really nice inside-out game,” Pearl said. “He hasn’t shot the ball from the perimeter yet. Wait until he can shoot it and we can get that aspect going.”

At the time of this post, it is unclear whether or not Broome will be able to play in Auburn’s key game with No. 17 Purdue on Saturday at Legacy Arena in Birmingham. Should he not, expect Johnson to play a major role in Auburn’s final test of nonconference play.

In photos: Auburn basketball crushes Georgia State, 100-59

Check out the best photos from Auburn’s blowout victory over the Georgia State Panthers on Tuesday at Neville Arena.

The No. 2 Auburn Tigers claimed its 10th win of the 2024-25 season Tuesday night by crushing Georgia State, 100-59 at Neville Arena in Auburn.

Production was heavy and plenty as three players reached double-figures in points while four players recorded at least four rebounds. [autotag]Chaney Johnson[/autotag] was the star, scoring 26 points and registering eight rebounds off the bench. [autotag]Chad Baker-Mazara[/autotag] tied [autotag]Wendell Green[/autotag]’s record of 34 straight made free throws by connecting on all 11 opportunities, and [autotag]Denver Jones[/autotag] went 5-for-7 from three-point territory en route to a 17-point night.

Those players had incredible nights in the absence of [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag], who exited the game less than three minutes in with a shoulder injury. Following the game, head coach [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag] shared that Broome would be re-evaluated on Wednesday, which should provide a clearer picture of his status for Saturday’s game vs. No. 17 Purdue in Birmingham.

Re-live Tuesday’s big win by checking out the photo gallery of Auburn’s 100-59 win over Georgia State.

Johni Broome injury: What is the latest update?

Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl shares an update on forward Johni Broome, who suffered shoulder injury in Tuesday’s win over Georgia State.

This story was updated to add new information regarding Johni Broome’s injury status.

Auburn basketball recorded another convincing win on Tuesday, taking down Georgia State, 100-59.

Auburn outscored the Panthers, 57-28 in the second half and closed the game on an 11-0 run. However, the biggest takeaway from the game was Auburn’s ability to earn the dominating win despite being without [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] for most of the game.

On Wednesday, Auburn Athletics announced great news for Auburn fans: Broome will not require surgery and will start his rehabilitation right away. The release stated that Broome will undergo daily evaluations by the team’s medical staff and physicians.

Broome exited Tuesday’s game with a shoulder injury at the 17:42 mark in the first half after recording two points and two blocks. Following the game, Auburn head coach [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag] shed light on how severe Broome’s injury was, and how long the team could be without him.

“Obviously, his right shoulder kind of came out, came right back in. He did it a year ago, so he’s had some experience with it,” Pearl said postgame. “We’re going to take a look at it tomorrow, and we’ll tell you more. Hopefully, he’s OK.”

Broome leads the Tigers in all major categories including points per game (18.1), rebounds per game (11.5), and assists (3.5). He was also named the co-SEC Player of the Week for the third time this season after dropping 21 points and securing 20 rebounds in Auburn’s 91-53 win over Ohio State last Saturday.

Next up for Auburn is a trip to Birmingham to face No. 17 Purdue at Legacy Arena. Auburn’s deep roster is filled with plenty of candidates to fill Broome’s shoes should he be unable to play. In the second half of Auburn’s win over Georgia State, [autotag]Chaney Johnson[/autotag] scored 26 points, dropping 13 in each half. [autotag]Chad Baker-Mazara[/autotag] added 19 points and six assists while connecting on all 11 free throw tries. [autotag]Denver Jones[/autotag] also had a strong night by shooting 5-of-7 from beyond the arc en route to a 17-point outing.

The Tigers and Boilermakers will square off Saturday at 3:30 p.m. CT. The game can be seen live on ESPN.

Tigers lose Broome, calmly brush off Panthers 100-59

Auburn was able to rout the Panthers despite losing Broome early in the first half

The Auburn Tigers may be in trouble. While Bruce Pearl’s squad enjoyed a calm, mostly stress-free victory over the Georgia State Panthers on Tuesday night, the real story started developing early in the first half, when star forward [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] fell to the floor and immediately grabbed at his right shoulder.

The remaining 15+ minutes of a turnover-heavy, alley-oop filled first half felt somewhat meaningless with Auburn’s best player dressed in street clothes on the bench, bracing a football-sized pack of ice closely to his upper body. To Auburn’s credit, [autotag]Tahaad Pettiford[/autotag], [autotag]Chaney Johnson[/autotag], and [autotag]Denver Jones[/autotag] were able to pick up the slack on the offensive end with their top scorer sidelined. The trio combined for 26 of the Tigers 43 points in the opening frame. 41 of those points were scored after Broome sprinted from the Neville Arena floor to the locker room.

Georgia State was able to hang around for much of the first half with Broome sidelined, mainly due to the sharpshooting of center Cesare Edwards (15 points). The former Xavier Musketeer and Missouri State Bear effort seemed good enough to help his team cover a 39.5-point pre-game spread, which was the highest an Auburn opponent had been handicapped this season, until a late 11-0 surge in the final two minutes by the Tigers helped them win the game by 41 points. The 41-point loss was actually not the worst margin of defeat suffered by an opponent in front of ‘The Jungle’ this season. That accolade, or stain, is held by Vermont, who suffered a 51-point defeat in the season opener.

On the Auburn side, the aforementioned Chaney Johnson was the star of the show filling in for his injured front-court mate. The junior finished with a season-high 26 points, while chipping in 8 rebounds and a season-high 4 assists as well. Chad Baker-Mazara also forced himself into a new role during Broome’s absence, hoisting up a season-high 11 field goal attempts on his way to a team second-best 19. Denver Jones also enjoyed a great night from the field, scoring 17 points on 5 makes from beyond the arc.

While Bruce Pearl’s Tigers were able to comfortably control tonight’s contest against an inferior team, the waters will become much more treacherous, especially if Broome misses significant time, as soon as Saturday against No. 17 ranked Purdue. Baker-Mazara and Johnson, along with Jahki Howard and Dylan Cardwell, are all likely to see an increased offensive role as soon as Saturday.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Brian on Twitter @TheRealBHauch