Tag: auburn basketball

Auburn center Johni Broome to return for one more season

After much deliberation on what he route he takes next year, Auburn center Johni Broome announced his plans to return to the Plains.

The college basketball offseason is always cycling news each day, with players and coaches announcing their plans for next season and headlines being made across the board. Fans await decisions from some of the nation’s best players as tension continues to build.

One of those players is Auburn center [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag], as fans wonder whether he will return to college, transfer, or head to the NBA Draft.

Luckily for Tiger fans, the big man announced that he is returning to the Plains for a fifth season on Wednesday via his social media.

Broome is coming off of a fantastic second year for Auburn. He increased his scoring production in a big way for the program. He put up 576 points for the Tigers in the 2023-24 season, averaging 16.5 points per game.

He was most notably recognized for his defensive efforts, being named as a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award. Broome recorded 299 rebounds on the season, 213 of which were on the defensive end of the court.

Broome also loomed as a threat to any shot that was taken when he was on the court. The center blocked 78 shot attempts for the year, which placed him No. 10 in the nation and No. 1 in the SEC.

The senior started in 34 of the 35 games from last year and averaged 24.8 minutes per game. This is a step down from the 2022-23 season, but he will be expected to see around the same number of minutes next year.

The Tigers now officially return both big men for next season, marking another year with a formidable front court rotation for head coach [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag].

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Auburn transfer guard Aden Holloway expected to visit Alabama on Thursday

Auburn transfer guard Aden Holloway will be in Tuscaloosa on Thursday for an official visit.

The Alabama Crimson Tide basketball program is looking to add talent through the transfer portal. On Tuesday, On3’s Joe Tipton reported that Auburn Tigers transfer guard Aden Holloway would be taking an official visit to Alabama on Thursday.

Holloway spent one season at Auburn. The North Carolina native made 26 starts in the 35 games that he played in for the Tigers. He averaged 7.3 points per game, 1.5 rebounds per game, and 2.7 assists per game. In addition, Holloway shot 31.8% from the floor and 30.2% from beyond-the-arc.

In two games against Alabama a season ago, Holloway scored eight points. One issue that Holloway had at Auburn down the stretch was his ability to knock down threes. He struggled toward the end of the season. However, it seems like Holloway would fit nicely in Nate Oats’ offense. The Alabama coaching staff could be able to increase his shooting percentages and help boost his confidence heading into his sophomore season.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the latest regarding the Alabama men’s basketball program and its involvement in the transfer portal.

Former Auburn guard set to visit Alabama this week

Aden Holloway entered the transfer portal after one season at Auburn, and his first known visit will be to rival Alabama.

The rivalry between Auburn and Alabama has spiked in recent years due to the success of both programs under their current leadership. However, another chapter could be written thanks to the Transfer Portal.

Former Auburn guard [autotag]Aden Holloway[/autotag] entered the transfer portal earlier this month and has scheduled his first known visit. According to Brett Greenberg of 247Sports, Holloway is set to visit Nate Oats and the Alabama Crimson Tide on Thursday, April 18. Greenberg says that Alabama wants to add another hot name to its roster to replace the loss of Rylan Griffin, Nick Pringle, Kris Parker, Davin Cosby, and Sam Walters, who have entered the transfer portal.

Holloway was Auburn’s lone high school signee from the 2023 recruiting cycle. He was a great addition by being the No. 3 guard of the class and the No. 16 overall recruit. He was also tabbed as a McDonald’s All-American.

However, he never really stepped up to become Auburn’s top guard. Holloway appeared in 35 games last season with 26 starts. He averaged 7.3 points, and 2.7 assists, and shot 31% from the field while playing just 21 minutes per game. Because of this, both Holloway and Tre Donaldson have elected to look for new opportunities within the transfer portal, allowing Auburn to explore new options with incoming freshman Tahaad Pettiford and Furman transfer JP Pegues at the guard position.

Holloway is the No. 11 point guard in the transfer portal and is the No. 41 overall player. Michigan is also expected to be a player for Holloway, as he and Donaldson are both expected to visit Ann Arbor this weekend according to 247Sports.

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__

Auburn in middle of the pack in the year’s final Associated Press Poll

Following the conclusion of the NCAA Tournament, the final Associated Press Poll puts Auburn basketball in the middle of the pack.

The college basketball season has come to an end with the conclusion of the NCAA Tournament. Now, teams begin preparation for the 2024-25 campaign in the offseason.

It is also time for the nation to see how their favorite team stacked up in the final polls of the year. For Auburn fans, after it fell to Yale in the first round of the tournament, it made the largest drop in the Associated Press Poll to No. 18.

The Tigers lost to the Bulldogs 78-76 in heartbreaking fashion in Spokane, Washington. They were unable to stop a potent attack from 3-point land while also not being able to stay out of foul trouble.

The Alabama Crimson Tide finish as the highest-ranked SEC team in the rankings after their run to the Final Four for the first time in school history, coming in at No. 3. Tennessee finished just behind them in the No. 5 spot after its loss in the Elite Eight to Purdue. Behind Auburn, Kentucky comes in at No. 20 after its shocking first round exit to Oakland, while South Carolina finishes at No. 25 following its loss to Oregon.

As Auburn prepares for next season, [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag] will look to make improvements and work in the recruiting battle for the nation’s top players.

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Where did Auburn finish in the final USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll of the season?

Auburn dropped its lone NCAA Tournament game to Yale last month. How did it affect the Tigers’ final ranking?

Auburn basketball ended its SEC Tournament championship season on a sour note last month by dropping its lone NCAA Tournament game to Yale, 78-76. The loss made a giant impact on where the Tigers finished in the final polls.

The final USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll was released Tuesday, and the Tigers will cap the 2023-24 season by being ranked No. 17, which is a 10-spot drop from their standing in the final regular season poll.

The round-of-64 loss, plus their plummet in the final rankings, place Auburn in College Sports Wire’s loser column. Patrick Conn writes that the Tigers must re-load to reach its full potential next season.

One of the few upsets of the NCAA Tournament came at the expense of the Auburn Tigers. Bruce Pearl and company fell to Yale in the 4-13 first-round matchup in the East bracket. Yale won only their second win all-time in the NCAA Tournament. Their quick exit caused them to fall out of the top 10 down to No. 17.

Bruce Pearl and the staff will need to reload and get ready for another run in 2024-25.

Five SEC teams earned a spot in the final ranking. Alabama, the conference’s lone representative in the Final Four, ends the season at No. 4 after its impeccable run. Tennessee is one place behind Alabama at No. 5, with Kentucky and South Carolina finishing at No. 19 and No. 23 respectively.

The full USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

Rank Team Record Points Change
1 UConn 37-3 775 (31) –
2 Purdue 34-5 744 +1
3 Houston 32-5 651 -1
4 Alabama 25-12 542 +14
5 Tennessee 27-9 638 +1
6 North Carolina 29-8 578 -1
7 Illinois 29-9 561 +3
8 Iowa State 29-8 539 -4
9 Duke 27-9 521 +5
10 Creighton 25-10 473 +1
11 Marquette 27-10 457 -3
12 Arizona 27-9 440 -3
13 North Carolina State 26-15 389 +20
14 Baylor 24-11 330 -1
15 Clemson 24-12 325 –
16 Gonzaga 27-8 312 –
17 Auburn 27-8 302 -10
18 San Diego State 26-11 217 +7
19 Kentucky 23-10 171 -7
20 Utah State 28-7 164 -1
21 Kansas 23-11 135 -1
22 Saint Mary’s 26-8 128 -7
23 South Carolina 26-8 124 -6
24 Washington State 25-10 62 +3
25 Texas Tech 23-11 49 -3

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Aden Holloway enters the transfer portal

After two of Auburn’s guards announced their leave from the program, former five-star guard Aden Holloway does the same as he enters the portal.

Following Auburn basketball’s loss on March 22 to the Yale Bulldogs in the NCAA Tournament, players are beginning to make their decisions on what their future with the team looks like for the 2024-25 season.

The Tigers have had a couple of players enter the transfer portal for next season, including the likes of guards [autotag]KD Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Tre Donaldson[/autotag].

Now, that list has been extended, as freshman and former five-star McDonald’s All-American [autotag]Aden Holloway[/autotag] announced his intent to enter the portal on Tuesday as well.

The high school phenom was ranked as the No. 18 player in the nation in the 2023 recruiting class according to the On3 industry ranking. He committed to Auburn in August 2022.

Holloway was a starter on the roster for most of the 2023-24 season. He played in all 35 games this season, averaging 20.2 minutes per game over the course of the year.

The freshman showed signs of being an early star in his college campaign, but also struggled mightily at moments as well. He saw his minutes decrease at the end of January and into the better part of February as his shooting struggles continued to mount.

Holloway finished his first season scoring 7.3 points per game. His highest-scoring performance this season came against the Indiana Hoosiers in Atlanta, where he scored 24 points. He hit seven buckets in that game, with five of them being from 3-point land.

He averaged 1.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists on the year, so while not ever being a player to crash the glass in games, he shared the ball a good amount. He reached his season-high of six assists in a game on four separate occasions, including in the Tiger’s first game against Baylor.

Holloway enters the portal as most likely a highly sought out player, but has not indicated any clues on where he might be headed.

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 Tyler on Twitter @traley34

ESPN analyst suggests that Bruce Pearl is a great fit for Kentucky

The smoke surrounding Kentucky’s interest in Auburn’s head coach continues to grow thicker.

When coaching searches hit big-time collegiate athletic programs, it seems that anyone with a pulse is under consideration for the vacancy.

After spending 15 seasons with the program, Kentucky men’s basketball head coach John Calipari is reportedly leaving and is set to become the next head coach at Arkansas. Now that there is an opening, many successful head coaches from around the country are in the mix to take on the best available job in the sport. Coaches such as Alabama‘s Nate Oats and UConn’s Dan Hurley are among the hot candidates, but one ESPN analyst suggests that Auburn’s head coach should also be considered for the opening.

College basketball analyst Seth Greenberg joined Tuesday morning’s Get Up on ESPN to discuss UConn’s national championship win over Purdue and the Kentucky opening. Greenberg says that outside of Pearl’s success, he has a characteristic trait that makes him the best fit for Kentucky.

“To me, Bruce Pearl has the energy that you need to deal with the Big Blue Nation,” Greenberg said. “And he is not a good coach. He is a great coach. He’s won at hard places. He missed no steps in his coaching career.”

At the time of this post, Arkansas has not officially hired Calipari, nor has Kentucky posted a job opening. However, it does not stop the speculation and discussion among college basketball fans. Alabama’s Nate Oats issued a statement Monday telling Crimson Tide fans that he does not plan to leave. Once the job becomes available, you can expect other head coaches to issue similar statements. Could Pearl be one of those coaches?

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__

Auburn to officially make the switch from Under Armour to Nike

Auburn’s long-time deal with Under Armour will expire in 2025, paving the way for Nike to become the program’s official uniform provider.

After spending 18 seasons as Auburn’s official uniform and apparel provider, Under Armour will make one last run on the Plains in 2024.

Auburn Athletics announced Tuesday that its deal with Under Armour will end next summer, paving the way for Nike to become the program’s next provider of uniforms, shoes, and apparel. Auburn athletic director [autotag]John Cohen[/autotag] is excited for the next chapter in Tigers’ athletics.

“We are excited to enter this new partnership with Nike, a brand that consistently champions athletes and sport around the world. We are appreciative of their strong support throughout this process. We believe that our 10-year agreement, beginning in July 2025, will continue to elevate Auburn and best serve our student-athletes and our university moving forward. We are also grateful to Kevin Plank and Under Armour for their 18 years of valued partnership in growing the Auburn brand and serving our student athletes, coaches, and fans. We look forward to the opportunity to celebrate this relationship throughout the final year ahead.”

Under Armour became Auburn’s official uniform outfitter in 2006, replacing Auburn’s deal with longtime provider, Russell Athletic. The original contract was for five years and was worth $10.6 million. In 2015, Auburn restructured its contract for 10 years and $78.1 million, plus $10 million in Under Armour stock.

Justin Hokanson of Auburn Live reports that Apple CEO and Auburn alum [autotag]Tim Cook[/autotag] played a major role in negotiations. [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag] were also open to moving on from Under Armour in favor of Nike.

Auburn’s current contract with Under Armour will expire in the Summer of 2025, and Nike will become Auburn’s official uniform provider immediately following the final event of the 2024-25 athletic season.

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__

Bruce Pearl to Kentucky? Auburn’s head man listed among top candidates for vacancy

For someone as successful as Bruce Pearl, it is easy to see why he is a candidate for this attractive vacancy.

Stunningly, Arkansas has tabbed Kentucky’s John Calipari as its next head basketball coach. Calipari will replace Eric Musselman, who bolted for USC last week.

The deal worth nearly $8 million annually was completed in the weekend’s final hours. Now that Arkansas has its man, what is next for Kentucky? The Athletic has pieced together several potential candidates for the attractive vacancy, with a familiar name making the cut.

Auburn head coach [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag] is among the nine names that The Athletic believes should get a call from Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart regarding the job. Pearl’s success at Auburn is nothing short of remarkable, making it easy to see why he is considered a target. However, his past could cause Kentucky to look elsewhere says The Athletic’s college basketball staff.

We have long heard that Barnhart would not be interested in hiring someone who has served a three-year NCAA show-cause penalty, but he’s among the multiple SEC coaches who did more than Calipari with less. He won the SEC regular season in 2018 and 2022 and the league tournament in 2019 and 2024. He’s been to a Final Four (Auburn’s only one ever) more recently than Kentucky. So if a bunch of these other candidates say no, Pearl’s previous missteps might suddenly be less offensive to Barnhart. In terms of personality, the carnival-barking Pearl is a perfect fit.

The Athletic is not the only outlet linking Pearl to Kentucky. Before Calipari’s move to Fayetteville, UK Wildcats Wire put Pearl on a shortlist of potential candidates to become Kentucky’s next head coach citing his success in recruiting and SEC competition.

Other names that The Athletic mentions include Baylor’s Scott Drew, Alabama‘s Nate Oats, and former Florida head coach Billy Donovan, who is now leading the Chicago Bulls.

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__

Former Furman guard JP Pegues visits Auburn

With the frenzy of the transfer portal getting underway, former Furman point guard JP Pegues visited Auburn on Tuesday

The chaos of the transfer portal is starting to get underway in college basketball, with players announcing their exit left and right. [autotag]K.D. Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Tre Donaldson[/autotag] have both already announced that they are leaving the program, which means [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag] is in search of another guard.

Luckily for Auburn, the news of two of its guards leaving is attracting some attention from top players, including former Furman point guard [autotag]JP Pegues[/autotag]. The Paladin star made a visit to the Plains on Tuesday.

The junior had an impressive campaign this season, averaging 18.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game during Furman’s 17-16 record in the 2023-24 year. His stats led him to be named to the first-team All-Southern Conference squad.

He already took a visit to South Carolina last weekend before making his trip to Auburn. After a visit that he feels went well, he looks to make one final visit to Florida on April 12 before making a decision.

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 Tyler on Twitter @traley34