Tag: Auburn Tigers

Duke basketball misses out on a No. 1 seed in updated ESPN Bracketology

The Duke Blue Devils still haven’t worked their way back into a No. 1 seed in ESPN’s projected bracket despite their four-game win streak.

The Duke Blue Devils have won four straight games, including their home victory over the Auburn Tigers to start the month of December, but ESPN bracket expert Joe Lunardi still needs to see more to put them atop a region.

In his updated Bracketology projection on Tuesday, Lunardi put [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] and his teammates as the No. 2 seed in the Midwest region.

Two early losses put a dent in Duke’s chances for a top seed, but considering that they came against the Kentucky Wildcats and Kansas Jayhawks, neither will be disqualifying. Auburn is Lunardi’s top overall seed, after all, so that win will carry plenty of weight come decision time.

The Tennessee Volunteers slid into the top spot in the Midwest, joining Auburn, Kentucky, and the Iowa State Wildcats on the opening line. Duke’s projected region also included 3-seed Texas A&M, 4-seed Purdue, and 6-seed Illinois. The Blue Devils drew Norfolk State for the opening round with either Dayton or Penn State waiting for them if they advance.

Only three other ACC teams made Lunardi’s full tournament field: the Clemson Tigers (No. 6, East), Pittsburgh Panthers (No. 7, South), and North Carolina Tar Heels (No. 9, South).

Iowa officially announces signing of Auburn transfer QB Hank Brown

It’s official. Former Auburn QB Hank Brown has signed with the Iowa Hawkeyes.

The Iowa Hawkeyes officially have their first transfer portal signee.

Iowa’s official account on X revealed that former Auburn quarterback Hank Brown is inked as a Hawkeye.

With the caption “Hank is a Hawk,” Iowa confirmed that Brown is joining the black and gold.

On3’s Hayes Fawcett broke the news last Friday that Brown had committed to Iowa, but the post from the University of Iowa account officializes it.

Brown joins the Hawkeyes after spending two years with Auburn. The 6-foot-4, 210 pound quarterback appeared in three games with the Tigers this season, completing 27-of-43 passes (62.7%) for 403 yards with six touchdowns against three interceptions.

Brown saw action against Alabama A&M, New Mexico and Arkansas during the 2024 season. The Nashville, Tenn., product also played in the Tigers’ bowl game to end the 2023 season versus Maryland.

Brown completed 7-of-9 passes for 132 yards against the Terps.

Out of Lipscomb Academy, Brown was a three-star signee per the 247Sports Composite rankings. Brown was ranked as the No. 60 quarterback and as the No. 34 player from Tennessee according to 247Sports in the class of 2023.

247Sports ranked Brown as a three-star transfer, as its No. 41 quarterback and as the 266th-ranked player nationally.

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Duke basketball slips one spot below Kentucky in latest AP Poll

The Duke Blue Devils tumbled one spot in the AP Poll despite winning their only game on the schedule last week.

The Duke Blue Devils dropped one spot in the men’s basketball AP Poll on Monday, but they stayed just within the top five thanks to their 8-2 record.

Duke only played once last week, a 72-46 home win over Incarnate Word on Tuesday. [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] and his teammates took some time to pull away from the Cardinals, only leading by two points with about six minutes left in the first half, and the unconvincing start opened the door for the Kentucky Wildcats to swap places with them at No. 4.

Flagg and the Blue Devils lost to Kentucky earlier in the season, but Duke’s home win over the Auburn Tigers boosted it back toward the top of the rankings. The Tigers, another one-loss SEC team, stayed in place at No. 2 behind the undefeated Tennessee Volunteers, and the Iowa State Cyclones hung tight at No. 3 to complete the top five.

The Clemson Tigers, the only other ACC team within the top 25, fell nine spots to the very last place in the rankings after their second loss.

Duke basketball moves back within top five in USA TODAY Sports coaches poll

The Duke Blue Devils moved up one spot to No. 5 in the USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll on Monday.

The Duke Blue Devils are once again a top-five team in the country, according to Monday’s USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll.

Duke only played once last week, a 72-46 victory over Incarnate Ward on Tuesday, but [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] and his teammates still moved up one spot to No. 5 in the updated rankings.

The Blue Devils have struggled to score points early on in games, digging double-digit holes in three of their last five games and taking nearly 15 minutes to build a lead over the Cardinals, but the Duke defense might be the best unit in the nation. Head coach Jon Scheyer and his roster have held each of their first 10 opponents under 80 points, and the Blue Devils surrendered fewer than 50 points in three different games.

The Tennessee Volunteers, Auburn Tigers, Iowa State Cyclones, and Kentucky Wildcats each ended up above Duke in the standings. The Blue Devils beat the Tigers but lost to the Wildcats earlier in the season.

Check out the complete USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll below.

Rank Team Record Points
1 Tennessee 10-0 765 (22)
2 Auburn 9-1 744 (9)
3 Iowa State 9-1 708
4 Kentucky 10-1 664
5 Duke 8-2 638
6 Florida 10-0 610
7 Alabama 8-2 601
8 Kansas 8-2 518
9 Marquette 9-2 496
10 Oregon 10-1 454
11 Texas A&M 9-2 368
12 Houston 6-3 363
13 UConn 8-3 337
14 Gonzaga 7-3 328
15 Oklahoma 10-0 308
16 Ole Miss 9-1 282
17 Purdue 8-3 264
18 UCLA 9-1 263
19 Michigan State 8-2 178
20 Cincinnati 8-1 146
21 Michigan 8-2 113
22 Memphis 8-2 111
23 San Diego State 7-2 110
24 Dayton 9-2 98
25 Mississippi State 9-1 92

Dropped Out

No. 16 Clemson; No. 22 Wisconsin; No. 25 Baylor

Receiving Votes

Clemson 87; Baylor 79; Illinois 50; St. John’s 48; Drake 44; Utah State 40; Arkansas 31; Maryland 29; Georgia 23; Wisconsin 22; Pittsburgh 21; Missouri 18; North Carolina 9; West Virginia 5; Creighton 5; Texas Tech 3; Penn State 2

Ohio State basketball vs. Auburn: How to watch, stream the game

Big one down south #GoBucks

The Ohio State men’s basketball team got back in the win column last Saturday with a win over Rutgers. After a week off from games, the Buckeyes get set for their toughest challenge of the season as they head to Atlanta for a matchup against No. 2 Auburn.

The game is part of the Holiday Hoopsgiving event at State Farm Arena, where the Atlanta Hawks play home contests. This will be the third of four games against SEC opponents this year. So far, Ohio State is 1-1 against the SEC, with a win over Texas and a loss to Texas A&M.

Auburn comes into the matchup with an impressive record of 8-1 on the season, with the Tigers one loss coming at the hands of the Duke Blue Devils in Durham. This is the first meeting ever between Ohio State and Auburn on the hardwood.

Here’s how to catch all the action for the Saturday tipoff.

USAToday SMG

Basic info

When: Saturday, December 14, at 1 p.m. ET

Where:  State Farm Arena (Atlanta, Georgia)

How to watch/stream/listen:

Broadcast: ESPN2

Radio: IMG Radio Network (flagship station WBNS 97.1 The Fan)

Radio announcers:

  • Paul Keels (play-by-play)
  • Ron Stokes (analysis)

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Duke basketball phenom Cooper Flagg named the AP national player of the week

The Associated Press named Duke star Cooper Flagg the national player of the week after his two big games against Auburn and Louisville.

Superstar forward [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] already earned some conference hardware through his first month with the Duke men’s basketball team, but the 17-year-old freshman notched his first national award on Tuesday afternoon.

The Associated Press named Flagg its national player of the week on Tuesday thanks to the role he played in Duke’s wins over the Auburn Tigers and Louisville Cardinals.

Duke handed Auburn its first loss of the season last Wednesday with an 84-78 triumph in Cameron Indoor Stadium, and Flagg made plays all over the court to beat the Tigers. He ended that game with 22 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, three steals, and two blocks, leading the Blue Devils in all five categories for the night.

Flagg sat for a long stretch of the second half amid some foul trouble against the Cardinals on Sunday, but even in just 28 minutes, he shredded the Louisville defense for 20 points and 12 rebounds. As of Tuesday afternoon, he’s put together four 20-point performances and stacked four double-doubles in his first nine games.

The ACC already gave Flagg its Rookie of the Week honor for the two games, his third time winning that award in five weeks.

Duke freshman superstar Cooper Flagg picks up third ACC Rookie of the Week award

With two 20-point double-doubles last week, Cooper Flagg was named ACC Rookie of the Week for the third time in four weeks.

Duke basketball star [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] passed two major tests last week, putting together 20-point double-doubles against the Auburn Tigers and Louisville Cardinals, and he was rewarded with his third ACC Rookie of the Week award in four weeks.

Flagg notched 22 points and 11 rebounds, four assists, three steals, and two blocks against the Tigers on Wednesday. He paced the Blue Devils in all five categories, becoming the first Division I freshman to do so in a top-five victory this century.

The 17-year-old forward battled foul trouble against Louisville, only playing 28 minutes, but he still put 20 points and 12 boards on the stat sheet despite only shooting three free throws. He shot 42.8% from the floor for the week.

Through his first nine collegiate games, Flagg has already stacked four 20-point performances against major conference opponents. He’s finished with four double-doubles, two of which came against Auburn and the Kansas Jayhawks. The Maine native is averaging 17.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.3 blocks.

No other ACC freshman has won Rookie of the Week more than once,

Duke basketball moves up to fourth in the AP Poll after Auburn and Louisville wins

With last week’s victories over Auburn and Louisville, the Duke Blue Devils returned to the top five of the AP Poll on Monday.

After their victories over the Auburn Tigers and Louisville Cardinals last week, the Duke Blue Devils jumped up five spots to No. 4 in the latest AP Top 25 Men’s College Basketball Poll on Monday.

Superstar freshman [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] scored 22 points against the Tigers and 20 points against Louisville, giving him four 20-point performances against major conference opponents already this season, and he averaged 11.5 rebounds thanks to his two double-doubles.

The Tigers, who have only lost once in their first nine games, stayed in place at No. 2, but the Kansas Jayhawks lost their hold on the top overall spot after two losses. In their place, the undefeated Tennessee Volunteers earned 58 out of 62 first-place votes to take a commanding lead on the No. 1 spot.

The Iowa State Cyclones stayed ahead of the Blue Devils, but Duke narrowly moved ahead of the Kentucky Wildcats despite their earlier head-to-head loss. Head coach Jon Scheyer and his team are the only squad with multiple losses in the top six.

Kansas tumbled down to No. 10 with two defeats, and the North Carolina Tar Heels completely vanished from the top 25 after their fourth loss.

Duke basketball stays outside of the top five in USA TODAY Sports coaches poll

The Duke Blue Devils rose three spots to sixth in the latest USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll on Monday.

The Duke Blue Devils won both of their games last week, including a Wednesday victory over the previously undefeated Auburn Tigers, to rise to sixth in the latest USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll.

Duke’s three-place rise makes the Blue Devils the highest-ranked team with multiple losses and the top team in the ACC. The Tigers stayed in place at No. 2 despite the loss, but the Tennessee Volunteers replaced the Kansas Jayhawks atop the rankings after two Kansas losses.

Iowa State, Marquette, and the Kentucky Wildcats all stayed above Duke to complete the top five. The Jayhawks tumbled down nine spots to No. 10, and the North Carolina Tar Heels completely vanished from the top 25 after four early losses.

The 9-1 Clemson Tigers catapulted all the way to No. 16 after they handed Kentucky their first defeat of the season, taking UNC’s place as the only other ACC team within the rankings.

Check out the complete USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll below.

Rank Team Record Points
1 Tennessee 8-0 745 (25)
2 Auburn 8-1 709 (5)
3 Iowa State 7-1 673
4 Marquette 9-1 633
5 Kentucky 8-1 630
6 Duke 7-2 613
7 Florida 9-0 530
8 Alabama 7-2 525
9 Gonzaga 7-2 462
10 Kansas 7-2 449
11 Purdue 8-2 424
12 Oregon 9-1 377
13 Houston 5-3 304
14 Michigan 8-1 258
15 Ole Miss 8-1 249
16 Clemson 9-1 237
17 Oklahoma 9-0 233
18 Texas A&M 8-2 194
19 Michigan State 8-2 166
20 UConn 7-3 152
21 UCLA 8-1 137
22 Wisconsin 8-2 129
23 Cincinnati 7-1 124
24 San Diego State 6-2 105
25 Baylor 5-3 99

Dropped Out

No. 15 Memphis; No. 17 Illinois; No. 19 Pittsburgh; No. 22 North Carolina

Receiving Votes

Mississippi State 93; Illinois 72; St. John’s 51; Pittsburgh 50; Arizona State 45; Maryland 42; Memphis 39; Drake 35; Utah State 32; Penn State 30; Saint Mary’s 28; Missouri 21; Creighton 20; Georgia 18; West Virginia 11; Arkansas 10; UC Irvine 5; Texas 5; Dayton 4; Texas Tech 2; North Carolina 2; Loyola Chicago 2; LSU 1

Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl thinks Duke basketball will ‘dominate’ the ACC

After the Blue Devils knocked off the Auburn Tigers on Wednesday, Bruce Pearl said Duke could enforce its will on the ACC this season.

After their 84-78 victory over the No. 2 Auburn Tigers at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Wednesday night, the Duke Blue Devils quietly have one of the nation’s better resumes to start the 2024-25 men’s basketball season.

Through their first eight games, the Blue Devils have a 6-2 record with a top-five win at home, a quad-one road win over the Arizona Wildcats, and two top-10 losses (by a combined eight points) to the Kansas Jayhawks and Kentucky Wildcats.

There’s a lot of basketball left to play between Thursday and the NCAA Tournament, but a dominant run through the ACC could position Duke for one of the four No. 1 seeds, and Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl thinks the Blue Devils are set up to do just that.

“This could be a dominant team,” Pearl told Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman on a live stream after the game. “I think this team is going to dominate the ACC.”

Goodman’s stream froze before Pearl could elaborate further on his take, but the advanced metrics certainly agree with him.

After the North Carolina Tar Heels lost their third straight game on Wednesday, ESPN’s Basketball Power Index gives the Blue Devils an 88.8% chance to win the conference with a projected win total of 26.1 games. KenPom credits the Blue Devils as the third-best team in the country with a projected conference record of 17-3.

Duke’s road to ACC dominance begins with a Sunday road trip against the Louisville Cardinals.