bruce pearl – Syndication Server

Broome, Pearl earn midseason SEC superlatives

How many accolades will Johni Broome and Bruce Pearl by seasons end?

The SEC portion of the schedule is one-third of the way finished, and two members of Auburn’s basketball squad are in prime position to earn postseason accolades.

As the 2024-25 season reaches its halfway point, Jamie Shaw of On3 has taken a crack at predicting who will take home all-SEC honors at season’s end. Auburn forward [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] and head coach [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag] are at the center of discussions.

Shaw has honored Broome as “midseason player of the year” after deeming him the most impactful player on the country’s best team.

“His defensive presence has held the back line strong for Auburn and his ability to clean the boards has been big as well. Broome has played efficiently this season and had some of his biggest games on the biggest stages.”

Broome has also earned midseason All-SEC first-team honors and midseason defensive player of the year. The talented senior averages 17.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists despite missing two games due to an ankle injury. In his return to the floor last Saturday, Broome scored 16 points and hauled in 13 rebounds off the bench in the Tigers’ 53-51 win over No. 7 Tennessee at Neville Arena.

Pearl has been named SEC midseason coach of the year by Shaw. With 12 games remaining in the regular season, Auburn is 18-1 overall and 6-0 in SEC play. The Tigers also boast an 11-1 mark over Quad-1 competition in the NCAA net rankings; eight wins came against ranked competition.

Broome, Pearl, and the rest of the Auburn Tigers will look to continue their hot streak this week by facing LSU and Ole Miss on the road. Auburn’s next game, against the LSU Tigers, will begin at 6 p.m. CT on Wednesday.

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__

Who did the College Gameday crew pick to win Saturday’s Auburn vs. Tennessee game?

ESPN’s premier pregame show visited the Plains on Saturday. Did the crew pick Auburn to win?

ESPN’s College Gameday kicked off its basketball season on Saturday by visiting Auburn for the No. 1 Tigers’ game against No. 7 Tennessee at Neville Arena.

Saturday’s show featured a heated discussion centered around the interactions between college head coaches and officials, a look at Saturday’s key games, and an interview with Auburn head coach [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag] that featured his new granddaughter and an update regarding Johni Broome’s injury status for the game.

“My guess is, with you guys here, with everybody here, my guess is he’s taking the floor. That’s just my guess,” Pearl said during Saturday’s show. Pearl also said that a final decision regarding Broome’s availability will be made after pregame warmups.

But the most important feature of College Gameday is the host’s picks for the day’s action. Who did the Gameday crew pick to win Saturday’s game between Auburn and Tennessee? Here is a look:

Jay Williams: Auburn
Andraya Carter: Auburn
Seth Greenberg: Auburn

Auburn meets Tennessee on Saturday at Neville Arena for a 7:30 p.m. CT tipoff. Click here for a game preview and a broadcast guide.

Bruce Pearl provides Johni Broome injury update ahead of showdown with No. 7 Tennessee

Will Auburn be without its star forward for the third-straight game?

Auburn forward [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] has missed the last two games after sustaining an ankle injury in the Tigers’ 66-63 win over South Carolina on Jan. 11 in Columbia.

Will the No. 1 Tigers be without their star for the third straight game? While his status for Auburn’s SEC showdown with No. 7 Tennessee on Saturday is unknown, Auburn head coach [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag] provided a positive update regarding Broome’s recovery.

Per Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports, Pearl shared that Broome “moved around a little in Thursday’s practice, but didn’t go full-go” during Thursday’s practice.

Before his injury, Broome averaged 17.9 points and 10.7 rebounds per game for Auburn. He reached double-figures in points in 14 of the 16 games he played in and has notched 10 double-doubles.

In his absence, [autotag]Chaney Johnson[/autotag] has averaged 9.5 points over the last two games, with 14 total rebounds and a 42% field goal percentage. In his first game as a starter in Broome’s place, Johnson scored 17 points, pulled down eight rebounds, and blocked four shots in Auburn’s 88-66 win over Mississippi State on Jan. 14. Johnson has scored 10.0 points and secured 5.5 rebounds per game for the Tigers this season.

The final call for Broome’s availability for Auburn’s game with Tennessee on Saturday will be revealed Friday in the SEC Student-Athlete Availability Report. No. 1 Auburn will meet No. 7 Tennessee at Neville Arena at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

Tahaad Pettiford, Ja’heim Hudson play key bench roles in Auburn’s win at Georgia

Head coach Bruce Pearl discusses the importance of Pettiford and Hudson in Auburn’s narrow win at Georgia on Saturday.

The No. 1 Auburn Tigers pulled off another quad-1 win on the road Saturday by narrowly escaping No. 23 Georgia in Stegeman Coliseum, 70-68.

Auburn was without star forward [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] for the second straight game, which caused the need for several bench players to step up and take the pressure of added production head-on. Auburn got just that in [autotag]Tahaad Pettiford[/autotag] and [autotag]Ja’heim Hudson[/autotag].

Pettiford led all scorers with 24 points in Auburn’s win. He achieved the feat primarily through his success beyond-the-arc, where he connected on 5-of-7 three-point opportunities.

Auburn head coach [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag] made sure to give Pettiford praise following the game.

“We didn’t play our best. We had two or three guys that had subpar nights. But I’ll give Georgia credit for that,” Pearl said. “And Tahaad Pettiford is pretty special.”

Hudson followed Pettiford by scoring five points and securing three offensive rebounds and two steals. Although Hudson played just 18 minutes, Pearl says that the affect he had on the floor could be felt all-around.

“We don’t win the game without Turtle (Hudson),” Pearl said. “We don’t.”

The duo of Pettiford and Howard combined to score 29 of Auburn’s 32 bench points in the win, which added value to the team’s performance considering starters [autotag]Chaney Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Dylan Cardwell[/autotag] combined to score four points while shooting 2-of-11 from the field Johnson and Cardwell played a great game defensively by combining to secure 13 rebounds and blocking five shots.

The timetable for Broome’s return is unknown, but Auburn will continue to find success in his absence due to the efforts of Pettiford and Hudson.

Is Johni Broome playing today? The latest update on Auburn’s star forward

The Auburn forward is dealing with an ankle injury. Here is the latest updates ahead of Auburn’s game vs. Mississippi State.

The No. 2 Auburn Tigers face No. 18 Mississippi State on Tuesday at Neville Arena. Will its star player be in the starting lineup?

[autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] suffered an ankle injury in Auburn’s 66-63 win over South Carolina last Saturday. Auburn head coach [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag] initially thought the injury was significant and that he could miss Auburn’s important games coming up.

However, Auburn athletics revealed Sunday that an MRI indicated that Broome’s sprained ankle would not need surgery to repair.

No surgery is great news for Broome and the Auburn basketball program. However, will he be able to suit up for Auburn’s top-25 showdown with Mississippi State? Here’s the latest update regarding Broome’s ankle injury ahead of Tuesday’s game at Neville Arena.

Johni Broome injury update

An MRI revealed that Auburn forward Johni Broome will not need surgery for the sprained ankle he sustained in Auburn’s 66-63 win at South Carolina last Saturday. However, Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl says that Broome will be unavailable for the Tigers’ game with No. 18 Mississippi State on Tuesday at Neville Arena.

How long will Broome be out?

Although Broome will not need surgery, there is still no set timetable for Broome’s return. Broome was in a boot and using a scooter at practice on Monday, which is cause to believe that Broome could miss a few more games.

Auburn depth chart

Pearl will look to Chaney Johnson to fill Broome’s space in the starting lineup. Johnson has proven to be a player worthy of filling the shoes of Broome, especially in Auburn’s win over Georgia State in December. Broome exited the game early due to a shoulder injury, leaving Chaney to pick up his production. Chaney went on to score 26 points and collect eight rebounds in the Tigers’ 100-59 victory.

Johnson averages 10.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 22.6 minutes per game off the bench.

Is Auburn finally No. 1 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll?

Does Auburn get to take the top spot after Tennessee’s loss to Florida?

Experts have claimed all season long that the Auburn Tigers were the best team in college basketball. Now, the polls reflect the claim.

The Auburn Tigers are the No. 1 team in this week’s USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag]’s squad takes the top spot after last week’s No. 1, Tennessee, lost to Florida by 30 last Tuesday in midweek SEC action.

Iowa State, Duke, Florida, and Alabama round out the top five in this week’s poll. The Volunteers fell five spots to No. 6, and are one of three teams to suffer a five-spot drop in this week’s rankings, joining Mississippi State (No. 18) and Illinois (No. 20).

The SEC is represented by nine teams in this week’s ranking. Outside of Auburn, Florida (No. 4), and Alabama (No. 5) begin the week in the top five, followed by Tennessee (No. 6), Kentucky (No. 9), Texas A&M (No. 11), Mississippi State (No. 18), Ole Miss (No. 21), and Georgia (No. 23).

Auburn enters the week with eight straight wins and a 3-0 mark in SEC play. Following last week’s wins over Texas and South Carolina, the Tigers are 7-1 against Quad-1 competition and 2-0 against Quad-2 teams. Auburn’s seven quad-1 wins lead the nation.

This marks the first time since Jan. 31, 2022 that Auburn has earned the top spot in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll.

USA TODAY Sports’ Coaches Poll for Jan. 13, 2025:

Rank	School	Record	Points
1	Auburn	15-1	768 (25)
2	Iowa State	14-1	739 (5)
3	Duke	14-2	705
4	Florida	15-1	649
5	Alabama	12-1	648
6	Tennessee	15-1	626
7	Marquette	14-2	587
8	Houston	12-3	522
9	Kentucky	13-3	514
10	Kansas	12-3	460
11	Texas A&M	13-3	425
12	Michigan State	14-2	424
13	UConn	13-4	345
14	Oregon	15-2	343
15	Purdue	13-4	294
16	Gonzaga	14-4	285
17	Memphis	13-3	272
18	Mississippi State	14-2	267
19	Michigan	13-3	231
20	Illinois	12-4	223
21	Ole Miss	14-2	195
22	Utah State	16-1	143
23	Georgia	14-2	80
24	Baylor	11-4	72
25	West Virginia	12-3	69

Johni Broome update: The latest news surrounding the star forward’s ankle injury

Broome underwent an MRI on Sunday to access the severity of the ankle injury he suffered in Saturday’s win at South Carolina.

Auburn basketball may have won its game over South Carolina on Saturday to move to 3-0 in SEC play, but it lost its lifeblood in the process.

Forward [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] suffered an ankle injury in Auburn’s 66-63 win over South Carolina on Saturday. Head coach [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag] originally felt that Broome’s injury might be significant, which would cause him to miss several games. However, according to a statement from Auburn Athletics, a Sunday MRI revealed that the injury is not as serious as once thought.

“Auburn senior All-American Johni Broome underwent an MRI this morning which revealed a non-surgical, ankle sprain,” a press release from Auburn Athletics revealed Sunday.

Surgery not being needed for Broome is a great sign for Auburn basketball. However, the timetable for his return has yet to be announced. Broome leads the team in several categories including points (17.9), rebounds (10.7), and assists (3.2). Before his injury, Broome scored six points and hauled in three rebounds in 24 minutes of action.

Bruce Pearl on record-setting win: ‘I just try to reward Auburn for giving me the chance to be their basketball coach’

Following Auburn’s win over Texas on Jan. 7 in Austin, Pearl is now Auburn’s winningest head coach.

The No. 2 Auburn Tigers fought off a pesky Texas Longhorn squad on Tuesday, 87-82. The win moves Auburn to 2-0 in SEC play and puts them in a prime position to earn the No. 1 spot in next week’s rankings following No. 1 Tennessee’s loss at Florida.

The win was a memorable milestone for Auburn, celebrating not only short-term achievements but also a significant moment in the team’s history. Tuesday’s victory marked the 241st under [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag]’s leadership at Auburn, allowing him to surpass Joel Eaves and earn the title of the program’s winningest basketball coach.

Several key people were in attendance to watch Pearl’s record-setting win including athletic director John Cohen and Auburn University president Dr. Chris Roberts. Current players dumped water on him to celebrate, and former players filmed videos of themselves congratulating him on accomplishing the feat.

During his postgame press conference, Pearl discussed the impact of Eaves and other former Auburn coaches including Cliff Ellis and Sonny Smith. He also took time to share what the win meant to him.

“… I just want to reward Auburn for giving me the opportunity. That’s how I look at it. I go to work every day, and I just try to reward Auburn for giving me the chance to be their basketball coach and letting me be a part of this Auburn family,” Pearl said postgame. “I mean it from the bottom of my heart, so I’m grateful for our coaches and the players.”

Bruce Pearl now sits atop the winningest head coach list at Auburn. Here is a look at where other former coaches rank in terms of wins at Auburn:

Bruce Pearl (2014-pres.): 214-120
Joel Eaves (1949-63): 213-100
Cliff Ellis (1994-2004): 186-125
Sonny Smith (1978-89): 173-154
Bill Lynn (1963-73): 130-124

Bruce Pearl expects his team to be challenged at Texas

Bruce Pearl feels Tuesday’s game at Texas will be tougher than Auburn’s trip to Duke in December.

The No. 2 Auburn Tigers will visit Texas on Tuesday for just their second true road game of the season.

The Tigers did not fare well on their first road trip, falling at No. 4 Duke, 84-78, on Dec. 4 in the ACC-SEC Challenge. Although Texas is not ranked heading into the game, head coach [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag] believes that Tuesday’s game at Moody Center in Austin could provide Auburn with more of a challenge than the one it faced at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Auburn fans flocked to Duke to watch the Tigers play the Blue Devils in their 9,134-seat arena. Tuesday, Auburn will face Texas at Moody Center, which holds over 16,000 for Texas basketball games. A larger venue, plus proximity to the game for fans, could startle Auburn says Pearl.

“Well, I think this is going to even be more of a road game because at Duke, there were, place only holds 8,500 or something like that, and we had at least a thousand people in the building. And so at Duke, we absolutely could hear the crowd,” Pearl said. “We got off to a great start, which I think is important on the road. But, this is going to be a even harder environment because I don’t expect to have as many, I don’t expect to have a thousand Auburn fans down there.”

Auburn has held the top spot in the KenPom for several weeks and has an impressive record over quad-1 teams in the NCAA Net rankings. The only question Auburn has to answer is “How well can you play on the road?” Tuesday’s game at Texas will indicate how well the Tigers will compete and face adversity in a tough road environment.

Auburn faces Texas on Tuesday at 8 p.m. CT. The game can be seen live on ESPN2 and streamed on Fubo.

Johni Broome tabbed AP Player of the Week for week seven

The Tigers best scorer, rebounder, and rim protector was named the AP Player of the Week after his performance against Purdue

Auburn superstar [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag]’s historically dominant start to the season earned him yet another impressive accolade this week.

The Tigers best scorer, rebounder, and rim protector was named the AP Player of the Week after his performance in Auburn’s victory against Purdue, giving Broome another notch on his already impressive National Player of the Year resume.

The senior led [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag]’s Tigers to another undefeated week, improving Auburn to an SEC-second-best 11-1 record. While Broome and the Tigers may trail a trio of programs in the overall win column as conference play quickly approaches, Auburn has a distinct lead in ‘Quad 1’ victories (6), ranked wins (4), and offensive efficiency (131.0). Nearly all of those spectacular numbers can be heavily attributed to the play of Broome, who finished with 23 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, a block, and a steal after returning from injury against Purdue.

The senior also became the first Tiger in over three decades to finish a game with 20 points and 20 rebounds in Auburn’s win over Ohio State. Broome, who finished that contest with 21 points and 20 boards, could have very well flirted with a 25/25 line if the game was not in hand early on in the second stanza.

Broome now enters the final game of the non-conference portion of the season averaging 18.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.5 blocks per game despite missing all but 2 minutes of Auburn’s victory over Georgia State as well as sitting on the pine for most of the second halves the Tigers have played against inferior competition. His 11.5 rebounds per game rank fifth in the country, while his 2.58 blocks rank tenth in the country, and first in the SEC.

While Broome will certainly celebrate his latest accolade, the senior, along with the rest of the Tigers, likely have their eyes on bigger things as Auburn enters what is set to be an extremely difficult SEC schedule. If Bruce Pearl’s squad can navigate the next few months successfully, they could end up as the No. 1 overall seed when the brackets are set in March.

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