Denver Jones – Syndication Server

Auburn basketball has ‘firm grasp’ on college basketball after win over Tennessee

Auburn proved why it is the nation’s best team on Saturday by taking down Tennessee in a slug fest.

Auburn basketball proved last Saturday that any win is a good win.

The No. 1 Tigers defeated No. 7 Tennessee, 53-51, on Saturday at Neville Arena despite shooting 31% from the field. Two of its offensive weapons, [autotag]Denver Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Chad Baker-Mazara[/autotag], were shut out from the field, and freshman [autotag]Tahaad Pettiford[/autotag] shot 33% on the night.

Despite its struggles, Auburn made the right plays down the stretch. The Tigers went on a 6-0 run to close the game and forced Tennessee to miss six of its final seven shots to close the game.

Jordan Mendoza of USA TODAY Sports says that Auburn’s win over the Volunteers proved that the Tigers have a “firm grasp on top of the sport” as the calendar flips to February in the weekly winners and losers feature.

Does Saturday’s game determine who will win the SEC or become national champion? No, but what the contest did prove is Auburn is indeed the best team in the country. It’s been three weeks into the conference slate, and every team tasted defeat in the talent-heavy league − except Auburn. A perfect 6-0 start in the SEC likely couldn’t be done by any other team in the country, nor could a 11-1 record in Quad 1 games.

It helped matters that forward [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] returned to action on Saturday. Broome played 33 minutes off the bench in the win, where he scored 16 points and secured 13 rebounds. Broome and the Tigers will look to continue its run of dominance this week with road games at LSU on Wednesday and Ole Miss on Saturday.

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In photos: Auburn crushes Missouri to open SEC play

Auburn is 1-0 in SEC after an 18-point blowout of Missouri at Neville Arena.

The No. 2 Auburn Tigers were tasked with cooling off a red-hot Missouri squad on Saturday to begin the new year with a win. The home-standing Tigers passed the test with ease, taking down Missouri, 84-68, at Neville Arena in Auburn, Alabama.

Missouri held the edge in rebounding and received more production from their bench than Auburn. However, Auburn was more precise at shooting the basketball, which led to the win.

Auburn connected on 57% of its field goal attempts (28-of-49) and shot 48% from three-point territory (10-of-21) to aid in its 18-point victory.

[autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] led the team in points with 24, and tied [autotag]Chaney Johnson[/autotag] for the team lead in rebounds with seven. Johnson also tied [autotag]Chad Baker-Mazara[/autotag] by scoring 13 points during the game. [autotag]Tahaad Pettiford[/autotag] and [autotag]Denver Jones[/autotag] also logged 10 points to give Auburn five double-digit scoring players in the win.

Re-live some of the special moments from Auburn’s most recent victory by checking out the best photos from Auburn’s victory over Missouri.

New year, same Tigers: Auburn roars past Missouri 84-68

Bruce Pearl’s Auburn Tigers opened up SEC play with a statement victory on Saturday

After a spectacular non-conference portion of the season, Bruce Pearl’s Auburn Tigers have opened up SEC play with a statement victory.

Auburn defeated Missouri 84-68 in front of a packed Neville Arena on Saturday to earn its thirteenth win of the season. The blowout victory in ‘The Jungle’ was also Auburn’s second against Tiger counterparts. Johni Broome and company previously defeated Memphis in the ‘Maui Invitational’ championship earlier this season.

Broome, who continues to pace the field in the ‘Wooden Award’ race, had himself another fantastic performance in the SEC opener. The senior was the only player to reach double figures in the first half, finishing the frame with 13 points before ending the contest with a game-high 24 points to go along with 7 rebounds. Saturday marked the ninth time this season Auburn’s leading scorer had eclipsed the 20 point threshold this season. The total now gives Broome more 20+ point games than he had during the entirety of his All-SEC campaign a year ago.

Auburn, like it normally has so far this season, received most of its remaining offensive production from the backcourt trio of [autotag]Chad Baker-Mazara[/autotag], [autotag]Tahaad Pettiford[/autotag], and [autotag]Miles Kelly[/autotag]. The grouping of gifted guards combined for 29 to help the Tigers pull away in the contest. [autotag]Denver Jones[/autotag] also added 9 points and a game-high 7 assists, doing most of his work in the second half.

While Auburn’s scoring continues to be historically outstanding, the defense was once again phenomenal on Saturday night. Led by [autotag]Dylan Cardwell[/autotag]’s 3 first half rejections, Auburn held Missouri to a season low 11 field goals in the first half. The away team’s offensive output only got worse in the second frame, as senior Tamar Bates 8 and his team shot just 38% from the field on their way to 68 points.

Auburn now heads into its first conference road matchup of the season with even more momentum than it had to finish 2024. While Texas is certain to give the Tigers a solidly competitive game on Tuesday, Bruce Pearl’s team has shown it will be extremely difficult to beat this season.

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Tigers ring in the New Year with another rout, drop Hawks 87-58

The Tigers dominated the Hawks after shaking off the holiday rust on Monday

It wasn’t the sleigh ride of a start Bruce Pearl would have liked to see from his team, but the Auburn Tigers ultimately earned their twelfth win of the season on Monday night, defeating Monmouth 87-58.

For the first time this season, Auburn showed clear signs of rust after a long lay off. Whether it was the Christmas ham, the travel, or a mix of both, [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] and company delivered a lump of coal worthy performance for most of the first half on Monday night. As elite teams tend to do, the Tigers found their footing eventually however.

After mostly traded baskets with their two win counterparts on Monday, Johni Broome and the Tigers ended the first frame on an 18-0 run to take a 46-28 lead into the halftime locker room. The aforementioned Broome, who once again helped his ‘Wooden Award’ candidacy with another great performance, continued his habit of flirting with first half double-doubles, finishing with a game-high 7 rebounds to go along with 8 points in the first 20 minutes. His front court mate [autotag]Chaney Johnson[/autotag] actually led all scorers in the first stanza with 10 of his own, while guards [autotag]Denver Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Chad Baker-Mazara[/autotag] added 9 each.

The final 20 minutes of the game were much of the same story as the end of the first half. Broome eventually got his double-double (14 points, 11 rebounds), while first half stars Baker-Mazara and Chaney Johnson finished in double figures as well. [autotag]Miles Kelly[/autotag] and Denver Jones combined for 18 points, while Dylan Cardwell (12 points, 11 rebounds) earned his first double-double of the season, helping Auburn again put forth a full-team effort in a blowout victory.

Bruce Pearl’s Tigers now head into conference play with 12 wins despite playing one of the hardest non-conference schedules in the country. With quality wins over top ranked programs combined with massive margins of victory over inferior teams on the Tigers resume, Bruce Pearl’s squad should have no issues navigating an extremely difficult SEC schedule.

The conference portion of the schedule gets underway on January 4 when Auburn welcomes NCAA Tournament hopeful Missouri to Neville Arena.

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One more year? How the NCAA’s recent JUCO eligibility ruling could affect Chad Baker-Mazara, Denver Jones

Baker-Mazara and Jones have been phenomenal for the Tigers this season. Could they return for one more season?

Auburn basketball is having a fantastic season, having built an 11-1 record and heading into its final nonconference game with Monmouth on Monday. Senior guards [autotag]Chad Baker-Mazara[/autotag] and [autotag]Denver Jones[/autotag] are key reasons why.

Both players average over 10 points per game for the Tigers and connect on over 45% of their field goal attempts. The 2024-25 season will be their last due to eligibility, but is there a possibility that both stars could return to Auburn’s roster next season? The program is looking into it.

Following the latest NCAA ruling that would allow student-athletes with junior college backgrounds the opportunity to play one more season of their respective sport, head coach Bruce Pearl says that he is checking with the SEC offices to determine if Baker-Mazara and Jones will be affected by this ruling.

“Like so many of these rule changes, you don’t know how they impact each individual,” Pearl said Friday. “We have three players that have played some junior college basketball, Addarin (Scott), Chad (Baker-Mazara) and Denver (Jones). Chad and Denver are both in the last year of their eligibility having played one year in junior college. There would be an anticipation they would qualify, but that’s something we’re checking into with the SEC office.”

Baker-Mazara signed with Auburn out of Northwest Florida Community College, where he earned several honors after scoring 15.2 points and pulled down 3.6 rebounds per game. His stop at the junior college level occured following stints at Duquesne and San Diego State.

Jones transferred to Auburn after spending two seasons at FIU. Before his time in Miami, he played one season at Garden City Community College in Kansas, where he was named conference freshman of the year after scoring 19.1 points per game.

[autotag]Addarin Scott[/autotag], who is in his second season with the Tigers after transferring in from Navarro College in Texas, could redshirt this season says Bruce Pearl. His case will be special, as it could mean an extra two seasons for Scott to play at Auburn. Pearl says that Scott’s status will also be discussed when he meets with SEC officials.

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.

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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