Tag: Denver Jones

Jersey numbers revealed for Auburn basketball’s 2024-25 additions

Check out which jersey number Auburn’s new roster additions will be wearing next season.

Next season, Auburn will be flaunting a new-look roster following the departures of players such as [autotag]Jaylin Williams[/autotag], [autotag]KD Johnson[/autotag], and [autotag]Aden Holloway[/autotag]. Several key players including [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] and [autotag]Denver Jones[/autotag] return while [autotag]JP Pegues[/autotag] and [autotag]Tahaad Pettiford[/autotag] join the program.

Auburn basketball recently revealed the jersey numbers for several incoming players and a number change for a returning contributor. Guard Denver Jones will switch numbers from No. 12 to No. 2 this season, taking over the number previously worn by Auburn’s all-time winningest player, Jaylin Williams. During his first season on the Plains, Jones started in 33 games while averaging 9.1 points per game and recording 25 steals in 35 games.

Auburn’s lone transfer to this point, All-SoCon guard JP Pegues, will wear No. 1, taking the place of former guard and Alabama transfer Aden Holloway. The Nashville native earned all SoCon honors by scoring 18.4 points and recording 4.8 assists per game as a junior at Furman.

Next is Auburn’s top signee, Tahaad Pettiford. Pettiford signed with Auburn as a five-star composite guard from Jersey City, New Jersey. He is the nation’s No. 2 point guard from the 2025 cycle and was the No. 3 player from New Jersey. He will wear No. 0, previously worn by KD Johnson.

The final notable jersey number reveal is for [autotag]Jahki Howard[/autotag], the four-star forward who joined Pettiford in signing with Auburn as part of the 2024 class. Howard will wear No. 3 this season, previously worn by [autotag]Tre Donaldson[/autotag], who transferred to Michigan during the offseason.

Outside of Auburn’s known departures, Matt Cohen of AL.com reports that former walk-on Carter Sobera will not return to the team for the 2024-25 season. Sobera is known for being awarded a scholarship last season. His Auburn career ends with 0.1 points, 0.4 rebounds, and a 33% field goal percentage over three seasons.

The 2024-25 roster update has not been finalized as Auburn is still welcoming potential transfers for visits including former Texas forward Dillon Mitchell.

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 basketball’s 2024-25 SEC opponents, locations revealed

Make your plans now to watch Auburn basketball compete in a revamped SEC slate this season.

The SEC Men’s Basketball landscape will change for the 2024-25 season and beyond, as Oklahoma and Texas will join to provide a boost to an already loaded conference.

Auburn will meet both the Sooners and Longhorns on the court this upcoming season as part of its’ 18-game SEC slate. The dates are not known at this point, but the locations are. As part of their initial schedule as SEC members, Texas will host Auburn while the Tigers will welcome Oklahoma to Neville Arena the SEC announced Monday.

Auburn has a short history with Oklahoma and Texas when it comes to men’s basketball. The Tigers have squared off with the Longhorns just once in history, winning a 45-27 contest in Auburn on Feb. 11, 1911.

Auburn has faced the Sooners three times in history, winning two. Most recently, Auburn defeated Oklahoma as part of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge during the 2021-22 season, 86-68 at then Auburn Arena. [autotag]Jabari Smith[/autotag] recorded a double-double by scoring 21 points and securing 12 rebounds while connecting on 9-of-10 free throw opportunities. [autotag]Walker Kessler[/autotag] added 21 points and nine rebounds while [autotag]KD Johnson[/autotag] scored 13 points.

Outside of Oklahoma and Texas, Auburn will welcome Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi State, Missouri, and Tennessee to Neville Arena while facing Kentucky, LSU, South Carolina, Texas A&M, and Vanderbilt on the road.

Auburn will face rivals Alabama and Georgia, as well as Ole Miss in a home-and-home setting. The Tigers went 4-2 against those opponents last season, sweeping Georgia and Ole Miss while losing two games to Alabama.

Auburn will look to build on its SEC Tournament championship campaign next season with returning stars such as [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag], [autotag]Denver Jones[/autotag], and [autotag]Dylan Cardwell[/autotag]. A full schedule release will be revealed at a later date.

UTSA Transfer Jordan Ivy-Curry lists Auburn in his final three

The senior guard is coming off a superb season for the Roadrunners by averaging 17.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3 assists per game.

Former UTSA guard [autotag]Jordan Ivy-Curry[/autotag] has listed Auburn as one of the three final programs he’ll be looking to transfer to next college basketball season. The Tigers join ACC program Wake Forest and recent Big 12 addition UCF as the three finalists on Ivy-Curry’s list. He is set to visit all three schools this week, with his trip to the Plains being the final stop on Thursday.

The senior guard is coming off a superb season for the Roadrunners averaging 17.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3 assists per game. The offensive output was by far the best of his four-year college career, which started at UTSA before the La Marque, TX native took a one-year pit stop to play for Pacific.

Ivy-Curry was set to join the Virginia Tech Hokies shortly after he entered the transfer portal but decided to re-open his recruitment, giving Auburn a chance to snag another mid-major guard after missing out on Duke Miles to Oklahoma late last month.

If [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag] and the Tiger staff can land the electrifying guard, he would provide a nice complimentary piece to the newly acquired [autotag]JP Pegues[/autotag] and incumbent [autotag]Denver Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Chad Baker-Mazara[/autotag]. We’ll see if he decides his future after his visits conclude later this week.

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

High Point transfer guard Duke Miles says Auburn ‘felt like home’ after recent visit

The Montgomery native is looking for a new home fresh off a magnificent junior season for the High Point Panthers.

After snagging Furman guard [autotag]JP Pegues[/autotag] from the transfer portal a few weeks ago, Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl is looking to bring another highly-touted mid-major guard to the Plains.

Former High Point guard [autotag]Duke Miles[/autotag] is looking for a new home fresh off a magnificent junior season for the Panthers in which he averaged 17.5 points, and 3.6 assists on an impressive 52.8% from the field. The Montgomery, Alabama native recently visited Auburn and left with glowing reviews, saying the Loveliest Village on the Plains “felt like home.”

Miles seems ready to suit up in the orange and blue next season, stating it’s been a lifelong dream to play at Auburn. If it were mainly up to him the 6-foot-2 guard may have already committed to Auburn. However, Miles is not ready to make a final decision until consulting with his mom, who was absent from his recent visit. “My mom wasn’t here… That’s the only thing holding it up,” said the talented guard.

If the junior does join Auburn’s roster for next season, [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag]’s 2024-25 guard rotation will instantly be among the best in the SEC and possibly the country. Along with the aforementioned Pegues, Tiger star [autotag]Chad Baker-Mazara[/autotag] and sharpshooter [autotag]Denver Jones[/autotag] are due for big roles on next year’s squad. A commitment from Miles would give coach Pearl two true point guards with him and Pegues, allowing Jones and Baker-Mazara to play more of the “off-ball playmaker” roles they thrive in.

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

Recap: Yale upsets Auburn, season ends in Spokane

Auburn’s magical season concludes with a first-round upset loss to Yale.

The latest upset of March Madness involves the SEC Tournament champions.

No. 4 seed Auburn faced several instances of adversity in Friday’s round of 32 contest with No. 13 seed Yale, with the final blow taking place over the final 2:10 of regulation. Yale’s John Poulakidas nailed a three-pointer to give the Bulldogs a 73-72 advantage. Unfortunately for the Tigers, it was a lead that Yale managed to hold. The Bulldogs completed the upset of Auburn on Friday by taking down the Tigers, 77-74 on Friday at Spokane Arena in Spokane, Washington.

A three-point jumper by [autotag]Denver Jones[/autotag] pushed Auburn ahead, 68-58, with 7:27 remaining in the contest. From that moment, Yale took control of the game by chipping away and ultimately stealing the win. Bez Mbeng answered Jones’ three-pointer with one of his own with 7:12 to go in the game. The long-range bucket kicked off a 17-9 run by the Bulldogs to secure the victory.

Auburn outshot Yale, 51% to 46%, and took advantage of Bulldog turnovers by turning them into 15 points. However, scoring nine points over the final eight minutes, plus Yale’s ability to score 19 points in fastbreak situations, led to a Yale win. Auburn also had zero answers for Yale guard John Poulakidas, who scored 28 points in Yale’s win. He connected on 10-15 shots, which includes an astonishing 6-9 mark from three-point territory.

Auburn had an eventful first half that required adjustment. At the 16:59 mark in the half, Auburn guard [autotag]Chad Baker-Mazara[/autotag] was ejected after throwing an elbow at Yale’s August Mahoney. The action was deemed a flagrant 2 foul and forced Baker-Mazara’s game to be cut short just three minutes into the game. Following the ejection, the Bulldogs went on a 12-4 run over the ensuing three minutes to take an 18-16 lead with 13:30 to go in the half.

[autotag]Jaylin Williams[/autotag] turned a Yale turnover into points with a dunk at the 12:29 mark in the first half to put Auburn back in front, 20-18, a lead that the Tigers would not relinquish for the remainder of the half. The Bulldogs trimmed the lead to one point with 12 minutes remaining, but the Tigers would build a seven-point cushion to take into halftime.

Yale began the second half strong by erasing Auburn’s 41-34 halftime lead on a 10-2 run over the first five minutes of the half. The Tigers answered by piecing together a 9-0 run to take a 57-48 lead with 11:10 remaining in the half. The Tigers would lead by as many as 10 points in the second half before the Bulldogs trimmed, and ultimately, stole the lead in the final two minutes.

[autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] was the Tigers’ top producer, scoring 24 points and pulling down 13 rebounds. Denver Jones scored 17 while Jaylin Williams dropped 13. [autotag]Tre Donaldson[/autotag] recorded six rebounds in the loss.

Yale will move on to face No. 5 seed San Diego State on Sunday in the round of 32. The Aztecs survived a scare of their own Friday by beating No. 12 seed UAB, 69-65. Auburn’s season ends with a 24-8 record.

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__

Photos: Auburn celebrates an SEC Tournament championship

Check out the best images from Auburn’s SEC Tournament championship celebration on the floor of Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

The No. 4-seed Auburn Tigers finished the job Sunday by taking down No. 6-seed Florida, 86-67, to win its third SEC Tournament crown.

The Tigers connected on 51% of his shot attempts in the win, including an impressive 64% tally in the second half. Auburn also never surrendered the lead, as it held the advantage from the first bucket at the 19:37 mark when [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] made a layup to give Auburn the 2-0 lead.

Broome ended the game with 19 points and 11 rebounds. [autotag]Chad Baker-Mazara[/autotag] and [autotag]Denver Jones[/autotag] also reached double-figures in the victory. Auburn’s bench scored 33 points led by [autotag]Tre Donaldson[/autotag]’s eight-point outing. [autotag]Chris Moore[/autotag], [autotag]Dylan Cardwell[/autotag], and [autotag]Chaney Johnson[/autotag] added seven points each.

Here are the best photos from Auburn’s SEC Tournament championship celebration at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

Recap: Auburn gets revenge, cuts down the nets in Nashville

The Auburn Tigers are your 2023-2024 SEC Tournament Champions. 

The Auburn Tigers are your 2023-2024 SEC Tournament Champions.

Bruce Pearl challenged his team to win nine games in a row before its SEC Tournament opener on Friday and [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] and company have responded by notching the first three.

While it wasn’t quite Neville Arena, Sunday’s championship against Florida felt like a home game in “Auburn North”.

The Auburn family brought the energy inside Bridgestone Arena from the get-go, although the building did calm down significantly following a gruesome leg injury suffered by Florida center Micah Handlogten.

Handlogten was ultimately stretchered off, and the energy returned to the tune of Auburn defensively disrupting a potent Gators offense en route to a 38-30 halftime lead.

Mark Clayton Jr. and the rest of the Gator offense managed to cut the Auburn lead to a single point quickly into the second half, getting the score to 45-44 within the first four minutes. Guard [autotag]Trae Donaldson[/autotag] quickly responded by knocking down a “parking lot” 3-point shot then stealing a Clayton Jr. pass on the other end that turned into a [autotag]Denver Jones[/autotag] transition dunk.

From that moment on it was all Auburn. The Tigers outscored Florida 41-27 from that point on. The Championship was in hand by the under 4:00 timeout.

While Donaldson had a massive impact off the bench, the star of the afternoon was none other than forward [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag], who picked up his second double-double of the SEC Tournament.

The Junior led all scorers in the game with 19 points while also providing 3 blocks on the defensive end. Forwards [autotag]Jaylin Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Chris Moore[/autotag], [autotag]Chaney Johnson[/autotag], and [autotag]Dylan Cardwell[/autotag] also played fantastic minutes against a tall Florida front court.

Auburn’s 86-67 win continues a trend of dominance we’ve seen from Auburn this season. Every Tigers win has come by double-digits other than one.

The Tigers have every chance to run the table again in the NCAA Tournament. We’ll see who they’ll face in a few short hours.

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

Recap: Auburn starts slow but takes care of business to advance to SEC Championship

Bruce Pearl’s team will have a chance to win the SEC Tournament for the first time since 2019 on Sunday against either Florida or Texas A&M.

Early afternoon starts haven’t been kind to the Auburn Tigers this season. That trend continued on Saturday in Nashville.

[autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag]’s team played some of the worst basketball it had over the past month in the first five minutes of the SEC Semifinal against Mississippi State. The good news for the Tigers? They outscored Chris Jan’s bulldogs 69-54 over the final 35 minutes of a 73-66 win.

Mississippi State’s defense was able to frustrate Auburn’s high-ranked offense for most of the afternoon, but the Tigers did just enough to get by. While star [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] wasn’t his usual dominant self after dealing with foul trouble in the first half, he still managed 10 points on the afternoon.

Front-court mate [autotag]Jaylin Williams[/autotag] took over the “do-it-all” forward role with Broome playing only 24 minutes. The winningest player in Auburn history ended his afternoon with 13 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks.

Guards [autotag]Denver Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Chad Baker-Mazara[/autotag] continued their hot stretch of play, carrying things on the offensive end at times Saturday with timely jump shots and drives to the rim.

The duo finished their afternoon with 27 combined points on an efficient 59/18 from the field. Baker-Mazara finished with a team-high 16.

As for Mississippi State, the Bulldogs ran off the backs of stars Josh Hubbard and Tolu Smith once again. The former struggled for most of the afternoon before getting hot in the middle of the second half, pushing the margin to as close as one possession at points.

The big man Smith was the only player to secure a double-double in the game. He finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds on a 3/8 shooting day.

Auburn showed it can win a gritty, close, tournament game on a nuetral floor with this showing. The Tigers are becoming more and more likely to make a deep run into March.

Bruce Pearl’s team will have a chance to win the SEC Tournament for the first time since 2019 on Sunday against either Florida or Texas A&M.

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

Recap: Auburn emphatically punches ticket into SEC Tournament Semis

If you had any doubts about Auburn’s ability to make a deep run into March, the Tigers proved that pessimism was unwarranted on Friday afternoon in Nashville.

If you had any doubts about Auburn’s ability to make a deep run into March, the Tigers proved that pessimism was unwarranted on Friday afternoon in Nashville.

[autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag]’s Tigers absolutely bullied the South Carolina Gamecocks for 40 minutes in an 86-55 SEC Tournament Quarterfinal win. If not for a few early offensive rebounds by B.J. Mack and the other Gamecock forwards this thing would have never been close.

Auburn’s No. 7 ranked KenPom defense showed up massively, holding South Carolina to a measly 55 points in the game. The aforementioned Mack along with other star Meechie Johnson combined for just 17 points, which is nearly 11 points lower than their per game average this season.

On the offensive end, things didn’t change much from what we saw in the regular season. The Tigers ran their sets through star forward [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag], relying heavily on the junior’s presence to not only score but create open looks for the guards.

Auburn’s best player finished his afternoon with a game-high 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists. Frontcourt mate [autotag]Jaylin Williams[/autotag] played a solid game as well, but it was the backcourt quartet of [autotag]Chad Baker-Mazara[/autotag], [autotag]Aden Holloway[/autotag], [autotag]Trae Donaldson[/autotag] and [autotag]Denver Jones[/autotag] that stood out on Broadway.

Baker-Mazara was his normal “stat-stuffing” self with 8 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists, while Jones, Donaldson and Holloway shot an extremely efficient 50% from the field for 21 combined points.

Senior [autotag]K.D Johnson[/autotag] was his usual, “sparkplug”, self off the bench as well, adding 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists.

If Bruce Pearl can get that kind of production and efficiency from his guards during the remainder of the postseason, the sky is truly the limit for Auburn in March.

Next up for the Tigers is a matchup right back in Bridgestone Arena against Mississippi State at 12:00 PM Central with a trip to the SEC Championship on the line.

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

Photos: Auburn gets revenge on Mississippi State

Check out the best images from Auburn’s 78-63 win over Mississippi State!

Revenge is sweet, just ask the Auburn Tigers.

The No. 11 Tigers avenged a loss to Mississippi State on Saturday by taking down the Bulldogs, 78-63 on Saturday in Neville Arena in Auburn. [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] led the team with 17 points and six rebounds. [autotag]Denver Jones[/autotag], [autotag]Jaylin Williams[/autotag], and [autotag]Chad Baker-Mazara[/autotag] joined Broome by reaching double-figures in points.

With the win, Auburn kicks off the month of March in style with a key win that will provide needed momentum heading into the final week of the regular season.

Here are the best images from Auburn’s win over Mississippi State on Saturday.