sec basketball – Syndication Server

Joe Lunardi projects Auburn as No. 1 seed in latest ‘Bracketology’

Auburn took the place of rival Alabama, who Lundardi dropped to a No. 2 seed following its loss to Purdue last week.

The Auburn Tigers have shot up polls since the basketball season tipped off earlier this month. Now the No. 4 ranked team in the AP Poll and top-ranked squad according to KenPom, the Tigers added another accolade to their early season success on Tuesday, as ESPN ‘Brackelogist’ Joe Lunardi shot Bruce Pearl’s Tigers up to a No. 1 overall seed in his projected NCAA Tournament bracket.

Auburn took the place of rival Alabama, who Lundardi dropped to a No. 2 seed following its loss to Purdue last week. Lunardi has the Tigers as the fourth and final No. 1 seed in the dance behind No. 1 overall seed Kansas, Gonzaga, and two-time defending champion UConn.

Lundardi’s projected field would have the Tigers hosting the ‘South Region’, which would host first-weekend games in Atlanta. In an interesting wrinkle, future non-conference opponents Iowa State (2), Duke (3), along with SEC rival Florida (6) would also be competition in the region.

While Lundardi’s projections should be taken with a grain of salt, especially this early in the season, it is important to note how Auburn’s early season success has translated to respect among most expert rankings, polls, and bracket projections. The Tigers have plenty of work, specifically in the non-conference schedule, ahead of them, but Bruce Pearl’s team has every opportunity in the world to compete for a top seed in the NCAA Tournament.

As we saw last year with Auburn falling to No. 13 Yale, the difference between a top-line ranking and a middle-of-the-pack seed could change the outlook of an entire program’s NCAA Tournament run. We’ll see if the Tigers can hold onto a No. 1 seed after a grueling Maui Invitational set to begin on Monday, Nov. 25.

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Auburn moves up in AP Poll following undefeated week

The Tigers continued moving up the AP Poll after another dominant week.

The Auburn Tigers continued a phenomenal start to the basketball season last week. After jumping from No. 11 in the AP Poll to No. 5 following a sizzling start behind wins over Vermont and Houston, the Tigers moved up again, to No. 4, entering the third week of the young campaign.

With most of the top-ranked squads in the nation hosting games against inferior competition, [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag]’s Tigers did not have much room for improvement, although they did take advantage of rival Alabama‘s near loss to McNeese followed by a road loss to Purdue. The uneven play by the Crimson Tide sent them all the way down to No. 8 in the AP Poll, while Purdue moved ahead of Alabama, to No. 6.

While the Tigers are still ranked outside of the top 3, Bruce Pearl’s squad did receive more first-place votes (3) than No. 3 ranked Gonzaga (2). The Tigers continued dominance to start the season also leaves plenty of opportunity for Johni Broome, Denver Jones, and company to garner enough attention to earn the No. 1 ranking with a tournament championship at the Maui Invitational.

The Tigers start the tournament against No. 5 Iowa State on Monday and have a chance to match up against No. 2 UConn and No. 10 ranked North Carolina as well. Victories over at least two of those top-ranked teams should hypothetically be enough for the voters to vault Auburn into the at least the No. 2 spot heading into December.

Auburn is now the highest-ranked SEC team in the AP Poll for the first time this season. Alabama (8), Kentucky (9), Tennessee (11), Arkansas (20), Florida (21), and Texas A&M (23), make up the remaining six teams nationally ranked in the conference.

In photos: No. 3 Auburn handles North Alabama at Neville Arena

Johni Broome scores 30 points while four other Tigers reach double-digits in the 102-69 win over North Alabama on Monday.

The No. 3 Auburn Tigers handled business on Monday by taking down in-state foe North Alabama, 102-69, in its final tune-up before competing in the Maui Invitational beginning next Monday.

It was a special day for [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag], who etched his second consecutive double-double by scoring 30 points and pulling down 17 rebounds in the win. It was the first time since last season’s game vs. Virginia Tech that Broome scored at least 30 points in a game. His 17 rebounds were also the most in a game since he recorded 18 rebounds in Auburn’s win over Georgia on Feb. 1, 2023.

Outside of Broome, all four remaining starters reached double-figures in points. Denver Jones tallied 13 points while [autotag]Chad Baker-Mazara[/autotag], [autotag]Miles Kelly[/autotag], and [autotag]Dylan Cardwell[/autotag] scored 12 points each. Off the bench, [autotag]Chaney Johnson[/autotag] scored eight points while grabbing five rebounds. Freshman [autotag]Tahaad Pettiford[/autotag] scored seven points in 20 minutes of action while posting five assists.

Re-live the best moments of Auburn’s 102-69 win over North Alabama on Monday by checking out the best images from the game.

Andrew Carr named SEC Player Of The Week after their Duke win

Kentucky basketball forward Andrew Carr was named SEC Player of the Week.

Following a stellar effort last week, Kentucky basketball forward Andrew Carr has been rewarded.

Carr was named SEC Player of the week following a strong performance in Kentucky’s 77-72 win over Duke on November 13.

The Wildcat forward scored a season high 17 points in the win — which was Kentucky’s only matchup of the week. He also chipped in six rebounds, three assists, and a block against the Blue Devils.

Carr also proved to be crucial defensively, guarding Duke phenom Cooper Flagg towards the end of the matchup.

Related: Five things learned in the win over Duke

Tied at 72 with 26 seconds left in the game, Carr forced Flagg — who was driving inside — to his left. Wildcat guard Otega Oweh stole the ball, forcing a Duke foul and free throws that eventually won the game.

With the accolade, Carr becomes the first SEC Player of the week of the Mark Pope era. It’s his second career player of the week honor, as he also earned one at Wake Forrest in January of 2023.

The Wake Forrest transfer has been crucial in Pope’s first year — averaging 13 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2 assists per game. The forward has also been incredibly efficient through the Wildcats’ first three games, shooting 68.4% from the field and 60% flat from three.

Carr spent his first two years at Delaware, where he became a regular starter in his second season. In 2022, the forward transferred to Wake Forrest — playing two years with the Demon Deacons before heading to Pope’s first-year Kentucky program.

Auburn rises in week three’s USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

The Tigers continue to climb in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll after taking down Kent State last week.

Auburn basketball may have played just one game last week, but it was enough to boost them in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.

After defeating Kent State handily last Wednesday, 79-56, Auburn jumped one spot in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll to No. 3 ahead of this week’s action with North Alabama.

Kansas remains the No. 1 team in week three’s poll, followed by UConn, Auburn, Gonzaga, and Iowa State in the top five. UConn advanced one spot after earning convincing wins over New Hampshire and Le Moyne. The biggest drop within the top 10 this week was Alabama, who slipped from No. 2 to No. 7 after its road loss to Purdue 87-73, on Friday. The win over the Crimson Tide propelled Purdue to No. 6, a six-spot increase from last week.

Seven SEC teams are included in this week’s poll. Tennessee joins Auburn and Alabama in the top 10 at No. 9, with Kentucky on the outside at No. 11. Florida rounds out the top 20 at No. 19 while Texas A&M and Arkansas round out the SEC’s representation at No. 23 and No. 24 respectively.

Here’s a look at this week’s USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.

Rank	Team	Record	Points
1	Kansas	4-0	665 (21)
2	UConn	3-0	632 (3)
3	Auburn	3-0	608 (2)
4	Gonzaga	3-0	599 (1)
5	Iowa State	2-0	516
6	Purdue	4-0	513
7	Houston	2-1	470
7	Alabama	3-1	470
9	Tennessee	4-0	462
10	Duke	3-1	421
11	Kentucky	3-0	381
12	North Carolina	2-1	377
13	Creighton	4-0	348
14	Marquette	4-0	319
15	Baylor	3-1	313
16	Cincinnati	3-0	229
17	Arizona	2-1	228
18	Indiana	3-0	208
19	Florida	4-0	168
20	Illinois	3-0	133
21	St. John’s	4-0	119
22	Texas Tech	3-0	95
23	Texas A&M	3-1	94
24	Arkansas	2-1	82
25	Wisconsin	4-0	75

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__

ESPN predicts the winner of Auburn vs. North Alabama

Will Auburn earn another impressive win on Monday night?

Auburn basketball is one week away from facing Iowa State in the first round of the Maui Invitational in Hawaii. Before the long trip, the Tigers will battle in-state foe North Alabama at Neville Arena on Monday for its lone game of the week.

Who has the upper hand in this nonconference clash? ESPN predicts this game to be a blowout in favor of the home-standing Auburn Tigers. According to ESPN’s matchup predictor, Auburn has a 99% chance to beat North Alabama in front of its home crowd.

Both teams have made statements early in scoring by averaging over 80 points per game. North Alabama holds a slight edge in the category by scoring 87.5 points, as opposed to Auburn’s 82.3. However, Auburn’s defense has limited its opponents to score just 56 points per game while North Alabama gives up 70.3.

Although several statistical categories suggest this could be a close game, the level of competition that both teams have played can not be compared. Auburn is 3-0 against teams ranked in the top 130 in the KenPom, including No. 2 Houston. North Alabama has earned two wins over Division One competition. Air Force and UT-Martin rank No. 306 and No. 314 respectively in the KenPom while Samford, the lone team to beat North Alabama, ranks No. 145.

Auburn meets North Alabama on Monday at Neville Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT and can be seen on SEC Network. Check out the preview of Monday’s game by clicking here.

Four-star forward Sebastian Williams-Adams commits to Auburn

The nation’s No. 10 forward from the 2025 recruiting cycle announced Sunday that he us taking his talents to the Plains.

Auburn basketball has added another talented player to its 2025 recruiting haul.

[autotag]Sebastian Williams-Adams[/autotag], a four-star forward from Houston, Texas, announced Sunday that he has committed to Auburn. He is the third member of Auburn’s 2025 haul, joining fellow four-star guards [autotag]Kaden Magwood[/autotag] and [autotag]Simon Walker[/autotag].

During a fall visit to the Plains, Williams-Adams told Christian Clemente of Auburn Undercover that Auburn head coach [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag] projected a “family environment” and spent plenty of time with him and his family. When it comes to the ultimate decision maker, Williams-Adams says that Pearl can build a strong future for him.

“Ever since the Top 100 Camp, he has not let it be lost on me that he wants me here and he believes he’s the one to get me to the next level,” Williams-Adams said. “Having that type of confidence from a coach is really refreshing and exciting.”

According to 247Sports, Williams-Adams’s commitment has lifted Auburn to No. 14 nationally in the 2025 recruiting rankings. Auburn also ranks No. 6 in the SEC behind programs such as Arkansas (No. 4), Kentucky (No. 5), and Alabama (No. 10). Williams-Adams is the No. 10 forward from the 2025 cycle and the No. 3 overall recruit from Texas.

In photos: No. 4 Auburn throttles Kent State to move to 3-0

Auburn overcomes a mid-game lull to take down the Golden Flashes, 79-56 on Wednesday.

The No. 4 Auburn Tigers earned its third win of the 2024-25 season on Wednesday, taking down Kent State, 79-56 at Neville Arena in Auburn.

Auburn (3-0) got off to a hot start by racing out to a 30-8 lead with 7:10 to go in the first half. Auburn then hit a mid-game lull by allowing Kent State (2-1) to cut the lead to 41-37 with 15:38 remaining in the game before going on a surge that ended with a 23-point victory.

Auburn’s three-point shooting was off as they shot just 25% from beyond-the-arc, but four Tigers still managed to reach double-figures in the game led by and 18-point effort by [autotag]Chaney Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag]. Broome also logged 12 rebounds to secure his first double-double of the season.

Here is a look at the best photos from Auburn’s 79-56 win over Kent State on Wednesday at Neville Arena.

ESPN predicts the winner of Auburn vs. Kent State

Will Auburn’s momentum from last Saturday’s win over Houston continue on Wednesday at Neville Arena?

The No. 4 Auburn Tigers will ride into Wednesday’s game with Kent State confidently after taking down then-No. 4 Houston last Saturday night at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

Will the Tigers’ momentum continue on Wednesday? ESPN predicts Auburn to pass its next test and crush Kent State at Neville Arena. According to ESPN’s matchup predictor, Auburn has a 97% chance to beat Kent State and improve to 3-0 on the young season.

Auburn’s projected wide margin of victory coincides with the game’s point spread from BetMGM. The point spread heading into Wednesday’s game is 20.5 points in favor of Auburn. Both teams average 84.0 points and record over eight steals per game. However, Auburn ranks in the top five in both offense and defense according to KenPom data while Kent State ranks below No. 120 in each major category.

Auburn will look to continue its successful start on Wednesday by hosting Kent State. Tipoff from Neville Arena is set for 7 p.m. CT and will be broadcast live on SEC Network+.

Auburn launches into top five of USA TODAY Coaches Poll following win over Houston

The Tigers neutral-site win over Houston last Saturday impressed many voters in this week’s rankings.

Auburn basketball ended its bizarre week on a high note.

Following an impressive 94-43 win over Vermont to kick off the 2024-25 campaign last Wednesday, Auburn (2-0) traveled to Houston, Texas to battle the Houston Cougars in a March Madness caliber game at Toyota Center, home of the NBA’s Houston Rockets.

Their trip to Houston began with controversy as an incident on the team’s flight forced two players to miss the game. However, it affected the Tigers minimally as they would sneak out of the Lone Star State with a 74-69 win.

The win was deemed impressive by voters in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll, as the Tigers move into the No. 4 slot heading into the second week of action. Auburn’s seven-spot jump was the second-highest advancement of the week, trailing just Ohio State, who checks in at No. 22 this week after beginning the season unranked, a 15-spot difference.

Alabama is the highest-ranked SEC squad at No. 2 after earning two wins to start the season. Tennessee joins the Crimson Tide and Tigers in the top 10 at No. 9 while Kentucky (No. 18), Florida (No. 19), Arkansas (No. 21), and Texas A&M (No. 23) round out the SEC’s representation in the top 25. Texas and Ole Miss were removed from the top 25 considerations this week.

Week 1 Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll

Ranking	Team	Record	Points
1	Kansas	2-0	759 (21)
2	Alabama	2-0	724 (4)
3	UConn	2-0	702 (3)
4	Auburn	2-0	660 (2)
5	Gonzaga	2-0	651 (1)
6	Duke	2-0	608
7	Iowa State	1-0	576
8	Arizona	2-0	516
9	Tennessee	2-0	502
10	Houston	1-1	488
11	North Carolina	1-1	456
12	Purdue	2-0	437
13	Creighton	2-0	385
14	Baylor	1-1	328
15	Marquette	2-0	308
16	Indiana	2-0	234
17	Cincinnati	2-0	230
18	Kentucky	2-0	182
19	Florida	2-0	179
20	Illinois	2-0	151
21	Arkansas	1-1	150
22	Ohio State	1-0	148
23	Texas A&M	1-1	99
24	Rutgers	1-0	84
25	St. John’s	2-0	79

Schools Dropped Out

No. 19 Texas; No. 22 UCLA; No. 25 Ole Miss

Others Receiving Votes

Texas Tech 75; Ole Miss 60; Texas 54; Xavier 38; Oregon 37; Michigan State 29; BYU 29; UCLA 18; UCF 17; Wake Forest 12; Saint Mary’s 12; Kansas State 9; Clemson 9; New Mexico 8; Dayton 8; North Florida 7; Maryland 5; Providence 4; Mississippi State 4; Nevada 2; San Francisco 1; Grand Canyon 1