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Where does Auburn rank in this week’s USA TODAY Coaches poll?

How much did the Tigers’ midweek loss at Duke affect its place in the latest coaches poll?

The Auburn Tigers suffered its first loss last week, falling to No. 9 Duke on the road, 84-78. However, they rebounded by blowing past Richmond on Sunday to return to the win column.

Did last week’s 1-1 record affect the Tiger’s place within the USA TODAY Coaches Poll? The good news is that Auburn did not drop in the polls, but they failed to rise. Auburn remains at No. 2 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll heading into week six.

Tennessee is the poll’s big winner by jumping to No. 1 and dethroning last week’s No. 1, Kansas, after defeating Syracuse in the ACC-SEC Challenge, 96-70. Kansas falls to No. 9 after losing to unranked foes Creighton and Missouri.

Five SEC teams make up this week’s top 10. Joining Tennessee and Auburn are Kentucky (No. 5), Alabama (No. 7), and Florida (No. 8), while Ole Miss (No. 15), Oklahoma (No. 17), and Texas A&M (No. 18) round out the top 25. Mississippi State, Missouri, Arkansas, and Texas are outside of this week’s poll in the “receiving votes” category.

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

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

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__

In photos: Auburn wrecks Richmond in return to Neville Arena

The No. 2 Tigers returned to the win column on Sunday by smashing Richmond, 98-54.

On Sunday, the No. 2 Auburn Tigers returned to the win column by smashing the Richmond Spiders, 98-54 inside Neville Arena.

Auburn (8-1) dominated Richmond (4-5) in several aspects of the game. The Tigers won the glass battle by reeling in 49 rebounds compared to Richmond’s 31. Auburn also found more success in the field by connecting on 48% of their shot attempts (33-of-69), while Richmond shot 27% (16-of-59).

Offensively, Auburn spread the wealth as four of its five starters and two bench players reached double-digit point totals in Sunday’s win. [autotag]Miles Kelly[/autotag] and [autotag]Tahaad Pettiford[/autotag] paced the Tigers with 15 points, while [autotag]Chad Baker-Mazara[/autotag] and [autotag]Jahki Howard[/autotag] added 13 points. Auburn star [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] scored 11 points while recording five rebounds and six assists.

Auburn bounced back in a big way on Sunday, which will give them extra motivation ahead of Saturday’s game vs. Ohio State in Atlanta. Here are the best photos of Auburn’s 98-54 win over Richmond on Sunday.

ESPN predicts the winner of Auburn vs. Richmond

Will the Tigers bounce back from its road loss to Duke on Wednesday? Here is ESPN’s forecast of the game.

The No. 2 Auburn Tigers return to Neville Arena on Sunday to face the Richmond Spiders for an 11 a.m. CT kickoff.

The Tigers will look to return to the win column after suffering its first defeat of the season on Wednesday to No. 9 Duke. Will Auburn bounce back? The final forecast from ESPN suggests that Bruce Pearl’s squad will have plenty to smile about when the final buzzer rings on Sunday.

According to ESPN’s matchup predictor, Auburn has a 98.7% chance of defeating Richmond on Sunday.

Both Auburn and Richmond have strong scoring threats who average over 20 points per game in Johni Broome and Delonnie Hunt. Both teams are also strong rebounding squads by hauling in over 37 boards per contest. However, Auburn holds a strong advantage over Richmond in several categories such as points scored per game and field goal percentage.

In the KenPom, Auburn ranks No. 1 in offense and No. 28 in defense while Richmond’s strong suit, defense, ranks No. 147 nationally. This game should allow Auburn to correct issues that were exposed in the Duke loss, and should build confidence ahead of next Saturday’s game vs. Ohio State in Atlanta.

Auburn vs. Richmond is set to tipoff on Sunday at 11 a.m. CT and can be seen live on SEC Network.

In photos: Auburn basketball falls to Duke, suffers first loss of season

Here are the best images from Auburn’s tough loss to Duke on Wednesday night.

The No. 2 Auburn Tigers entered Cameron Indoor Stadium on Wednesday in hopes of taking down the No. 9 Duke Blue Devils, one of the best-known brands in college basketball.

The visiting Tigers jumped out to an 11-point lead in the early stages of the contest, but the Blue Devils ultimately emerged victorious, 84-78.

The Blue Devils had 15 more free-throw opportunities than Auburn and added 13 points from eight Auburn turnovers. Auburn, however, out-rebounded Duke, 39-34, and recorded 27 points from their bench players.

It was a tough loss, but it was a game that Auburn can learn from.

Here are the best photos from Auburn’s game at Duke.

ESPN predicts winner of Wednesday’s Auburn vs. Duke game

Will No. 2 Auburn continue its early-season dominance by stealing a win on the road at No. 9 Duke?

Auburn basketball returns to the hardwood on Wednesday, one week after defeating No. 15 Memphis to claim the Maui Invitational championship.

Their next test will be on the road as they will face the No. 9 Duke Blue Devils in the headlining game of the ACC-SEC Challenge at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina. Auburn owns four “quad 1” wins through its first seven games, will they claim another on Wednesday?

ESPN has forecasted the game through its matchup predictor, and early indications show that the Tigers could suffer its first loss of the season. Ahead of Wednesday’s game, the host Blue Devils have a 66.5% chance to beat Auburn and earn another win for the ACC in this season’s challenge.

Wednesday’s key matchup will be between Auburn forward [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] and Duke forward Cooper Flagg. Both players lead their respective teams in several major categories, including scoring and rebounds. Broome holds the advantage in those areas while Flagg produces 4.1 assists per game to Broome’s 3.3.

Auburn is the better offensive team by scoring 86.7 points per game and connecting on 52.5% of its shots from the field. Duke has a heavy defensive presence by allowing opponents to score 58.6 points and registers 9.3 steals per game. Auburn is KenPom‘s No. 1 offensive team while Duke enters the game as the top defensive squad.

Auburn basketball battles Duke on Wednesday at 8:15 p.m. CT inside Cameron Indoor Stadium. Click here for a broadcast guide to the game.

Auburn improves to No. 2 in AP Poll after another undefeated week

Auburn earned its highest ranking in the AP Poll since 2022 following another undefeated week.

The Auburn Tigers have claimed their highest ranking in the AP Poll in nearly two calendar years.

Bruce Pearl’s squad climbed up to No. 2 in the rankings following another undefeated week including victories over No. 5 Iowa State and No. 22 North Carolina. Auburn has not been ranked this high in the poll since February of 2022, when [autotag]Jabari Smith Jr.[/autotag], [autotag]Walker Kessler[/autotag], and the SEC Champion Tigers fell to the No. 2 spot after holding the nation’s No. 1 ranking for three consecutive weeks.

Auburn could not usurp the No. 1 ranked Kansas Jayhawks despite receiving 26 first-place votes, nine behind Kansas’ 35. The Tigers and Jayhawks were the only programs to receive the top nod from AP voters, and Auburn’s total points of 1,490 also finished just nine behind Kansas’s 1,499. While Bruce Pearl’s Tigers enter the week behind Bill Self’s squad, Auburn does have a key opportunity to pick up another fantastic ‘Quad 1’ victory in the ACC/SEC Challenge this Wednesday against No. 9 ranked Duke.

A win in Cameron Indoor Stadium could catapult [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] and company ahead of Kanas. However, the Jayhawks have an identical, although less impressive, opportunity for a Quad 1 win on the road against Creighton on Wednesday. Both teams have easier, albeit still contentious, games to end their weeks. Auburn hosts Atlantic 10 program Richmond on Sunday while Kansas continues its road trip against Missouri.

Auburn is the top-ranked SEC program in this week’s AP Poll, checking in just ahead of Tennessee (No. 3) and Kentucky (No. 4). Alabama (No. 10), Florida (No. 13), Oklahoma (No. 21), Texas A&M (No. 22), and Ole Miss (No. 23), make up the other seven programs from the conference ranked among the top 25 teams in the nation. Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi State, and Georgia also received votes in the poll.

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

College Sports Wire tabs Auburn at Duke as top game to watch this week

All eyes will be on Durham, North Carolina this Wednesday when Auburn travels to Duke for the ACC-SEC Challenge.

One week after winning the Maui Invitational, the No. 2 Auburn Tigers return to the road to face No. 9 Duke in the ACC-SEC Challenge for what will be a great litmus test of Auburn’s strengths.

This year’s classic will feature several eye-raising matchups including No. 12 Alabama vs. No. 22 North Carolina, No. 6 Kentucky vs. Clemson, and No. 3 Tennessee vs. Syracuse. Out of all the great games on this season’s slate, none tops Auburn’s trip to Duke says College Sports Wire’s Andy Patton.

Patton recently broke down the top college hoops games of the week, including this week’s top game, Wednesday’s tilt between Auburn and Duke. Patton says that Auburn’s recent string of wins should be an area of concern for the young Blue Devils.

Auburn has perhaps the best collection of wins this season, having defeated Houston, Iowa State, North Carolina, and Memphis already while winning the Maui Invitational.

Meanwhile Duke has had opportunities against some of the very best, but weren’t able to defeat fellow blue bloods Kansas or Kentucky on neutral sites. They did pick up a nice road win over Arizona, but this team’s youth reared its ugly head in late game situations and is a hurdle Jon Scheyer’s team will have to overcome against a more experienced Tigers team.

Wednesday’s game between Alabama and North Carolina at the Dean Smith Center grabbed the No. 2 spot this week while Saturday’s tilt between Kentucky and Gonzaga claims the No. 4 slot.

Auburn faces Duke on Wednesday at 8:15 p.m. CT in Cameron Indoor Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

Johni Broome named SEC Player of the Week following Maui Invitational

Broome claimed his second Player of the Week honor after averaging 21.6 points, 15 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in Auburn’s Maui Invitational championship run.

Auburn basketball forward [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] added the Maui Invitational Most Valuable Player award to his trophy case last week and begins this week by taking home another accolade.

Broome was named SEC Player of the Week by the league office on Monday. It is the second time this season that he has earned the honor.

Broome was named SEC Player of the Week after a stellar showing in Maui, which included 21.6 points, 15 rebounds, and 4.3 assists over Auburn’s three-game stint. Broome recorded a double-double in each game, accomplishing the feat in the first half of Auburn’s final two games. His most impressive performance in Maui was his 23-point, 19-rebound game vs. North Carolina in the semi-final round.

Heading into this week’s action, Broome is averaging 20.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. He has reached the 20-point mark, as well as recorded double-doubles, in scoring in five of Auburn’s seven games.

Broome goes for his third SEC Player of the Year nod beginning Wednesday when Auburn faces Duke in the ACC-SEC Challenge at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. CT on ESPN.

Kentucky moves up two more spots in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

Kentucky basketball moves up two more spots in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll after another 2 – 0 week.

Kentucky basketball wasn’t expected to be a top ten team this season by most. However, new coach Mark Pope has them out to a 7 – 0 start to the season, with a win over the Duke Blue Devils.

After wins over Western KY and Georgia State, they are now the sixth ranked team in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. That’s up two spots from eighth in last week’s coaches poll.

Related: Wildcats preparing for a December gauntlet

The Wildcats are the third highest ranked SEC team this week, behind the Auburn Tigers at number two, and the Tennessee Volunteers at number three. The Florida Gators and Ole Miss Rebels also made jumps this week.

The Alabama Crimson Tide fell three spots, while Texas A&M took a four spot drop. Arkansas fell out of the top 25 after losing to Illinois.

Overall, the SEC still has eight teams in the top 25 of the coaches poll. As for Kentucky, they are about to face a tough December schedule that starts with Clemson on Tuesday, followed by Gonzaga. If they win those two games, they’re certain to be even higher in the rankings next week.

Here is the full USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll:

Rank	Team	Record	Points
1	Kansas	7-0	760 (19)
2	Auburn	7-0	755 (12)
3	Tennessee	7-0	694
4	Marquette	8-0	646
5	Iowa State	5-1	629
6	Kentucky	7-0	628
7	Purdue	7-1	535
8	Gonzaga	7-1	517
9	Duke	5-2	472
10	Oregon	8-0	457
11	Wisconsin	8-0	450
12	Alabama	6-2	441
13	Florida	8-0	427
14	Cincinnati	6-0	376
15	Memphis	6-1	265
16	Baylor	5-2	262
17	Illinois	6-1	234
18	Houston	4-3	221
19	Pittsburgh	7-1	213
20	Ole Miss	6-1	139
21	Oklahoma	7-0	111
22	North Carolina	4-3	96
23	Michigan	6-1	90
24	Texas A&M	6-2	86
25	Michigan State	6-2	73

Where is Auburn in this week’s USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll?

How much did Auburn’s Maui Invitational win impress voters of the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll?

Auburn basketball had an impressive showing last week at the Maui Invitational, taking down two ranked teams and a team in Memphis, which is on the rise.

How did their Maui Invitational championship affect its place within the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll?

Auburn jumped one spot in this week’s poll from No. 3 to No. 2, trailing Kansas for the top spot. The Tigers join Tennessee and Kentucky in the top 10, while eight total SEC squads are represented in this week’s rankings.

Kansas remains at No. 1 after earning two wins last week, including a victory over No. 9 Duke. In addition to its win over Duke, the Jayhawks also hold wins over No. 22 North Carolina and No. 25 Michigan State. Heading into this week’s action, Auburn has four “quad 1” wins, while Kansas holds three. Would an impressive win over No. 9 Duke this Wednesday be enough for Auburn to take the top spot in next week’s ranking?

Here is this week’s USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

Rank	Team	Record	Points
1	Kansas	7-0	760 (19)
2	Auburn	7-0	755 (12)
3	Tennessee	7-0	694
4	Marquette	8-0	646
5	Iowa State	5-1	629
6	Kentucky	7-0	628
7	Purdue	7-1	535
8	Gonzaga	7-1	517
9	Duke	5-2	472
10	Oregon	8-0	457
11	Wisconsin	8-0	450
12	Alabama	6-2	441
13	Florida	8-0	427
14	Cincinnati	6-0	376
15	Memphis	6-1	265
16	Baylor	5-2	262
17	Illinois	6-1	234
18	Houston	4-3	221
19	Pittsburgh	7-1	213
20	Ole Miss	6-1	139
21	Oklahoma	7-0	111
22	North Carolina	4-3	96
23	Michigan	6-1	90
24	Texas A&M	6-2	86
25	Michigan State	6-2	73