The top-ranked Auburn Tigers secured an 82-70 win over the Georgia Bulldogs in a game that, despite the final score, remained highly competitive until the final minutes. With just two minutes left, Georgia was still within five points, keeping the pressure on Auburn throughout.
Leading the way for the Tigers was Johni Broome, a frontrunner for Player of the Year honors, who delivered a dominant performance with a game-high and season-high 31 points. Broome, who had missed the previous matchup against Georgia in January, made his presence felt in a big way this time around.
Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl had a straightforward explanation for the team’s success.
“Well, Johni—it’s why he’s the Player of the Year,” Pearl said after the game. “Unbelievable poise. He plays at a great pace offensively, he’s patient, he’s calculating, and he attacked the rim so much in this game. That made the biggest difference.”
Broome wasn’t just an offensive force; he controlled the boards as well, leading both teams with 14 rebounds. No other player in the game had more than five.
When asked to pinpoint the key reason Auburn was able to claim victory, Pearl kept his answer simple.
“At the end of the day, that was the biggest difference. We had 4, and they didn’t,” Pearl said, referring to Broome’s jersey number. “4 played pretty good tonight.”
While Broome’s dominance was undeniable, Auburn’s ability to convert free throws down the stretch helped them seal the win.
“We made our free throws,” Pearl emphasized. “When you have four guards out there like Tahaad Pettiford, Denver (Jones), Miles (Kelly), and Chad Baker, who are all great free throw shooters, it’s a great way to close out the game.”
The quartet of guards combined to shoot a perfect 15-for-15 from the free-throw line, ensuring Georgia had no chance for a late comeback.
Pearl also credited his team’s rebounding as a crucial factor in the win. Auburn outrebounded Georgia 40-35, with a plus-five edge in offensive boards. Broome alone accounted for six of Auburn’s 17 offensive rebounds, helping the Tigers gain extra possessions and control the game.
Pearl explained that rebounding is an intentional part of Auburn’s system, making it sound deceptively simple.
“In the framework of our offense, we have backside rebounding built in,” Pearl said. “When you’ve got Dylan (Cardwell) on the backside rebounding, Johni with the ball in the post, and three shooters spacing the floor, even a kindergartner could figure out how to score with those guys.”
While Auburn’s offense is far more complex than just feeding Broome and getting out of the way, that strategy worked well in this particular game.
After back-to-back home games against unranked opponents Georgia and Oklahoma, Auburn is set to face a tougher challenge in their next matchup. The Tigers will host No. 24 Ole Miss on Wednesday, though the Rebels may not be ranked after suffering a 77-72 loss to Vanderbilt.
Following that, Auburn’s schedule intensifies significantly, with road games against No. 17 Kentucky and No. 7 Texas A&M before returning home for a massive showdown against No. 4 Alabama in the regular-season finale. The Crimson Tide recently defeated Kentucky 96-83, while Texas A&M fell to No. 6 Tennessee 77-69.
With a challenging stretch ahead, Auburn will look to maintain their dominance and continue their push for an SEC championship and a deep postseason run.
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