Jan 11, 2025; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Auburn Tigers guard Chad Baker-Mazara (10) drives round South Carolina Gamecocks guard Arden Conyers (21) within the second half at Colonial Life Enviornment. Necessary Credit score: Jeff Blake-Imagn Photographs Auburn rose from No. 2 to No. 1 within the Related Press High 25 on Monday, however the host Tigers will not have their greatest participant for his or her Tuesday evening Southeastern Convention sport in opposition to No. 15 Mississippi State.
Ahead/heart and participant of the 12 months candidate Johni Broome was helped off the ground throughout Saturday’s 66-63 win at South Carolina with what coach Bruce Pearl termed a big ankle sprain.
An MRI on Sunday confirmed the post-game analysis. Surgical procedure is just not required, however a timeline for Broome’s return is not out there but.
Pearl is getting ready the Tigers (15-1, 3-0) to be with out their 6-foot-10 anchor, who leads the crew in scoring (17.9 factors per sport), rebounding (10.7), assists (3.2) and blocked photographs (2.7).
“With out our participant of the 12 months, it may be arduous to seek out offense,” Pearl stated. “Johni’s unstoppable down there. It’ll be similar to it was for us within the second half — bought to be the subsequent man up.”
Fifth-year senior Dylan Cardwell, who averages 5.5 factors, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocked photographs, may get the primary shot at changing Broome. Cardwell made a key contribution to Saturday’s win with a late dunk that put Auburn forward 64-63 with 1:32 remaining.
With out Broome’s offense, the Tigers — who’ve gained eight straight video games — determine to get extra photographs for his or her 5 different double-figure scorers, led by Chad Baker-Mazara (12.7 ppg). Tahaad Pettiford (11.3), who sank the clinching foul photographs at South Carolina, might additionally see an elevated position inside Auburn’s offense.
It will likely be attention-grabbing to see if the Tigers can keep their excessive stage of effectivity on offense when Broome is out. The Bulldogs (14-2, 2-1) are recognized for his or her tenacity on protection as they drive 14.6 turnovers per sport and enter Monday tied for eleventh within the nation with 10.1 steals per sport.
Mississippi State missed on an opportunity to make an early assertion within the SEC on Saturday evening when its usually staunch protection gave up 16 3-pointers in a 95-90 house loss to No. 6 Kentucky. It was the Bulldogs’ 18th straight regular-season loss to the Wildcats relationship to 2009. The defeat additionally snapped the Bulldogs’ eight-game profitable streak this season.
However coach Chris Jans stated the largest downside was on the offensive finish, regardless that the 90 factors marked the crew’s most in opposition to an SEC opponent in his three seasons at Mississippi State.
“I used to be slightly stunned by a few of our photographs,” he stated. “They simply have been virtually like they have been stunned they have been open so I ought to shoot it. I believed we’ve got a number of guys take some photographs that have been like, ‘We do not want that.'”
The Bulldogs fell in love with 3-pointers, taking 40, however the hoop did not fairly return that affection. Mississippi State made simply 12 triples, with the crew’s main scorer this season, Josh Hubbard, managing 3 on 11 tries.
“I’ve bought unbelievable confidence in Josh,” Jans stated. “He is confirmed over the course of a year-and-a-half that he is a prolific scorer and he shoots photographs that typically would not be a terrific shot for another person simply due to his stature and his energy and his sport.”
Hubbard averages 17 factors a sport and has made 37.3 p.c of his 3-pointers, although he is capturing simply 30.8 p.c from distance over the past 12 video games.
The Tigers personal an 83-71 lead within the all-time sequence and have gained 9 of the final 11 matchups.
–Area Stage Media
