Auburn rose from No. 2 to No. 1 within the Related Press Prime 25 on Monday, however the host Tigers will not have their finest participant for his or her Tuesday evening Southeastern Convention recreation towards No. 15 Mississippi State.
Ahead/middle and participant of the yr candidate Johni Broome was helped off the ground throughout Saturday’s 66-63 win at South Carolina with what coach Bruce Pearl termed a major ankle sprain.
An MRI on Sunday confirmed the post-game analysis. Surgical procedure will not be required, however a timeline for Broome’s return is not obtainable but.
Pearl is making 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 recreation), rebounding (10.7), assists (3.2) and blocked photographs (2.7).
“With out our participant of the yr, it should be onerous to seek out offense,” Pearl stated. “Johni’s unstoppable down there. It may be identical 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, would possibly 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 function inside Auburn’s offense.
It will likely be fascinating to see if the Tigers can keep their excessive degree 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 recreation and enter Monday tied for eleventh within the nation with 10.1 steals per recreation.
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 courting to 2009. The defeat additionally snapped the Bulldogs’ eight-game successful streak this season.
However coach Chris Jans stated the most important downside was on the offensive finish, regardless that the 90 factors marked the crew’s most towards an SEC opponent in his three seasons at Mississippi State.
“I used to be just a little shocked by a few of our photographs,” he stated. “They only had been virtually like they had been shocked they had been open so I ought to shoot it. I assumed now we have a number of guys take some photographs that had 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 fantastic shot for another person simply due to his stature and his energy and his recreation.”
Hubbard averages 17 factors a recreation and has made 37.3 % of his 3-pointers, although he is taking pictures simply 30.8 % from distance over the past 12 video games.
The Tigers personal an 83-71 lead within the all-time collection and have gained 9 of the final 11 matchups.
–Subject Degree Media
