Auburn basketball seeks to maintain its perfect SEC record against a resilient Ole Miss team. The Tigers, led by Johni Broome's return from injury, face a Rebels squad hungry to rebound from a three-game conference losing streak.
Auburn basketball looks to extend its undefeated streak in SEC play as it takes on No. 23 Ole Miss in Oxford. Coming off a victory at LSU, the Tigers are 19-1 overall and 7-0 in conference games, the only team in the SEC with an unblemished record in league play. Auburn's leading scorer, Johni Broome , has returned from a two-week ankle injury and posted double-doubles in his last two games.
Ole Miss enters the matchup with a 16-5 record, having dropped three straight conference games to Mississippi State, Texas A&M, and Missouri. Bruce Pearl, Auburn's head coach, acknowledges the challenge posed by the Rebels, noting their narrow losses and strong performance at home. 'They've lost three games by a combined 12 points. Their only loss at home was to Texas A&M where they led the entire game until the very, very end,' Pearl said Thursday. 'This is a matchup of two teams that take care of the ball.' Sean Pedulla leads Ole Miss in scoring with 14.5 points per game, and his 2.2 steals per game also top the team. Backcourt mates Jaylen Murray and Matt Murrell both average over 10 points per game, with Murray leading the team in assists at 3.7 per game. Duke transfer forward Jaemyn Brakefield has been a key contributor to the Rebels' roster depth, averaging 10.8 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting a team-high 46.9% from the field. Pearl recognizes Brakefield's impact, stating, 'When Jaemyn Brakefield is coming off the bench, that tells you how deep and how talented of a roster this Ole Miss team has.' Auburn's recent success against LSU, where they forced 20 turnovers with 15 steals, indicates their ability to disrupt opponents' ball movement. Shutting down Ole Miss's backcourt will likely force the Rebels to rely more on wing scorers like Brakefield and Malik Dia, but Auburn's improved frontcourt play from players like Chaney Johnson and Ja'Heim Hudson could make that adjustment difficult. Johnson acknowledged the heightened attention Auburn receives as the No. 1 team and the target on their backs, stating, 'Being No. 1, that alone gets you a big target on your back. And then also being undefeated, we’re going to get everybody’s best shot.
Auburn Basketball Ole Miss SEC Basketball Johni Broome Bruce Pearl Sean Pedulla Jaemyn Brakefield
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