1/12/23 Auburn Articles

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How Auburn's win over Ole Miss affects its KenPom rankings

Taylor Jones

2–3 minutes

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Auburn continues to find rhythm in SEC play.

The No. 22 Tigers traveled to Ole Miss on Tuesday night. Despite trailing at halftime, Auburn walked away with an 82-73 win over the Rebels at The Pavilion. The Tigers scored 48 second-half points to seal the victory.

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Auburn was one of four SEC teams to earn a win on Tuesday, joining Tennessee, Florida, and South Carolina. The most surprising result of the night was South Carolina’s 71-68 win over Kentucky at Rupp Arena. The loss to the Gamecocks has set Kentucky back to a 10-6 overall record, and 1-3 against SEC opponents.

The Tigers grabbed their second-straight win over an SEC foe on Tuesday. Because of this, Auburn remains one of the SEC’s best teams according to the data that makes up the KenPom rankings.

Here’s a look at where Auburn stands in the KenPom rankings following their 16th game of the season.

Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Auburn’s win over the Rebels keeps them in the top-25. The Tigers are the fourth-highest ranked SEC team in the KenPom, behind Tennessee, Arkansas, and Alabama.

Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Auburn remains in the fifties when it comes to adjusted offensive efficiency, as KenPom data predicts that Auburn will score 109.8 points per 100 possessions.

Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Auburn remains strong defensively, as they are projected to allow just 90.7 points per 100 opposing possessions.

Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Auburn is in the middle of the road when it comes to tempo, as they are projected to hold 68 possessions per 40 minutes.

Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Auburn’s next opponent, Mississippi State enters the day ranked No. 46 in the KenPom. Like Auburn, the Bulldogs’ strong suit is defense. They currently rank No. 12 in adjusted defensive efficiency by allowing 89.6 points per 100 possessions. Mississippi State will play Georgia on Wednesday ahead of Saturday’s game at Auburn.

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Big results for smallest Tiger: Green steps up against Rebels

Mark Murphy

4–5 minutes

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AUBURN, Alabama–Wendell Green is normally the smallest player on the court any time the Auburn basketball Tigers play, but when he has a big impact on the proceedings his team normally wins. That was the case on Tuesday night at Oxford, Miss., where the Tigers defeated the Ole Miss Rebels 82-73.

Green led the Tigers in scoring with a season-high 23 points vs. the Rebels. In 33 minutes of playing time the 5-11, 175-pound point guard turned the basketball over just two times while leading all players in assists with seven. He added five rebounds rebounds a game-high three steals.

“Wendell Green was the best point guard on the floor,” Coach Bruce Pearl said. “Again, he doesn’t get enough credit. He is one of the best point guards in the country.

“He made plays on both ends of the floor, offensively and defensively,” the coach pointed out. “He scored, assisted, low turnovers, rebounded–a real complete game, really poised on the road. He controlled the tempo of this game.”

Green scored eight of his points in the last three minutes and 13 seconds going 6-6 at the free throw line to prevent the Rebels from making a late comeback as the 21st-ranked Tigers improved to 3-1 in Southeastern Conference play and 13-3 overall.

The point guard scored six points in the first five minutes of the second half on a pair of threes as the Tigers turned a one-point halftime deficit into a seven-point lead.

For the game Auburn made 18-22 free throws with Green hitting all 11 of his attempts. “You have got to make them,” the junior said. “It felt good to go perfect from the line tonight.

“I have been getting to the line a little bit more this year than I have ever in my career,” he pointed out. “I just want to keep attacking, keep finishing. You have got to make your free throws on the road and that is what we did...18-22 is pretty good as a team and it ended up in a win.”

Bruce Pearl (left) and Wendell Green check out the proceedings in Oxford on Tuesday night. (Photo: Petre Thomas, USA TODAY Sports)

With Auburn trailing by a point at halftime the Tigers picked up the offensive pace after intermission with Green leading the way. He scored 18 points in the second half while making 4-8 field goals and 2-3 three-pointers. That was a big improvement over his first half shooting when he was 1-7 from the field, including 0-2 on three-pointers.

“You can’t let the shots dictate the rest of the game,” Green said. “I am not just a scorer...There are a lot of other things I can do defensively, rebounding, passing when my shots are not falling.”

Green said it is good to see teammate Allen Flanigan improve his performance level as he continues to come back from surgery last year to repair a partially torn Achilles. Flanigan helped spark Auburn’s second half charge with nine of his 15 points coming after intermission.

“We need that,” Green said of Flanigan’s play. “We need another guard stepping up playing good and I am happy for him coming back from that injury last year.”

Flanigan noted that early in the second half after Green made a couple of good plays he could that his teammate was ready for a strong finish. “He is a great point guard, a guy who can create for himself and create for others and knock down a lot of big shots,” Flanigan said.

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Wendell Green Leads No. 21 Auburn's 2nd-half Surge Past Ole Miss - Alabama News

Alabama News Network Staff,

~3 minutes

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Posted: Jan 11, 2023 3:42 PM CST

by Alabama News Network Staff

Auburn forward Johni Broome (4) is elbowed on the nose by Mississippi guard Matthew Murrell (11) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Oxford, Miss., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

By CHRIS BURROWS Associated Press

Wendell Green Jr. scored 23 points, including 18 in the second half, and No. 21 Auburn dominated after halftime to beat Mississippi 82-73 on Tuesday night.

Auburn (13-3, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) trailed 35-34 at the break but put together runs of 6-0, 10-2 and 9-4 in the opening 10 minutes of the second half. Ole Miss got no closer than seven points in the final 12 minutes.

Johni Broome had 19 points and 11 rebounds, Allen Flanigan added 15 points and Jaylin Williams scored 11 for the Tigers, who shot 17 of 28 (60.7%) in the second half and finished 30 of 61 (49.2%) for the game.

“Wendell Green. Wendell Green. Wendell Green and Broome, Flanigan and Williams,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said when asked how the game turned in the second half. “Those guys make plays. They converted shots and we only had four turnovers against a team that makes it tough with changing defenses.”

Matthew Murrell led Ole Miss (8-8, 0-4) with 24 points, adding six rebounds and four assists. Tye Fagan scored 13 points and Jaemyn Brakefield added 12 for the Rebels, who lost their fifth straight.

“We played well early and we are showing positives,” Ole Miss coach Kermit Davis said. “We just couldn’t convert early in the second half and you can’t count on holding Auburn down. There’s nothing like winning and there’s a lot of basketball to go and good things can still happen for us.”

Road wins are crucial if the Tigers hope to compete for a regular-season SEC championship and improve their seeding prospects for the NCAA Tournament. Auburn split two road games while also beating then-No. 13 Arkansas during a six-day stretch.

“It’s been a tough stretch, a tough turnaround,” Pearl said. “We will get home sometime early in the morning, go to class and have a light practice. We can use the extra day. The good news is we will be back in our place on Saturday.”

Auburn is one of five ranked SEC teams and should extend a 29-week stretch in the AP Top 25.

Auburn hosts Mississippi State on Saturday.

(Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.)