By Brant Daughtry
This team got very lucky. Of course, any team that doesn’t deal with major injuries is lucky. But to have a moment that looks that bad, and for it not be a major problem, is next level lucky.
Auburn would be a good team with Johni Broome, there are enough good players elsewhere. But they couldn’t accomplish the goals they have set in front of them. Broome is currently the favorite for player of the year, and while he was in the locker room, things looked dire. But, Auburn got lucky. Broome won’t need surgery and won’t miss significant time. Every goal Auburn has set in front of it is still in play.
That doesn’t mean that things are great in the short term though. Broome will miss SOME time still, likely the remaining two non-conference games against Purdue and Monmouth. For the game against the Boilermakers, that could present a few issues.
Purdue is coached by Matt Painter, and they have been for a while. This is his 20th year as the head of the program, and he’s been successful more often than not. He’s been Big 10 Coach of the Year five times, and they’ve been in the Tournament 15 of the last 18 years. They’ve won several Big 10 championships and made a Final Four. They’re one of the top programs in college basketball, and getting them on a neutral site is a big deal.
This year, they’re back towards the top of college basketball. They’re 22nd in KenPom, 31st in NET, and 16th in the AP Poll. They’re a very solid basketball team and expect to be back in the Big 10 hunt again this year. They’re very big, especially down low. Zach Edey isn’t here anymore, but the blueprint he established is. Which, given the state of Auburn’s front court, is a little worrying. They don’t take a ton of threes. Only 232 on the year as a team. For reference, Auburn, a team who’s takes a pretty good amount of threes but doesn’t rely on them, has over 300 on the season.
Players to Watch For:
Forward Trey Kauffman-Renn, #4- It’s a shame that Broome isn’t going to be able to go in this game, because this would’ve been a really fun matchup to watch. Kauffman-Renn isn’t as good a rebounder, which is odd given his 6-9 frame, but he’s a really good post player, averaging 18.2 points per game with almost all of his scoring coming from inside. A lot will be asked of guys like Dylan Cardwell and Chaney Johnson to keep him below that average.
Guard Braden Smith, #3- Smith isn’t the star on this Purdue team, but what he’s asked to do, he does well. He’s averaging above 13 points a game, and is responsible for stretching the floor for them. He’s an above average passer too, with 8.5 assists per game. He’s averaging over 35 minutes per game, so be ready to see a lot of him.
Look, without Johni Broome, this doesn’t project super well for Auburn. This is a front court dominated team, and Auburn is without the best front court player in the country. Dylan Cardwell will have to be a lot more careful than he usually is with avoiding fouls, and depth guys like Turtle Hudson will have to play more minutes than they usually do. I’m also interested to see how Chaney Johnson handles more floor time.
I feel like Auburn fans should approach this similarly to the Duke game. Things might not go in Auburn’s favor. There will be some missed chances. If Auburn loses this game, it’s not time to panic. That said, if Auburn finds a way to win against a quality Purdue team WITHOUT Johni Broome? There will be no stopping the hype train going into conference play.
