In a thrilling showdown at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Auburn's Johni Broome made a triumphant return, leading the Tigers to a dominant 87-69 victory over Purdue. This game marked Broome's comeback after leaving early in their win against Georgia State just a few days prior.
Auburn showcased their prowess on both sides of the ball, particularly in the first half, setting the tone for the rest of the game. With peak performances from a handful of familiar names, the Tigers held Purdue below their averages in many categories.
In his return, Johni Broome was a force to be reckoned with. He led the charge with 12 points and was followed by Denver Jones and Tahaad Pettiford, who both had eight in the first 20 minutes. Although the Tigers were efficient on offense, their defense stood out in the opening half. Of the Purdue players who saw action, only four scored, and none scored 10 or more in the half. Auburn fouled twice as much as Purdue (10-5), but Purdue shot a pitiful 36.4% from the charity stripe, while Auburn didn't miss any free throws (3-3).
Auburn's glass protection was another factor as well, with four blocks that destroyed Pudue's confidence. The showmanship from the Tigers led to them steamrolling the Boilermakers 41-26 to end the first half.
The second half saw more competitive play, but Auburn's dynamic offense, highlighted by alley-oops, big runs, and consecutive threes, kept them ahead. Their dominance and consistency on the floor elevated their resume and proved that they are one of the top teams in the country.
A lob from Chad Baker-Mazara to Dylan Cardwell would open the second half and start an 11-4 run before the first timeout of the half. Two minutes later, the Tigers would go on for a 17-2 run before the Boilermakers called their next timeout. Broome and Pettiford led the Tigers with 11 and 10 points, respectively, and combined for eight of Auburn's 12 assists.
Auburn's ability to score off turnovers and dominate fast breaks further set them apart in this SEC-Big 10 matchup. Although Purdue had three more turnovers than Auburn, they allowed three times as many points off turnovers. The Tigers out hustled the boilermakers on the breakaway, and doubled their fastbreak points 17-8.
Auburn's biggest reason for winning was none other than Johni Broome. Auburn totaled 44 points in the paint, and Johni dropped in 18 of them (41%). The National Player of the Year favorite dropped 23 points with 11 rebounds, giving him his 8th double-double this year, tying him in second place with South Dakota State's Oscar Cluff and one more behind Stanford's Maxime Raynaud, who leads the league with nine this season. In total, Johni Broome now has 68 career double-doubles and is looking for more, with SEC play just around the corner.
The Tigers' performance against Purdue showcased their depth, resilience, and ability to dominate both offensively and defensively. After Saturday's win, the Tigers improved to an 11-1 record this season. Before the 2024-25 season, the Tigers had four all-time wins against ranked non-conference opponents. They've matched that record with four ranked non-conference wins this season alone. Their next and final game before SEC play will take place on December 30th, where they will face the Monmouth Hawks. Tipoff will be at 6:30 in Neville Arena, where the Tigers aim to win and start SEC play 12-1.
