Auburn basketball updated KenPom ranking after Georgia win
The No. 1 Tigers earned another key SEC win on Saturday. How does it affect their standing in the latest KenPom update?
The No. 1 Auburn Tigers earned another convincing win Saturday by taking down Georgia for the second time this season, 82-70.
Most of Auburn’s damage was done in the second half by outscoring the Bulldogs, 56-43 and by improving its shooting percentage from 30% to 56% over the final 20 minutes. Denver Jones and Johni Broome paced the Tigers by scoring 12 and 19 points respectively in the half. Broome scored a season-high 31 points in the win, followed by Jones’ 17 point outing.
As the regular season begins to wind down, more teams are beginning to identify themselves as contenders while many more are beginning to fade away. Where does Auburn stand in the latest KenPom following Saturday’s action. Here is a breakdown of where Auburn is ahead of Sunday’s slate of games.
Overall: No. 2
Auburn remains at No. 2 following its win over Georgia, trailing Duke for the top spot. The Blue Devils hold a comfortable lead over Auburn, +38.14-+35.96. Duke holds the lead by holding a top-four offense and defense according to KenPom data.
Offensive efficiency: No. 1
Auburn remains the No. 1 team in offensive efficiency. However, its once-wide lead has shrunk. The Tigers hold a 1.2 point lead over Duke for the top spot, with five teams within five points of Auburn in this category.
Defensive efficiency: No. 11
The Tigers are knocking on the door of a top-10 defensive efficiency ranking with a score of 93.8. Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Florida lead Auburn for the top spot in the SEC in defensive efficiency.
Tempo: No. 129
According to KenPom, Auburn creates 68.5 possessions per game. The Tigers dipped below their average on Saturday by building just 65 possessions in its win over Georgia, scoring on 38.
Strength of schedule: No. 2
The rivalry between Auburn and Alabama has grown on the hardwood in recent years due mainly to both programs’ success. The Tide and Tigers each hold the No. 1 and No. 2 slots in strength of schedule. Auburn’s opponents rank No. 2 in overall, offensive, and defensive efficiencies. Alabama’s opponents rank No. 1 in overall and offensive efficiency and ranks No. 9 in defensive efficiency.
Ole Miss overview
Auburn has zero “gimmie” games as we begin the final two weeks of regular season play. The Ole Miss Rebels come to town Wednesday for a 6 p.m. CT tipoff. Wednesday’s game will be a rematch of Auburn’s 92-82 win over the Rebels on Feb. 1. Here is where the Rebels rank in the KenPom ahead of Wednesday’s game.
- Overall: No. 22
- Offensive efficiency: No. 37
- Defensive efficiency: No. 16
- Tempo: No. 142
- Strength of schedule: No. 19
