Bruce Pearl assesses how good Auburn can be when everything comes together

Auburn, who the AP Poll currently has ranked No. 16 in the nation, picked up the fourth win of their SEC season this weekend to move to 14-3 overall on the year. With several teams contending, it’s hard to pinpoint where exactly the Tigers fall into the overall race so far. After defeating Mississippi State on Saturday, though, Bruce Pearl says his team is right where they need to be.

During his postgame press conference, Pearl answered a question about how dangerous Auburn can be when clicking on all cylinders. He says the consistency of his group makes all the difference and, so far, it shows in their record.

“What I talk to the guys about now…I just complimented them on the position they put themselves in. They’ve put themselves in a great position at 14-3. Can we take advantage of it by continuing to have guys step up and improve?,” said Pearl. “Johni Broome has been our most consistent player. He has been unbelievably consistent. (He) just didn’t have a big night tonight and, yet, we’re still able to win.”

“This team should feel really good about that,” Pearl said.

After opening at 8-0, Auburn did fight through a bit of a lull. The Tigers went just 1-2 over a three-game stretch that featured Memphis, Georgia State, and USC. They’ve bounced back from that, though, with five wins in six games with them all coming against SEC competition besides their victory at Washington.

Broome, the transfer from Morehead State, has held down the paint with averages of 12.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks in his first year at Auburn. Still, the roster keeps going beyond his strong play. Wendell Green, Jaylin Williams, Allen Flanigan, and several other pieces for the Tigers are having strong years that, as a whole, give them some of the best depth in the SEC.

Auburn has still proven to be one of the nation’s top teams after losing a ton of last year’s production. If things continue to work at the rate they are down on The Plains, Pearl should have another contender, both in the conference and nationally, by season’s end.