Purdue Basketball Preview: Game 12 — Auburn at the Battle In Birmingham
BIRMINGHAM — Another week, another huge challenge for No. 16 Purdue as it meets No. 2 Auburn in the Battle In Birmingham at Legacy Arena.
DETAILS: Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024 | 4:30 p.m. ET | TV: CBS (Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas) | Radio: Purdue Radio Network
PURDUE (8-3, 1-1 B1G): ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATS
AUBURN (10-1): ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATS
A FEW THINGS ABOUT PURDUE
• Having lost three of its last four games, Purdue heads to Birmingham in the rare position of being an underdog.
But its schedule is the important context here. Auburn is the fifth ranked opponent Purdue has seen in regular season non-conference play, a school record. And this is the second time this season the Boilermakers have met the second-ranked team. It beat Alabama in Mackey Arena last month.
• This is is trhe front end of a neutral-site double-header, as Auburn will be Purdue’s Indy Classic opponent at Gainbridge Fieldhouse next season.
ABOUT THIS GAME
• Auburn star and early player-of-the-year frontrunner Johni Broome injured his shoulder during Auburn’s dog-walking of Ohio State and is officially questionable to play, but given Auburn’s SEC and national title hopes, its already stellar résumé and, let’s be honest, Broome’s pro future, it would sure make sense for Auburn to lay its big man out.
The 6-foot-10, 240-pound Broome averages 18.5 points and 11.1 rebounds.
• Auburn has the best résumé in the country, with wins over Houston, Iowa State, North Carolina and Memphis and a 91-53 win over Ohio State. Its lone loss came in a true road game at Duke.
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• Auburn is No. 1 nationally in offensive efficiency, per KenPom, buoyed by Broome-driven 59.4 percent effective shooting (sixth nationally) and an effetive field goal defense that ranks 15th nationally, of which Broome also has played a part.
The Tigers are typical of Bruce Pearl teams, athletic, long, fast and deep.
They do not force high-volume turnovers — the common denominator among those Purdue has struggled with — but is 15th nationally in overall defensive efficiency. Opponents shoot less than 43 percent on two-point shots and get 16.5 percent of their shots blocked. Again, Broome looms large there. He averages nearly three blocks per outing.
• Broome is one of six Tigers averaging double figures.
Wing Chad Baker-Mazara averages 13 and shoots 39 percent from three. Auburn shoots 38 percent from long range as a team, paced by three different high-volume shooters shooting at 43 percent or better.
• Auburn averages fewer than nine turnovers per game.
THREE KEYS FOR PURDUE
| STOP THE DRIBBLE | TURNOVERS | THREES |
| Purdue simply has to devise way to stop opponents’ initial surge with the dribble. Its guards are not doing a great job staying in front of the ball and Purdue can’t be good defensively if it’s always scrambling. | Obviously. Auburn isn’t a heavy, heavy pressure team, but its athleticism and quickness will be nuisances. Purdue can’t afford to help the most efficient offense in America by letting them in transition. | Purdue has to find an advantage somewhere. The long ball may have to be part of it, whether it’s Braden Smith popping off, Fletcher Loyer or the two wings. Purdue likely can’t win without shooting well. |
GOLDANDBLACK.COM PREDICTION: AUBURN 72, PURDUE 66
Assuming Broome doesn’t play, Auburn’s down a huge piece, but it has lot of others. Make no mistake here: Purdue’s a really, really good team, but has proven to be a vulnerable one.
