Welcome to my team preview series for 2024-25. Each day between now and the start of the college basketball season, I will preview one team or conference, both on Instagram (@collegehoopsoutlet) and through an article here. The preview will go in-depth on the roster build of the team, my expectations for their upcoming season, and the state of the program under their current head coach.
Auburn (Projected: 2nd in SEC)
Fresh off a disappointing first round exit to Yale in the NCAA Tournament, Bruce Pearl has put together one of the most experienced lineups in the country. Auburn hasn’t gotten out of the first weekend since the Final Four run in 2019, but this year’s team should have the best chance since to make it back. With a projected first team All-American back and an experienced point guard transferring in, the Tigers have two big pieces necessary to make a run.
Johni Broome (17 ppg, 9 rpg), a likely preseason All-American and a guy who could claim some preseason National Player of the Year votes, headlines the returners for the Tigers. This team will go as Broome does, a dominant player on both sides of the floor with an ever-developing three-point shot. The effect Broome as in games can’t be understated, and with talent upgrades across the backcourt, I’m even more excited for what Broome can do. Chaney Johnson (5 ppg) is a likely starter next to Broome in the frontcourt, nowhere near the level of graduated Jaylin Williams, but a guy who will come in, do his job, and let Broome be the focal point. Dylan Cardwell (5 ppg, 4 rpg) is one of Auburn’s energy guys, a fan favorite, good rebounder, and effective shot blocker. Chris Moore (3 ppg) is back for a fifth season at Auburn, likely Johnson’s biggest competition to start. He’s another defensive-minded guy at the forward spots who won’t get in Broome’s way offensively.
The Tigers’ backcourt returns three players, two of whom had massive roles last season for the Tigers. Chad Baker-Mazara (10 ppg, 4 rpg) was one of the most important players in the rotation for Auburn last season, knocking down threes at a consistent rate (41.8%) and playing high level defense on the wings. His ejection three minutes into the game against Yale was a major factor in the Tigers going out early in the NCAA Tournament. Like Baker-Mazara who transferred in last summer from San Diego State, Denver Jones (9 ppg) came over from FIU and had a decent first year in the SEC. Jones shot 41.8% from three and while his volume wasn’t very high last season, I have confidence that in his second season at Auburn he can grow into a bigger role. Drake Cardwell (Redshirt) is the final returner for the Tigers, projected to be a deep bench guy in the backcourt.
Auburn lost five players this offseason, all of whom were apart of Pearl’s 10-man rotation. Jaylin Williams (12 ppg, 4 rpg) and Lior Berman (2 ppg) both graduated, exhausting their eligibility in the process. Aden Holloway (7 ppg) transferred to in-state rival Alabama, KD Johnson (7 ppg) transferred to George Mason, and Tre Donaldson (7 ppg) ended up at Michigan.
Furman transfer JP Pegues (18 ppg, 4 rpg, 5 apg at Furman) may be my favorite pickup in the entirety of the transfer portal. In recent years, Bruce Pearl hasn’t had a nailed-on, experienced point guard, that he can trust to make decisions late in games and late in the season. With Pegues, he has that and then some. Pegues was one of the most talented players at the mid-major level last season, scoring at all three levels and exceling at distributing the ball. He’s also played on the biggest stage before, propelling Furman to an upset win over Virginia in the 2023 NCAA Tournament when he hit the game-winning shot after an awful Kihei Clark turnover. Pegues is an upwards trajectory heading into the SEC, averaging 26.2 ppg and 4.5 apg in his final six games with the Paladins. Pegues’ scoring, playmaking, and experience will all be extremely useful for Pearl’s squad, and he should mesh nicely with Jones, Baker-Mazara, and Broome.
Georgia Tech transfer Miles Kelly (14 ppg, 6 rpg at Georgia Tech) is another transfer who will bring experience into the Tigers’ backcourt. Kelly started every game for Georgia Tech last season, not the most efficient guy in the world, but someone who can come in off the bench on the wing and provide a boost of scoring and rebounding. Ja’Heim Hudson (5 ppg at SMU) isn’t a flashy pickup, but he’s another guy who will come in and do the dirty work on the glass and on the defensive end while the guards/wings and Broome take the heavy load offensively.
Filling out the roster for Pearl are two top 100 ranked freshmen from the class of 2024. Pettiford (4*, NAT 30) stands at just 5-11, but the undersized guard is something that’s been typical to see from Pearl’s teams in recent years. Pettiford will get a chance to learn from Pegues, Kelly, and Jones this season before taking the reins in 2025-26, a sophomore season which could see him break out as a star. Jahki Howard (4*, NAT 68) could also see some time as a freshman, an athletic forward who thrives at getting out in transition.
Bruce Pearl took Auburn to new heights when the Tigers reached the Final Four in 2019, but it’s been a struggle in the NCAA Tournament since then. In my opinion, they’ve been lacking a go-to guy, an experienced guard in the backcourt. JP Pegues should be that guy, and that’s exactly why Pearl went hard in the transfer portal to get him. The talent and experience are there this season, and I think the failure will land in the fault of Pearl if this team can’t get out of the first weekend once again.
Johni Broome will be one of the best and one of the most dominant players across the country this season. He should have a massive impact on both ends of the floor, and I think it’s very reasonable to think Auburn finishes inside the top 10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency on KenPom once again. The X-factor on this team for me is Denver Jones, a guy who have confidence in to take the next step in his second year at Auburn. He’ll have a fantastic point guard in JP Pegues next to him who should make life easier, and I think he can thrive as a pure scorer next to Pegues.
The SEC will be very tough at the top, but I think Alabama, Auburn, and Tennessee are a step above the rest. Alabama likely has the edge over the other two, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see this experienced Auburn squad win the SEC. At the moment though, I’ve got the Tigers to finish second in the conference as a team that has major Final Four upside come March.