Purdue Boilermakers vs. Auburn Tigers Pick & Prediction DECEMBER 21st 2024
Preview and Prediction
The condition of Auburn standout Johni Broome remains uncertain for Saturday afternoon's non-conference clash between the No. 2 Tigers and No. 16 Purdue at Birmingham, Ala.
Broome sustained an injury to his right shoulder in the early minutes of Tuesday's 100-59 triumph over Georgia State, and an MRI scan the following day showed no significant damage.
However, Auburn (10-1) has not announced a timeline for Broome's recovery. He sat out of practice on Thursday, and head coach Bruce Pearl did not provide much information.
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"He will travel with us, obviously," Pearl stated. "But I couldn't tell you his status - whether he is questionable or unlikely. We simply do not know. But the good news is that it is not a long-term issue."
Broome's participation in Friday's practice may serve as an indicator. Pearl typically does not play players who are unable to practice the day before a game.
The Tigers are certainly hoping to have Broome on the court, as he leads the team with averages of 18.1 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.7 blocks in 11 games, despite his shortened outing - only two minutes - against Georgia State.
Purdue head coach Matt Painter expressed his desire to see Broome play. He wants his players to face off against the best that Auburn has to offer.
"Obviously, if the season ended right now, it looks like he would be the National Player of the Year," Painter said of Broome, a 6-foot-10 senior. "You have to give him a lot of attention. What makes him great is his passing ability."
With Broome sidelined against Georgia State, reserve Chaney Johnson stepped up with a career-high 26 points on 12-of-14 shooting from the field. He is the third option in the post behind Broome and Dylan Cardwell, who battled foul trouble in the first half.
"It's an amazing feeling," Johnson said. "I am playing behind two of the best bigs in the country. It was a great feeling to get more playing time than usual and perform."
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Pearl added, "Chaney Johnson was dominant. I am incredibly proud of him. Nobody works harder than Chaney."
Despite his backup role, Johnson ranks fifth on the Tigers in scoring (10.6) and second in rebounding (6.0).
Meanwhile, Purdue (8-3) has lost two of its last three games, including a 70-66 defeat to then-No. 17 Texas A&M in the Indy Classic in Indianapolis last Saturday. The other loss during this stretch was an 81-70 defeat at Penn State on December 5th.
Braden Smith recorded 15 points, six rebounds, and six assists against the Aggies, who outrebounded the Boilermakers 34-23. Texas A&M also attempted 24 free throws (making 17) while Purdue only made 9 of 10.
"We need to do a better job of keeping the ball in front of us and containing the dribble," Painter said.
Trey Kaufman-Renn leads Purdue in scoring (18.2) and rebounding (6.5), but he only had 11 points and four boards in the loss to Texas A&M.
Fletcher Loyer averages 13.5 points and has made 50 percent (21 of 42) of his 3-point attempts.
Smith is averaging 13.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, and leads the team in assists per game (8.5), 3-pointers (26 total), and steals (22 total). He is shooting 42.6 percent from beyond the arc.
Purdue has a 2-2 record against ranked opponents this season, including an impressive 87-78 victory over then-No. 2 Alabama on November 15th. Auburn is 3-1, with their only loss coming against then-No. 9 Duke 84-78 in Durham, N.C. on December 4th.
Purdue has won two of the three previous meetings against Auburn, with the most recent matchup being a 96-71 blowout in the 2016 Cancun Challenge. The two teams will face off again next season in the Indy Classic in Indianapolis.