Tigers of the Game: Another game, another double-double for Johni Broome
The Auburn Tigers earned their first win of the 2023-24 season on Friday night by knocking off Southeastern Louisiana, 86-71, in front of a packed crowd at Neville Arena.
In a game where the Tigers and Lions were nearly even, it was free throws and rebounding that allowed Auburn to pull away. Both teams failed to shoot above 42% on the night, and both teams were worse than that from beyond the arc, but the Tigers made the most of their free throws by making 17-of-20 of their opportunities. Auburn sent five players to the stripe, with two were perfect and the other three just missed one shot each.
Rebounding was key, as the Tigers snagged 13 more balls off the glass than Southeastern Louisiana.
Taking a deeper dive into which players made a difference in the game, we start first with Johni Broome. Broome joined Chaney Johnson by hauling in 11 rebounds, and he led the team in scoring. KD Johnson, like Broome, was perfect from the free-throw line. All-in-all, there were four players who reached double-figures in the game, and three players secured at least six boards.
Which players made the biggest impact in Auburn’s win over Southeastern Louisiana? Here’s a look at who Taylor Jones, JD McCarthy, Brian Hauch, and Auburn fans selected as the Tiger of the Game.
Taylor Jones: Chad Baker-Mazara
Through two games, Chad Baker-Mazara is proving that he fits right in with this Auburn squad. He reached double figures for the first time as a Tiger on Friday night by scoring 12. He also went 5-for-6 at the free throw line, which brings his total to 8-of-9 for the season. Defensively, Baker-Mazara grabbed six boards, which was the third-highest total on the team.
JD McCarthy: Johni Broome
Auburn big man Johni Broome reached double-figures in both points and rebounds for the second consecutive game on Friday night. He connected on 7-of-12 shots and went 3-for-3 from the stripe for 18 points on offense, and secured 11 total rebounds to tie Chaney Johnson for the team lead.
Brian Hauch: KD Johnson
KD Johnson provided the Tigers with valuable minutes off the bench. In 19 minutes of action, Johnson scored 13 points and assisted with three additional buckets. He was also a huge reason for Auburn’s 85% shooting from the free-throw line, as he connected on all three of his opportunities.
Fan vote: Johni Broome
Auburn fans have spoken, and they have chosen Johni Broome as their Tiger of the Game for the Southeastern Louisiana game. Broome won 58% of the vote, beating out KD Johnson, Chad Baker-Mazara, and Chaney Johnson for the honor. To have a say in who wins the next Tiger of the Game, head over to The Auburn Wire’s X (formerly Twitter) account to cast your vote following every Auburn basketball game.
