While Auburn pulled off a 12-point victory over Vanderbilt last night, the Tigers had a few brief periods where the Commodores came within striking distance of the lead.
Despite Auburn's dominance across nearly every statistical category, Vanderbilt kept the game close. The key factor? Rebounding.
A key part of Auburn’s success this season lies in the big men who dominate the post: Johni Broome, Chaney Johnson, and Dylan Cardwell all own the paint with their hustle and physicality. As a team, Auburn averages 38.4 rebounds while holding opponents to 32.7. Last night, however, this was not the case.
The Commodores tallied 37 rebounds last night to Auburn’s 29, bringing the hustle to this matchup in hopes of boosting their March Madness chances. Vanderbilt’s 21 defensive rebounds limited Auburn’s second-chance points to 15, while their 16 offensive rebounds allowed for 21 second-chance points for the Commodores. Comparatively, Auburn had 22 second-chance points in their loss against Florida last Saturday, meaning Vanderbilt’s defensive rebounding played a factor in their almost comeback.
Even Broome, who averages 10.7 rebounds a game, only came away with seven boards, leading the Tigers. In contrast, the Commodores had both Devin McGlockton and Jaylen Carey finish with double-digit rebounds, with 13 and 10 respectively.
While Vanderbilt managed to outrebound the Tigers, Auburn managed to stay even with them on points in the paint, with both teams totaling 40 points each. Auburn’s big men also provided another defensive performance down low, totaling 5 blocks. This hard work under the basket, combined with a strong offensive performance from forward Chaney Johnson and guard Denver Jones, earned Auburn a comfortable margin of victory.
Part of this rebounding deficit is likely related to Auburn having one of the hardest February schedules in the NCAA this season. Since the beginning of the month just two weeks ago, the Tigers have faced now four SEC rivals, two of which have been in the top 25 nationally.
“Have you seen our schedule? Believe me, you guys wouldn't have been shocked if we lost tonight. Would you have? No, that's a good team, and the season, it is a grind.” said head coach Bruce Pearl. “It's a grind, and it's just about taking it one game at a time. So far, this team has done a pretty good job of taking it one at a time, and we've learned a lot from our wins.”
Unfortunately for the Tigers, it’s not getting any easier. The rest of February still holds four more SEC matchups, which are sure to be physical and aggressive as the deadline for a ticket to March Madness gets closer and closer. Auburn holds the coveted No. 1 spot in the nation, which means every game brings an opponent looking to take that.
Auburn plays again on Saturday, February 15 in Tuscaloosa at 3:00 pm CST against No. 2 ranked Alabama. The proclaimed “Iron Bowl of basketball” will be available to watch on ESPN.
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Jackie is a freshman majoring in Drug and Biopharmaceutical Sciences. She started with The Plainsman in fall 2024.
You can follow her on X (Twitter) at @jackie_domingun
