Auburn shot the lights out Saturday afternoon as it won 92-82 against Ole Miss at The Pavilion. Johni Broome did his thing, finishing with 20 points, 12 rebounds and four assists while also knocking down two threes. His running mate in the frontcourt Dylan Cardwell also played a nice game, finishing with 10 points, 13 rebounds, two steals and a block. As a team, the Tigers shot 14-of-28 from three, leading the way to a big win.
But the big story was the play of the guards.
The Tigers backcourt trio of Denver Jones, Miles Kelly and Chad Baker-Mazara each shot the ball about as well as they could. All three players scored over 15 points and hit 3+ threes. The shot making of these three players is what is the key difference in this year's Auburn team compared to past years.
Those three players, plus freshman Tahaad Pettiford, make up one of the most dynamic overall backcourts in all of college basketball. All four of these guys are averaging 10+ points per game while - almost all of them - are shooting above 40% from three. The ability for all four of these guys to score off the dribble, playmake in the pick-n-roll or spot up and hit threes take the Tigers' offense to another level.
Another thing that goes under the radar is these four guys ability to play defense and do the little things, whether that is rebound or by making plays that don't show up in the stat sheet. The Tigers' backcourt is one that we have never seen before, and it seems like they are only getting better as the year goes on.
Entering the game shooting just 26% form three in conference play, Jones found his rhythm against the Rebels. This season, he has taken on more playmaking duties as the primary point guard, which has limited his scoring opportunities. However, against the Rebels, his ability to find his spots and knock down shots was the key to Auburn's win.
Guards win in March, and Auburn's backcourt is hitting its stride heading into February. The Tigers face several crucial matchups, including games against four tournament-caliber teams - two of which rank top-5 and feature elite guards. While the future remains uncertain, if Auburn's guards can stay hot, they could be among the best in the nation.
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Jack is a sophomore majoring in sports production. He started with The Plainsman in the fall 2024.
