No. 1 Auburn completed the series sweep over Ole Miss in dominant fashion Wednesday night, securing a season-high 106-76 victory to improve to 14-1 in SEC play.
The Tigers came out hot, opening the game with a 29-9 run. Chad Baker-Mazara set the tone early, draining a three-pointer on the first possession, and Auburn never looked back. By the under-16 timeout, the Tigers were a perfect 6-for-6 from the field and 3-for-3 from beyond-the-arc. They entered the break on an 8-0 run while holding the Rebels scoreless for over two minutes.
“We played so well offensively — shot it so well, shared it so well,” said Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl. “There are some really special pieces. Chad Baker gets off to a phenomenal start…Johni was dominant on the inside.”
Johni Broome led the scoring effort with 24 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Baker-Mazara followed with 22 points, going 4-for-5 from deep while picking up three rebounds and one assist.
Broome dominated early, scoring eight points in the paint and knocking down four free throws. Denver Jones added to Auburn’s offensive surge, burying a 3-pointer at the 12:23 mark to extend the Tigers’ lead to 24-9. Auburn entered the under-12 timeout on a 17-2 run, overwhelming the Rebels on both ends of the floor.
Broome became the 86th player in NCAA D-I men’s basketball history to eclipse 2,500 career points in his Morehead State and Auburn careers combined.
“G;ory to God. He blessed me to be able to make an impact since my freshman year,” Broome said. “He's gave me the platform that I have now, and he's kept me healthy enough to achieve that goal.”
Midway through the first half, Ole Miss cut into Auburn’s lead with a 17-7 run, narrowing the deficit to eight with just over three minutes remaining. During that stretch, the Tigers committed their first four turnovers of the game.
Auburn regained control before halftime, taking a 50-40 lead into the break. The Tigers shot 60.7% from the field and 75% from 3-point range in the first half, while Ole Miss shot 48% overall and 50% from deep. Auburn forced eight turnovers in the half against a Rebels team that averages just over eight per game.
Auburn took control in the second half, extending its lead to 13 points with just under 12 minutes remaining. A7-1 run led by Chaney Johnson pushed their advantage to 63-47 at the 16:19 mark. From there, Auburn outscored Ole Miss 43-29 to secure the win. Johnson finished with 13 points, six rebounds and two assists.
“They were just passing me the ball in the right spots,” Johnson said. “I have great teammates. They always know where to find me.”
The Tigers shot 59.6% from the field and 52.4% from beyond the arc while holding the Rebels to 47.1% shooting overall and 35.7% from deep. Auburn also won the turnover battle 8-10, becoming the first team this season to force more turnovers than it committed against Ole Miss.
Up next, Auburn heads to Lexington, Ky., on Saturday, March 1, to face Kentucky with a chance to clinch at least a share of the SEC regular-season title. Tipoff is set for noon CST and will air on ABC.
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Grace Heim is a senior from Enterprise, Alabama, majoring in Political Science. She started with The Plainsman in January of 2023.
You can follow her on X (Twitter) at @graceeheim
