On the same day Auburn’s Johni Broome suffered an ankle injury at South Carolina that sidelined him for two weeks, Duke’s Cooper Flagg scored a career-high 42 points in a victory at Notre Dame.
That’s when the Player of the Year race flipped.
With Broome on the mend and Flagg on the rise, a decent percentage of us who cover the sport started publicly suggesting that the Wooden Award is Flagg’s to lose. And, in fairness, it probably is; there’s data to support the claim. But if you thought the Player of the Year race was over, think again. Because in just his second game back from that ankle injury, Broome delivered a monster performance of 26 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks in Wednesday’s 87-74 win at LSU that tightened what feels like a two-man race between the two best players on the two best teams.
“That’s a Quad 1 win,” said Auburn coach Bruce Pearl. “That’s a great win for our ball club.”
This season has been filled with great wins for Pearl’s ball club, evidence being that Auburn (19-1 overall) is 12-1 in Quadrant 1 games. It’s a body of work so good that the Tigers are No. 1 in Thursday morning’s updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings for the 23rd consecutive day — and I’ll even take it a step further. Auburn’s body of work is so good, and so superior to anybody else’s, that AP voters should keep the Tigers No. 1 on Monday even if they lose Saturday at Ole Miss.
I know I will.
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Obviously, ranking basketball teams is a subjective process and different people do it different ways. Whatever. But this deep into any season, I’ve long believed the body of work should be the biggest factor. And, undeniably, Auburn’s body of work will still be far superior to anybody else’s on Monday regardless of what happens between now and then.
That’s a fact.
Like I explained earlier in the week, to understand my approach to ranking teams, and, more importantly, the selection committee’s approach to selecting and seeding teams, it’s best to think of Auburn as a golfer with a four-shot lead on the field. The Tigers could bogey the next hole, so to speak, watch everybody else par or even birdie, and they’d still be in the lead. From my perspective, that’s Auburn right now as it sits at No. 1 in the Top 25 And 1 with a 12-1 record in Quadrant 1 while No. 2 Duke is just 5-2 in the same quadrant. Yes, Duke does own a victory (at home) over Auburn, and that’s an important data point. But that one data point isn’t enough to offset the dramatic advantage Auburn holds when it comes to evaluating both teams’ entire bodies of work, and it still won’t be on Monday regardless of what happens over the next four days.
Top 25 And 1 rankings
In a thrilling matchup between two top college basketball teams, Auburn managed to edge out Duke in a close game. The game was not only significant for the outcome, but also for the return of standout player Johni Broome, who has now re-entered the Player of the Year race.
Broome, who had been sidelined with an injury for several weeks, made a triumphant return to the court and immediately made an impact with his dominant play. His presence on the court was felt throughout the game, as he showcased his scoring ability, rebounding prowess, and defensive skills. Broome’s performance has quickly reignited the conversation about who should be considered the frontrunner for Player of the Year, as he has proven himself to be a force to be reckoned with.
The win for Auburn, coupled with Broome’s return, has undoubtedly shaken up the college basketball rankings. With the tournament right around the corner, teams are jockeying for position and looking to make a statement. Auburn’s victory over Duke and Broome’s standout performance have certainly turned heads and will be a storyline to watch as the season progresses. Stay tuned for more exciting college basketball action as the race for the Player of the Year heats up.
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