The Auburn Tigers are set to face one last challenge in nonconference action this Saturday when they travel to Indianapolis to face the No. 6 Purdue Boilermakers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
With the game being played on a neutral court, it will be a quad-1 opportunity for both teams. The No. 24 Tigers check in at No. 35 in the NET, while Purdue will enter the game ranked No. 9. Purdue is 2-1 in such games with wins over Alabama on the road and Texas Tech on a neutral site in the Bahamas. Auburn is 1-3, with its lone win coming against St. John’s in Las Vegas as part of the Players’ Era Festival.
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Analytically, the offense will be a key focal point as both teams rank in the top 15 in offensive efficiency according to KenPom, with Purdue holding the edge defensively. Tempo-wise, Purdue has a great chance of controlling the clock as the Boilermakers rank near the bottom nationally in tempo. Mixing in the fact that the game will be played in a Purdue-heavy environment in Indianapolis, Auburn will need to be extra motivated to pull off the upset.
Here is a breakdown of where Auburn ranks in major categories measured by KenPom ahead of Saturday’s game against Purdue.
Overall: No. 30
The Tigers continue to play above preseason expectations by ranking No. 30, one spot ahead of their preseason outlook. Heading into Thursday, Auburn has wins over two teams ranked ahead of them in KenPom… St. John’s (No. 18), and NC State (No. 28).
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Adjusted offensive efficiency: No. 13
Auburn is playing offense at a high level, according to KenPom’s data. The Tigers are the third-most-efficient offense in the SEC with a rating of 122.7. The Tigers average 86.5 points per game, which ranks No. 9 among SEC teams as the nonconference portion of the schedule winds down.
Adjusted defensive efficiency: No. 77
Auburn’s defensive struggles are visible through the KenPom. The Tigers rank No. 77 in the latest KenPom update, which is No. 11 among SEC teams and one spot higher than conference rival Texas. The Tigers are No. 14 in the conference in points allowed (76.8), No. 15 in field goal percentage (.438), No. 8 in defensive rebounds (33.1), and No. 6 in blocked shots (51).
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Adjusted tempo: No. 173
Auburn is slightly above the national average in this category with 69.3 possessions per game. They will look to make the most of their possessions on Saturday as Purdue is considered one of the “slowest” teams in the country in this regard.
Strength of schedule: No. 28
Auburn’s combined opponent offensive efficiency rating ranks No. 41 in the nation (111.6), and ranks No. 23 defensively (103.9), which adds up to give Auburn one of the toughest schedules in the country.
Purdue overview
Here’s how Purdue stacks up with Auburn in the latest KenPom update ahead of Saturday’s game.
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Adjusted offensive efficiency: No. 1 (127.1)
Adjusted defensive efficiency: No. 24 (97.3)
Adjusted tempo: No. 332 (65.7)
Strength of schedule: No. 30
Prediction: Purdue has a 77% chance of winning on Saturday, with an implied score of 82-74.
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This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Auburn basketball KenPom ranking before Purdue game
