Auburn basketball took care of business on Saturday by taking down Missouri, 84-68, to open SEC play on a great note.
Five players reached double-figures in points, led by Johni Broome’s 24. The Tigers also shot 57% from the field and scored 22 points off Missouri turnovers. Defensively, Auburn hauled in 23 rebounds and limited Missouri to just 38% shooting from the field.
Auburn has found themselves near the top of the KenPom rankings all season long. How much did their win over Missouri affect its standing within the analytical rankings? Here is a look at where Auburn stands in every major category measured by KenPom ahead of Sunday’s slate of college basketball games.
Overall: No. 1
Auburn remains No. 1 in the KenPom ahead of Sunday’s action. However, the margin between them and No. 2 Duke continues to shrink. Auburn holds a +36.71 NET ranking, which is just over a point-and-a-half higher than the Blue Devils, who check into Sunday’s rankings at +35.06.
Adjusted offensive efficiency: No. 1
Auburn remains the nation’s most efficient offensive team by a comfortable margin. According to KenPom data, Auburn is projected to score 130.5 points per 100 possessions, which is nearly six points more than the No. 2 team, UConn. Four of the top five offenses heading into Sunday call the SEC home. Florida, Alabama, and Kentucky join Auburn as four of the most efficient offenses in the nation.
Adjusted defensive efficiency: No. 14
Auburn fell one spot to No. 14 in the adjusted defensive efficiency category following its win over Missouri. KenPom forecasts Auburn to allow its opponents to score 93.8 points per 100 possessions, which is third-best in the SEC behind Tennessee (No. 1) and Texas A&M (No. 5).
Adjusted tempo: No. 169
Auburn is good to create 68.9 possessions per game according to KenPom, which ranks No. 169 nationally. Auburn fell short of its average on Saturday by building just 67 possessions with 37 ending with points.
Strength of schedule: No. 14
Auburn holds on to a top-15 schedule as conference play heats up around the country. Auburn’s opponents collectively rank No. 17 in offensive efficiency and No. 8 in defensive efficiency. Missouri enters Sunday ranked No. 37 in offensive efficiency, and its defense checks in at No. 86.
Texas overview
Auburn begins a two-game road trip Tuesday night when it faces new SEC member Texas in Austin. Texas A&M spoiled the Longhorns‘ debut game on Saturday by earning an 80-60 victory in College Station. Here is a look at where Texas ranks in major categories measured by KenPom:
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Overall: No. 41 (No. 9 in SEC)
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Adjusted offensive efficiency: No. 49 (114.3)
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Adjusted defensive efficiency: No. 38 (97.5)
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Adjusted tempo: No. 219 (67.8)
This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: How Auburn’s win over Missouri affects its KenPom ranking
