Auburn basketball: 3 players primed to level up in conference play

Earlier this season when he was asked about the insane depth of Auburn’s rotation, Broome commented that he liked always feeling fresh when he’s on the floor. 

More specifically, he said, “When I get back in, I can play a lot harder. I like being fresh when I'm on the court. I don't like being winded, but this year I haven't really been winded. That's a good thing.”

That is a good thing, but so is having your best player on the floor for more than 23 minutes a game. Broome might be the best forward in the entire conference, he’s ninth in points and fourth in rebounds. He could legitimately make a case for SEC Player of the Year if he was just playing 27-30 minutes a game, not an unreasonable amount. 

It was a luxury to keep him fresh in the non-conference, but when it comes to matchups against Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama, those teams will force Bruce Pearl’s hand and Broome will still be great even with an increased workload. 

He’ll level up from just the best player on Auburn’s roster to the best player in the conference if he’s willing to play the extra minutes and Pearl gives him the chance.