AUBURN, Ala. – From a statistical standpoint, Johni Broome led Auburn in Friday night’s 86-71 win over Southeastern Louisiana. He finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds. But from a historical standpoint, it was Jaylin Williams who had the most memorable night as he became the winningest player in program history. 

 

Williams earned his 88th career win, passing Allen Flanigan, Anfernee McLemore and Scott Pohlman. The fifth-year senior scored nine points and sparked the Tigers midway through the second half with back-to-back 3-pointers.

 

It was the 2023-24 home opener for Auburn who made it 46 consecutive wins over a non-conference opponent in Neville Arena – a streak that dates back to 2015. 

 

For Broome, it was his second double-double of the season, his 12th at Auburn and the 47th of his career. He scored 12 of his 18 points in the second half and knocked down his only 3-point attempt down the stretch to help the Tigers pull away. He is now shooting 47.4 percent from long range over his last 10 games dating back to last season.

 

Broome was one of four Auburn players to score in double figures Friday night.

 

K.D. Johnson, Aden Holloway and Chad Baker-Mazara all had 10 or more points off the bench, showing the depth that the Tigers have this year. 

 

Johnson was a catalyst early. After a slow start, he checked in and converted a tough and-1 inside. He got a steal on the next possession and then got the ball back and buried a 3 to give Auburn six quick points to make it 12-4. He finished with 13 points.

 

Holloway, playing in his first game in Neville Arena, missed his first three shots but responded with two 3-pointers and a lay-up over a two-minute span late in the first half. The freshman, who scored 19 in his collegiate debut Tuesday, had 11 points. He and fellow point guard Tre Donaldson only had one turnover between them.

 

Baker-Mazara finished with 12 points and pulled down six rebounds. He also knocked down a 3 as seven different Tigers connected from long range against Southeastern. 

 

Fellow newcomer Chaney Johnson matched Broome with a team-high 11 rebounds, including seven offensive rebounds. As a team, Auburn outrebounded the Lions 46-33. 

 

The Tigers (1-1) will be back on the road next week when they travel to Brooklyn for the Legends Classic. First up is a matchup against Notre Dame on Thursday, Nov. 16. The tournament field also features Oklahoma State and St. Bonaventure.

 

SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA POSTGAME NOTES

>> Auburn improves to 5-0 all-time against Southeastern Louisiana.

 

>> The Tigers played in front of their 40th-consecutive sellout crowd (9,121) at Neville Arena.

 

>> It marked Auburn’s 46th-consecutive win over a non-conference opponent at Neville Arena. 

 

>> The win was Bruce Pearl’s 174th victory at Auburn, moving him past Sonny Smith, who coached the Tigers from 1978-1989, into third alone on the school’s all-time coaching wins list. Joel Eaves, who won 213 games from 1949-63, is first and Cliff Ellis is in second with 186 victories from 1994-2004.

 

>> With the win, graduate senior Jaylin Williams became the winningest player in program history with his 88th career victory, breaking a tie with Allen Flanigan, Anfernee McLemore and Scott Pohlman.

 

>> Ten Tigers have now scored in each of the first two games (Baylor and SE Louisiana) of the season.

 

>> Auburn’s bench scored 46 of the Tigers’ 86 points against Southeastern Louisiana and the Tigers’ reserves have totaled 85 points in the first two games of the season after finishing with 39 points in the season opener against Baylor.

 

>> Senior K.D. Johnson scored 13 points and added three assists, two steals and two rebounds off the bench in the win over Southeastern Louisiana including 10 points in the first half. It was Johnson’s 52nd career game scoring in double figures including his 40th in an Auburn uniform.

>> Freshman Aden Holloway recorded his second-straight double-figure scoring game to begin his career finishing with 11 points and three assists versus the Lions. Holloway made 3-of-8 3-pointers in the ballgame. He is averaging 15.0 points on 7-of-16 from long range in his first two career games.

 

>> Junior big man Johni Broome scored a team-high 18 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to record his 48th career double-double including 12 at Auburn and both games this season. Broome made his only 3-point attempt on the night and is shooting 47.4 percent from long range over his last 10 games dating back to last season including 3-of-4 this season.