Published Mar 12, 2025
Tigers look to fix rebounding woes
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Brian Stultz  •  AuburnSports
Staff Writer
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If there's been an Achille's heel for Auburn during its two-game losing streak to end the regular season, it has been giving up too many offensive rebounds.

In the losses to Texas A&M and Alabama, the Tigers allowed 34 offensive rebounds, including an astounding 24 to the Aggies, that led to a combined 37 second-chance points.

Bruce Pearl hasn't been too thrilled with his team's efforts on the glass.

"We've got to do a better job on our second shot defense," the Auburn coach said. "We've got to do a better job of rebounding. Rebounding has become an issue for us as far as one of the areas that we've been dominant in."

Seemingly, every time A&M shot the ball last Tuesday in College Station, it was the team in maroon and white coming down with the ball, keeping possession and not allowing Auburn to get back into a game in which they trailed by just six points at the half. And while the Tigers were much better against the Crimson Tide, they were still outrebounded 41-33 in the overtime loss.

"We've become just an average rebounding team, so we've got to improve in that area," Pearl said.

Johni Broome, who leads the Tigers with 10.8 rebounds per game, hasn't reached double digits in that category in the last four games. He knows the Tigers must be better heading into postseason play to achieve their goals.

"He's right -- we have been an average rebounding team," Broome said. "That's going to change moving forward -- for myself, especially. For my teammates, as well. Just finding bodies, finding people to hit, checking out, being aggressive, being the one to get it, or the next person's going to get it."