3 Reasons why Auburn will win the SEC in 2018-19

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1. Versatility and Depth
Auburn’s deep and versatile roster is one of the biggest reasons for optimism. Once Purifoy completes his nine-game suspension, the Tigers will have eight players who have previously earned consistent rotation minutes. This does not even include Samir Doughty who was a starter for VCU as a redshirt freshman before transferring to Auburn. The only player on the roster who is not a proven contributor at the Division I level is the backup PG, J’Von McCormick, and he will only need to provide 8-10 minutes a night.

That means Auburn has 10 proven experienced players to work with and this depth is spread across every position. There is not a surplus at one position and a shortage at another as there are at least two capable guys at each spot which will be extremely beneficial if they get hit with the injury bug once again.


2. McLemore’s Return
On February 17th, Auburn was sitting pretty with a 23-3 record and an 11-2 SEC record. The Tigers were making a push for a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament and an outright SEC regular season title. Unfortunately, starting center Anfernee McLemore suffered a season-ending ankle injury against South Carolina which sent Auburn into a tailspin.

The Tigers admirably filled the void left by Austin Wiley and Danjel Purifoy, but losing a third key contributor was too much to overcome. The roster could no longer bend, as losing McLemore caused it to break.

McLemore is a solid player who averaged 7.4ppg, 5.3rpg, and 2.7bpg, but the impact of his departure went beyond the box score. His style of play fits perfectly with Auburn’s roster and created synergies making the value of the whole roster greater than the value of the sum of its parts. McLemore is athletic enough to defend quicker players and is a good rim protector even though he is only 6’7”.


3. Roster Lacks Question Marks
The most compelling reason for why Auburn can compete for an SEC title is that their roster is incredibly well-rounded and has few (if any) holes.

Jared Harper is an excellent lead guard who averaged 13.2ppg and 5.4apg. Bryce Brown is a knockdown shooter who provides perimeter scoring (15.9ppg). Purifoy is a talented wing scorer who has the versatility to play multiple positions. Doughty and Dunbar bolster the perimeter depth and add scoring and shooting off the bench. McCormick was a big-time JUCO prospect who will occupy the necessary back-up PG role.

The frontcourt is also brimming with talent and is devoid of question marks as each player is proven. Chuma Okeke will be a fixture on breakout player lists and the talented forward averaged 7.5ppg and 5.8rpg as a freshman. McLemore can play both the four and five and provides superb energy, defense, and even some shot making. Horace Spencer has been in the rotation throughout his career and provides athleticism to the frontcourt.