The start of the 2024-2025 season was full of tests. So far, Auburn men’s basketball has outpaced everyone.

Just a day after defeating No. 5 Iowa State in an 18-point comeback, Auburn returned to the Lahaina Civic Center on Tuesday night to beat North Carolina 85-72.

It’s the Tigers’ third ranked win of the season and they face Memphis on Wednesday afternoon in the Maui Invitational Championship.

Here are three takeaways from the game:

The Johni Broome Show

Johni Broome is slowly making his case for the Naismith Award and Tuesday night was perhaps his best performance yet.

He posted a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds in the first half and finished the game with 23 points and 19 rebounds, both numbers were game highs. Broome’s 19 rebounds are a career high.

Broome’s presence was crucial for Auburn. The Tigers looked like a completely different team without him, as North Carolina went on a 10-2 run in the four minutes he was on the bench in the first half.

His impact wasn’t just as a goalscorer, as he wasn’t on the field in the second half. Broome’s presence on defense and on the glass was always a positive for Auburn, finishing with six offensive rebounds and three blocks.

Partially accelerated

Both Auburn and North Carolina played at a near-fast pace Tuesday night, something Auburn hasn’t had to do much this season.

It favored the Tigers for portions of the game, but it also led to some rushed possessions that seemed to benefit North Carolina. Auburn shot the ball relatively well, but shot selection was questionable at times, particularly in the first half.

Auburn took a lot of transition 3-pointers, some open but others forced, with more than 20 seconds left on the shot clock.

One thing Auburn did well despite the high tempo was taking care of the ball. The Tigers finished the game with eight turnovers and forced 10, but led 15-6 in turnovers.

Anyone can hurt you

A big part of Tuesday’s win was Auburn’s depth.

The usual suspects like Broome, Miles Kelly and Chad Baker-Mazara all played well, but Tahaad Pettiford and Chaney Johnson’s contributions from the bench also had a big impact on the game.

Auburn finished the game with six players in double figures, which is starting to become an expectation for this team. Although Broome had a quiet second half, Auburn’s offense never really slowed down.

When Broome was quiet, Johnson scored, scoring nine points in the second half. All of Auburn’s guards continued to shoot the ball well, allowing Auburn to play inside-out throughout the game.

It takes depth to beat teams like Iowa State and North Carolina on consecutive days. Auburn did just that and now has a chance to win the Maui Invitational.

Peter Rauterkus reports on Auburn Sports AL.com. You can follow him on X below @peter_rauterkus or send him an email at [email protected]M