No. 20 Auburn (32-6, 15-3 SEC)

The Tigers are replacing longtime coach Bruce Pearl and all five starters, including SEC player of the year Johni Broome. Pearl retired in late September and turned the program over to his 38-year-old son Steven. The younger Pearl has never been a head coach before, but he played a pivotal role in building Auburn into an SEC power. Now he’s tasked with leading a revamped roster back to the NCAA Tournament. Auburn earned the overall No. 1 seed in the 68-team NCAA field in March and lost to eventual champion Florida in the semifinals.

Players to watch

Speedy guard Tahaad Pettiford is back after testing NBA draft waters. Often a blur on the court as a freshman, he averaged 11.6 points while being asked to create a spark off the bench. Can he do it for 30-plus

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