It only took one game to realize the impact Bryce Brown would have on Auburn last season.
He scored a career-high 31 points on 12-of-16 shooting in the team’s opener against Norfolk State, and from there, transformed himself into one of the nation’s top perimeter threats.
Brown won’t catch anyone by surprise this time around, and the same goes for Bruce Pearl’s entire roster.
The Tigers will enter the season as one of the favorites to take home the SEC regular season crown, with Brown once again serving as the primary focus for opposing defenders.
Inside the Numbers
Brown’s jump in production from ’16-17 to ’17-18 was substantial.
He averaged 7.5 points and attempted only 6.8 shots per game during his sophomore year before turning that into 15.9 points on 12.8 attempts as a junior.
Of course, his 3-point shooting is what will continue to strike fear in opponents, and for good reason.
Brown made 107 shots from beyond the arc (18th nationally) on 38.2 percent shooting, which allowed him to move into second all-time on the school’s 3-pointers made list (241).
But Brown’s contributions weren’t just on the offensive side of the court. He was a big reason for Auburn’s dramatic improvement on defense in forcing 100 turnovers on the year.
He also held his opponents to just 37 percent shooting.
Season Outlook
As mentioned earlier, the 6-3 senior isn’t going to sneak up on anyone after such an impactful season.
However, that doesn’t mean it’ll be easy to stop Brown from replicating – or potentially even surpassing – his production from a year ago.
A big reason why that could happen is the return of Austin Wiley. Pearl has repeatedly stated that the Tigers will continue to play their signature up-tempo style on offense, but with a dominant frontcourt player like Wiley back in the mix, it gives the staff a variety of options to work with.
That reality will make Auburn even more difficult to guard. Opposing teams won’t be able to turn all their attention to Brown on the perimeter, because more often than not, guarding Wiley one-on-one in the post will be a recipe for disaster.
So, even with Brown being one of the SEC’s most dangerous shooters, he’s likely going to find open looks in the halfcourt due to the problems presented by the rest of Pearl’s excellent offensive playmakers.
Additionally, Brown should continue to thrive in transition thanks to his ability to set up in the right spots, as well as Jared Harper’s ability to create havoc on the break.
Auburn has the talent to play deep into March, and Brown should yet again be one of the major driving forces that allow this team to build off its breakthrough season.