Bruce Pearl and top-ranked Auburn are 2-0 without star forward Johni Broome, who hopes to make his return on Saturday night.

Bruce Pearl has done it: win number 214 ... Hooper Jr. is a former Alabama state representative and the founder of Let the People Speak.

Ole Miss, Missouri, Oklahoma, Vanderbilt and Texas also made USA TODAY Sports’ first projected field of 68, giving the SEC a total of 11 NCAA Tournament teams. Texas is the lowest-ranked seed and would be play in the First Four in Dayton, Ohio, in these projections.

Bruce Pearl is hopeful that Auburn forward Johni Broome will make his return for Saturday night's top-10 showdown against No. 6 Tennessee.

Auburn continues to reside in the No. 1 spot in the Associated Press Top 25 poll after surviving a scare Saturday against Tennessee. Kentucky wasn't

Auburn has bolted out to a 17-1 start that includes a 5-0 Southeastern Conference record in Bruce Pearl's 11th season on the Plains. The two most recent Auburn victories transpired without Johni Broome, the 6-foot-10, 240-pound center/forward who is averaging 17.9 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.7 blocked shots per game.

The Vols likely would catapult onto the No. 1 seed line with a win at Auburn, but it would carry weight beyond the immediate effect on bracketology. A win at Auburn would give Tennessee two marquee road wins on its NCAA Tournament profile come Selection Sunday. The other was a 66-64 win at Illinois On dec. 14.

The No. 1 Auburn Tigers host the No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers tonight. Here are three keys for the Tigers to prevail over the Vols.

ESPN's "College GameDay" is returning to the Plains for a fifth time this Saturday, ahead of a matchup with No. 6 Tennessee. Here's how Auburn basketball has fared with the show in town.

The No. 1 Auburn Tigers host the No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers in an SEC showdown that could be the first of several meetings between the two.

The sixth-ranked Tennessee men's basketball team is geared up for its third consecutive Saturday SEC road contest, as it travels south to The Plains for a battle against No. 1 Auburn Saturday night at Neville Arena. Tipoff is slated for 8:30 p.m. ET.