Where Auburn basketball ranks in KenPom after defeating LSU

Auburn basketball earned a valuable win Tuesday, defeating LSU, 88-74.

Four of Auburn basketball's five starters finished the game with 10-plus points, led by Tahaad Pettiford's 27-point outing. Pettiford also led the team in assists with six, while Elyjah Freeman and Keyshawn Hall each logged six rebounds.

The Tigers will now shift their focus to Alabama, which ranks No. 16 in the latest USA TODAY Coaches Poll and is highly ranked in several categories measured by KenPom. How do the two teams compare ahead of Saturday's game? Here's a look at Auburn basketball's latest standing in KenPom following Tuesday's action.

Overall No. 40

Despite Auburn earning a win over LSU on Tuesday, the Tigers fell to No. 40 in the latest KenPom ranking. The Tigers rank No. 10 in the SEC in the category with a net rating of +19.00.

Offensive efficiency: No. 11

Auburn continues to produce quality offensive numbers. Its rating of 125.8 is good enough to rank No. 11 nationally and No. 5 among SEC teams. Saturday's game with Alabama will be a blockbuster for those who favor strong offensive basketball, as the Crimson Tide ranks No. 3 in adjusted offensive efficiency.

Defensive efficiency: No. 119

Another category that Auburn continues to struggle in is defensive efficiency. Auburn begins the day with a rating of 106.8, which is No. 13 among SEC programs.

Adjusted tempo: No. 187

Auburn continues to hover around the midway point in tempo rankings. Auburn created 66 offensive possessions in Tuesday's game against LSU, which is close to its KenPom projection of 67.1 per game. The Tigers turned 39 of their 66 possessions into scores.

Strength of schedule: No. 3

Auburn has one of the toughest schedules in the nation, which has given it leverage in NCAA Tournament talks. The Tigers have the third-toughest schedule in the nation, with their opponents producing the No. 2 output in offensive efficiency and No. 8 in defensive efficiency.

Alabama overview

Auburn ends the regular season on Saturday in Tuscaloosa against the No. 16 Alabama Crimson Tide. The Crimson Tide squeaked by Auburn on Feb. 7, 96-92, despite a 25-point performance from Tahaad Pettiford and a 24-point output from Keyshawn Hall.

• Overall: No. 16
• Adjusted offensive efficiency: No. 11 (125.8)
• Adjusted defensive efficiency: No. 67 (103.4)
• Adjusted tempo: No. 4 (73.0)
• Strength of schedule: No. 2 (+17.17)
• Projected winner of the game: Alabama (78%)
• Implied score: Alabama 93, Auburn 84

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This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Auburn basketball's KenPom ranking after LSU win