Auburn Tigers’ Freshmen Shine in Strong 2024-25 Season

AUBURN, Ala. — The No. 1-ranked Auburn Tigers have enjoyed a near-perfect start to the 2024-25 college basketball season, with their only loss coming against No. 3 Duke. While veteran players like All-American Johni Broome have led the charge, freshmen Tahaad Pettiford and Jahki Howard have emerged as key contributors, earning praise from head coach Bruce Pearl.

Pettiford, a guard from Jersey City, N.J., has made an immediate impact despite not yet cracking the starting lineup. Averaging 21.1 minutes per game, he is contributing 11.3 points and 2.8 assists while shooting 44.7% from the field and 41.5% from beyond the arc. “Tahaad is probably the best freshman in the country coming off the bench,” Pearl said.

Howard, meanwhile, has shown flashes of his potential despite limited playing time. The freshman has appeared in 11 of Auburn’s 17 games, averaging 6.4 points in 13.5 minutes per game while shooting an impressive 54.5% from the field. His involvement in an altercation on the team’s flight to Houston earlier this season sidelined him for three games, but he has since returned to action, logging 19 minutes in Auburn’s recent win over Purdue.

Pearl credited the team’s veteran leadership for helping the freshmen adapt quickly. “This senior-laden team has embraced them, taught them, coached them, and challenged them,” he said. “They’ve done really well and gotten better. As a result, when we go to the bench, we don’t drop off.”

With a strong mix of experience and youthful talent, Auburn remains a top contender in college basketball. Pettiford and Howard’s development has not only bolstered the team’s current success but also bodes well for the Tigers’ future.