Last year (Actual)...
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Jaylin Williams exhausted his eligibility (now on the OKC Thunder).
Aden Holloway transferred to (gasp) Alabama.
Tre Donaldson transferred to Michigan.
KD Johnson transferred to George Mason.
Everybody else who played significant minutes returns.
Next year (Projected)...
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JP Pegues looks like a good combo guard transferring "up" from Furman (SoCon).
Miles Kelly is transferring in from Georgia Tech. Looks like an okay wing.
Johni Broome is one of the best big men returning in the country. He's going to be the first real challenge that Jackson, Jefferson, and Chatfield face in establishing their defensive chops.
Denver Jones returns. Another combo guard. Initially came in from FIU.
Chad Baker-Mazara returns. Another guard/wing. Came by way of Duquesne and SDSU.
Chaney Johnson returns. Sophomore stretch four.
Dylan Cardwell returns. Center/Broome's backup/has always been at Auburn.
Ja'Heim Hudson is a double transfer from Georgia State to $MU and now to Auburn.
Chris Moore is in his fifth year at Auburn.
So...
They lost roughly three of their four best guys (one to the NBA and two transferred out).
They retain their best player and a matchup nightmare in Broome. He's a monster on the glass and blocking shots and even has a good outside shot but can't seem to hit free throws.
They're going to trap him. Hard. We'll see how he deals with the Cyclone pressure defense.
Brought in some okayish-good transfers from Furman and Georgia Tech.
A lot of "depth" or "bench" guys returning who are going to need to step up.
Torvik had Auburn #4 last year (ahead of Iowa State at #5). Torvik has them projected at #7 next year (with Broome, Pegues, and Baker-Mazara leading the way) with Iowa State at #5.
This match is a heavyweight bout of two teams with legit ambitions for a #1 seed. Winning this game would be one of your key arguments to deserving such a privileged position.