Can Kentucky contain Auburn star big man Johni Broome on Saturday?

Kentucky will welcome the #1 team in the country on Saturday when the Auburn Tigers come to town. This isn't just a team that's the best in the country right now, but one that has arguably the best player in all of college basketball in big man Johni Broome. He's going to be a tall task for Kentucky on Saturday.

Broome, who is one of the top all-around big men in the country, is a force in all facets of the game. He averages 18.8 points (3rd in SEC), 11.0 rebounds (1st in SEC, 5th nationally), and 3.4 assists per game. It's not just the offensive side and the glass though, as he leads the SEC with 2.5 blocks per game as well, which ranks 1st in the SEC and 11th in the country. He's a major part of Auburn's success, especially offensively. Broome leads the Tigers in points, rebounds, assists and blocks. Kentucky is going to have to find a way to contain him. They especially need to stay away from attacking him at the rim, as he is 28th in the country in block percentage at a rate of 9.2%.

Auburn as a team defends really well in a lot of areas, but teams can exploit their foul rate, as they rank 288th in fouls per game with 18.3. Kentucky could try their hand at getting Broome in foul trouble, because let's face it, not many teams have really successfully slowed him down. Broome has absolutely teared it up in SEC play, averaging 18.1 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game, as well as 2.7 blocks and shooting an efficient 50.6% overall. He hasn't scored less than 15 points in an SEC game yet this season, so Amari Williams and Andrew Carr will need to do their best to bring the physicality on Saturday, even guys like Brandon Garrison and Ansley Almonor off the bench.

Williams has really improved his physicality throughout conference play so far, and he'll be matched with the toughest test he's faced this season when the top-ranked Tigers come to Rupp Arena on Saturday.