Rising Auburn Freshman Joins Veteran Star on South Regional Team
In an era defined by NIL deals and an increasingly lenient transfer portal, the Auburn Tigers reached the Final Four behind a starting lineup built entirely from transfers — all seniors. Outside of returning center Dylan Cardwell, Auburn’s starting five featured a transfer-heavy mix: former Morehead State standout Johni Broome, two-time transfer Chad Baker-Mazara, ex-Georgia Tech sharpshooter Miles Kelly, and Denver Jones, formerly of Florida International.
So, it was no surprise when Broome — a dominant fifth-year senior — was named to the NCAA South Regional Team. What did raise eyebrows, however, was the inclusion of freshman guard Tahaad Pettiford.
Alongside South Regional Most Outstanding Player Broome, Pettiford became the fifth Auburn player in the last seven years to earn All-Regional honors. A highly-touted four-star recruit in the 2024 class, Pettiford chose Auburn and head coach Bruce Pearl over offers from blue-blood programs like Kansas, Kentucky, and Ole Miss. He made an immediate impact, dropping 21 points against No. 1-ranked Houston in just the second game of the season.
Pettiford continued his breakout campaign in March Madness, averaging 17.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game across four tournament appearances. He scored in double figures each time, with a 23-point performance against Creighton in the Round of 32 and a 20-point outing versus Michigan in the Elite Eight. While veterans like Baker-Mazara, Kelly, and Chaney Johnson struggled — combining for just 15 points on 5-of-22 shooting in that Elite Eight matchup — Pettiford rose to the occasion.
Together, Broome and Pettiford are Auburn’s first All-Regional selections since the 2019 trio of Jared Harper, Bryce Brown, and Chuma Okeke.
Leave a Reply