Basketball season is here and Auburn enters the 2024-2025 season with high expectations.

Bruce Pearl's team is ranked 11th in the preseason AP poll and was picked to finish second in the Southeastern Conference. However, much of the hype is justified considering a team coming off a conference tournament championship and returning much of its performance.

However, it will not be easy to build on last year's success. Auburn plays one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country and the SEC continues to be one of the deepest conferences in college basketball.

With Auburn officially kicking off on Wednesday, here are five bold predictions for the Tigers' upcoming season:

Auburn will lose at least three non-conference games

With a tougher non-conference schedule often comes more non-conference losses. Auburn is playing one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country this season, so it would be unrealistic to expect the Tigers to get through the start of the season unscathed.

Games against Houston, Duke and Iowa State on Maui are the toughest matchups to start the season. Auburn may not lose all three of these games, but these and other tough games like Purdue and Ohio State force the Tigers to come together quickly.

Because the schedule is so strong overall, a few losses early on won't have much of a negative impact on Auburn's tournament progress. Auburn has more to win than lose in these games, and some early play could help the team later in the season.

Auburn will win the SEC

There is a very good chance that the SEC will play Alabama State's two teams this season. The Crimson Tide was picked to win the conference in the preseason poll, but Auburn wasn't far behind in second place.

Both teams are more than talented enough to win the SEC title, and it wouldn't be a surprise if either team won. That doesn't mean that only Auburn and Alabama can win, either, as teams like Arkansas, Tennessee and Texas A&M all appear to be contenders.

However, this season feels right for Auburn. When you combine a returning All-American, several returning starters, two immediate impact freshmen and proven transfers with enough early testing to find out what works, you get a team that will be tough to beat in the second half of the season.

Johni Broome will win the Wooden Award

Over the past 24 seasons, 14 seniors have been honored with the Wooden Award. Auburn's Johni Broome has a chance at No. 15 if he does the same thing he did for the Tigers a season ago.

Broome was named to the preseason All-SEC first team after averaging 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game in 2023. His other honors include SEC Tournament Most Valuable Player honors, first-team All-SEC selection, and an SEC All-Defensive selection.

A Wooden Award for Broome's college career resume would put him on par with the greats college basketball has seen in recent years.

Tahaad Pettiford and Jahki Howard were named to the SEC All-Freshman team

Pearl brought in two highly touted freshmen in guard Tahaad Pettiford and forward Jahki Howard. The duo caused a stir early on in the Tigers' two friendlies, suggesting both players have a good chance of having a good year.

Pettiford signed with the No. 29 overall pick in the country and scored 12 points with five assists in Auburn's final exhibition game against Florida Atlantic. He missed two of his five 3-point attempts and nearly dropped a third that failed due to a foul.

Howard scored 14 points on 5-for-10 shooting and added four steals defensively. With his incredible athleticism and ability to create shooting opportunities, he will be crucial in conference play.

Nineteen players have been named to the SEC All-Freshman Team in Auburn history. The most recent Tiger players named to the All-Freshman team were Aden Holloway (2024) and Jabari Smith (2022).

Miles Kelly will lead the team in 3-point percentage

Georgia Tech transfer Miles Kelly will be Auburn's secret weapon on offense. Averaging 13.9 points and 5.5 rebounds for the Yellow Jackets a season ago, Kelly's experience will add depth to Auburn's loaded backcourt.

Kelly's 184 career 3-point field goals tied for ninth-most in Georgia Tech history. After missing the Tigers' first matchup against Furman, Kelly scored 15 points against Florida Atlantic. He was 4 of 8 from the floor and drilled three 3-pointers.