Auburn Basketball Looks to Rebound at Home After Missed Opportunity at Missouri
AUBURN - Auburn had a golden opportunity to gain ground in a wide-open SEC race. Instead, it stumbled on the road in Columbia, falling to a Missouri team that, on paper, looked beatable. It wasn’t just the loss that stung - it was the way it happened.
Head coach Steven Pearl didn’t sugarcoat it. “We lost before we even got here,” he said after the game.
That’s not coach-speak. That’s a coach calling out his team’s energy and focus - or lack thereof.
And now, with South Carolina coming to Neville Arena, Auburn’s got a shot at redemption, but it won’t come easy.
The Tigers return home Saturday, Jan. 17, for a 5 p.m. CT tipoff against South Carolina on SEC Network.
Both teams are sitting near the bottom of the SEC standings, each with just one conference win. That makes this matchup more than just another game - it’s a gut check.
Pearl’s message to his team heading into this one? Simple, but pointed.
“There’s no one in this league good enough to just show up,” he said. “Last year’s team was the best in Auburn basketball history, and even they weren’t good enough to just show up in this league and win.”
That’s the reality of SEC basketball. Talent helps, sure.
But effort and energy? Those are non-negotiables.
Auburn didn’t bring either against Missouri, and it showed. The Tigers looked flat from the jump, and Pearl knows that starts with him.
“I’ve got to do a better job as their coach to bring that out of them,” he said.
The Tigers have shown flashes of who they can be - just ask Arkansas, who got steamrolled by Auburn earlier this month. But those moments have been too few and far between. The inconsistency has cost them, and if they’re not careful, it could cost them again Saturday.
Neville Arena has been a stronghold for Auburn in recent seasons, but even that fortress has shown cracks this year. The Tigers have already dropped one SEC game at home - something that hasn’t happened this early in conference play since the 2020-21 season. A second home loss this soon would be a troubling sign for a team still trying to find its identity.
Game Info: Auburn vs. South Carolina
- Time: 5 p.m. CT
- Date: Saturday, Jan. 17
- Location: Neville Arena, Auburn, AL
- TV: SEC Network
- Streaming: Fubo
- Radio: WLWI FM (92.3) in Montgomery, WGZZ FM (94.3) in Auburn
Broadcasters: Mike Morgan (play-by-play) and Pat Bradley (analyst) will be on the call for SEC Network.
A Look at the Season So Far
Auburn’s season has been a rollercoaster. The Tigers opened strong with convincing wins over Bethune-Cookman, Merrimack, and Wofford, then nearly pulled off a stunner against No.
2 Houston. They bounced back with a big win over Jackson State and a solid showing at the neutral-site tournament in November, including a win over Oregon and a competitive game against Michigan.
December was more of the same - moments of promise, like the win over NC State, mixed with tough losses to Arizona and Purdue. Then came January, and with it, the grind of SEC play.
Auburn dropped a heartbreaker in overtime to Georgia, lost a nail-biter to Texas A&M, and then delivered a statement win over Arkansas. But the loss to Missouri brought them right back down to earth.
Here’s a snapshot of the 2025-26 schedule so far:
- Nov. 3: No.
22 Auburn 95, Bethune-Cookman 90 (OT)
- **Nov.
6**: No. 22 Auburn 95, Merrimack 57
- Nov. 11: No.
25 Auburn 93, Wofford 62
- **Nov.
16**: No. 2 Houston 73, No.
25 Auburn 72
- **Nov.
19**: Auburn 112, Jackson State 66
- **Nov.
24**: No. 25 Auburn 84, Oregon 73
- Nov. 25: No.
6 Michigan 102, No. 25 Auburn 72
- Nov. 26: No.
25 Auburn 85, No. 15 St.
John's 74
- **Dec.
3**: No. 24 Auburn 83, NC State 73
- Dec. 6: No.
3 Arizona 97, No. 24 Auburn 68
- Dec. 13: No.
24 Auburn 92, Chattanooga 78
- **Dec.
20**: No. 6 Purdue 88, No.
24 Auburn 60
- **Dec.
29**: Auburn 106, Queens 65
- **Jan.
3**: No. 24 Georgia 104, Auburn 100 (OT)
- Jan. 6: Texas A&M 90, Auburn 88
- Jan. 10: Auburn 95, No.
15 Arkansas 73
- **Jan.
14**: Missouri 84, Auburn 74
- **Jan.
17**: Auburn vs. South Carolina (5 p.m., SECN)
- Jan. 20: Auburn at Ole Miss (8 p.m., ESPNU)
- Jan. 24: Auburn at No.
20 Florida (3/3:30 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2)
- **Jan.
28**: Auburn vs. Texas (6 p.m., ESPN2)
- Jan. 31: Auburn at Tennessee (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
- Feb. 7: Auburn vs.
No. 18 Alabama (3/3:30 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2)
- Feb. 10: Auburn vs.
No. 8 Vanderbilt (6 p.m., SECN)
- Feb. 14: Auburn at No.
17 Arkansas (7:30 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2)
- **Feb.
18**: Auburn at Mississippi State (8 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU)
- **Feb.
21**: Auburn vs. Kentucky (7:30 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2)
- Feb. 24: Auburn at Oklahoma (8 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU)
- March 3: Auburn vs. LSU (9 p.m., SECN)
(*Neutral-site games denoted with asterisk)
The Bottom Line
There’s no panic in Auburn’s locker room - not yet. But there is urgency.
Pearl knows what this team is capable of, but he also knows the SEC doesn’t hand out wins for potential. The Tigers have to earn every inch, starting with South Carolina.
If Auburn wants to stay in the hunt and avoid an early-season spiral, Saturday’s game isn’t just another home tilt. It’s a must-have. Expect a fired-up Neville Arena and a team with something to prove.