Auburn Falls to Arkansas Without Keyshawn Hall, Extends Losing Streak to Four
Auburn’s trip to Fayetteville didn’t go as planned, and the absence of one of their biggest contributors loomed large in a tough 88-75 loss to No. 21 Arkansas.
Before tipoff, head coach Steven Pearl confirmed that forward Keyshawn Hall had been suspended indefinitely. And while Auburn has shown flashes of resilience throughout the season, Hall’s absence was hard to ignore on Saturday. The Tigers (14-11, 5-7 SEC) couldn’t complete the season sweep of the Razorbacks (19-6, 9-3), and now find themselves in the middle of a four-game skid at a critical point in the SEC schedule.
Strong Start, But Arkansas Strikes Back
Auburn came out with energy, controlling the game through the first five minutes. But that early momentum was quickly erased when Arkansas rattled off a 10-point run that flipped the script. The Razorbacks turned a back-and-forth start into a double-digit lead, forcing Auburn to play catch-up for the rest of the night.
To their credit, the Tigers clawed back and cut the deficit to just two points late in the first half. But despite the push, they still trailed by multiple possessions heading into the break.
That’s when Arkansas turned up the heat.
Second-Half Surge Seals It for the Razorbacks
Coming out of halftime, Arkansas wasted no time putting the game out of reach. The Razorbacks opened the second half on a tear, building a 20-point lead in under seven minutes. Auburn made several attempts to chip away at the margin, but every time they started to build some momentum, Arkansas had an answer.
It was the kind of second-half burst that championship-caliber teams put together-and on this night, Auburn didn’t have the firepower to match it.
Pettiford Shines, but Depth Issues Surface
With Hall out, Auburn turned to freshman guard Tahaad Pettiford to shoulder the load-and he delivered. Pettiford poured in 29 points and dished out seven assists in a standout individual performance. He was aggressive, efficient, and kept Auburn within striking distance for stretches of the game.
Murphy also stepped up, adding 22 points and pulling down 12 rebounds in a gritty two-way effort. But beyond those two, Auburn struggled to find consistent production.
Only six Tigers scored in the game, and no one outside Pettiford and Murphy reached double digits. That lack of depth was a glaring issue against a deep and balanced Arkansas squad.
Elyjah Freeman added nine rebounds, doing his part on the glass, but Auburn’s offense simply didn’t have enough weapons to keep pace.
Shooting Woes Continue
Shooting efficiency has been a recurring issue during Auburn’s recent slide, and it showed again in Fayetteville. The Tigers shot 40.9% from the field (27-of-66), 31.6% from beyond the arc (6-of-19), and 75% from the free-throw line (15-of-20). While the free-throw numbers were solid, the perimeter shooting left too much on the table, especially when trying to erase a double-digit deficit.
What’s Next for the Tigers?
This loss marks Auburn’s fourth straight, and with the SEC standings tightening, the margin for error is shrinking. Hall’s indefinite suspension adds another layer of uncertainty to a team that’s already searching for answers.
The Tigers have shown they can hang with top-tier competition when they’re clicking. But with February heating up and postseason hopes hanging in the balance, Auburn will need more than just flashes-they’ll need consistency, depth, and a way to stop the bleeding before this skid defines their season.