Auburn Holds Steady at No. 24 After Win Over Chattanooga, But Bigger Test Looms
The Auburn Tigers took care of business in Atlanta, knocking off Chattanooga 92-78 at State Farm Arena. But despite the win, Auburn stays put at No. 24 in the latest USA TODAY Coaches Poll. And while the scoreboard shows a double-digit victory, the game itself had moments that gave Auburn fans reason to sweat.
Chattanooga hung around longer than expected, keeping the Tigers on upset alert for stretches of Saturday’s matchup. But when Auburn needed a spark, its backcourt delivered.
Keyshawn Hall and Tahaad Pettiford stepped up with a combined 42 points-Hall with 22, Pettiford right behind with 20. It’s been rare this season to see both clicking offensively in the same game, but when they do, Auburn’s ceiling rises considerably.
Pettiford, in particular, continued a trend that’s becoming hard to ignore: he seems more comfortable shooting the ball away from Neville Arena. He knocked down five of his 11 three-point attempts, giving Auburn the kind of perimeter threat that stretches defenses and opens up the floor for everyone else.
Off the bench, Elyjah Freeman gave Auburn a much-needed jolt with 19 points. His energy and scoring punch helped the Tigers stay in control when the game started to tighten. For a team still trying to find consistent rhythm from its reserves, that kind of performance is a welcome sign.
Auburn’s frontcourt made its presence felt on the glass, dominating the rebounding battle 42-20. That kind of effort on the boards usually translates to wins, but the Tigers couldn’t fully capitalize inside. Chattanooga actually outscored them in the paint, 36-30-a stat that underscores some of the defensive lapses Auburn will need to clean up as the schedule toughens.
And speaking of tough, there’s no easing into the next challenge. Auburn heads to Indianapolis this weekend for a showdown with No.
6 Purdue. That’s a heavyweight matchup against a team with Final Four aspirations.
A strong showing could launch Auburn up the rankings-or at least solidify their standing heading into SEC play. But a loss, especially a lopsided one, could knock them out of the Top 25.
Zooming out to the rest of the SEC, the conference is still searching for a top-ten presence in the Coaches Poll. Vanderbilt leads the way at No. 12 after climbing two spots.
Arkansas follows at No. 14, and Alabama slides to No. 16 after a tough loss to No. 2 Arizona.
Florida (No. 21) and Tennessee (No. 23) round out the conference’s ranked teams.
Here’s a quick look at the top of the poll: Michigan remains the team to beat, holding the No. 1 spot with a perfect 10-0 record. Arizona is right on their heels at No. 2, also undefeated. Duke, Iowa State, and UConn round out the top five, with Purdue holding firm at No. 6-setting the stage for a high-stakes clash with Auburn.
For the Tigers, the win over Chattanooga was good enough to maintain their spot. But with conference play looming and a top-10 opponent on deck, the margin for error is shrinking. We’ll learn a lot more about this team on Saturday.