The Auburn Tigers are sitting at 7-3, and while the record shows three losses, the nature of those defeats tells a more nuanced story. One of them-a nail-biting 73-72 loss to Houston at Legacy Arena-came down to the wire. That’s the same arena where Auburn’s March Madness run ended at the hands of the Cougars last season, and the déjà vu was as painful as it was familiar.
The other two losses? Not nearly as close.
A 97-68 blowout at Arizona and a 102-72 drubbing by Michigan in Las Vegas at the Player's Era Festival weren’t just losses-they were statements. But here’s the thing: those statements might say more about Arizona and Michigan than they do about Auburn.
There’s growing consensus that Michigan and Arizona might just be the cream of the crop in college hoops this season. And not by a small margin.
Some analysts are already putting them in a tier of their own, suggesting that if you gave them those two teams and let everyone else take the field, they’d still feel good about their chances. That’s how dominant these squads have looked.
Arizona’s Ascension
Arizona just added another marquee win to its résumé, dismantling Alabama 96-75 in Birmingham-a tough place to play and an even tougher team to beat. That kind of road win doesn’t just happen by accident. The Wildcats are playing with pace, poise, and purpose, and they’re doing it on both ends of the floor.
Now, they get a four-game stretch at home to close out non-conference play before diving into the Big 12 gauntlet. First up is Abilene Christian on Tuesday, followed by a Saturday showdown with San Diego State-a team Michigan handled by 40 points earlier in the season. That game will be a good measuring stick for Arizona as they continue jockeying for top-tier status.
Michigan’s Machine Rolls On
Meanwhile, Michigan is already making noise in the Big Ten, opening conference play with a pair of lopsided wins-by 41 over Rutgers and 18 over Maryland. That’s not just winning; that’s domination.
The Wolverines look deep, disciplined, and dangerous. And they’re doing it with a level of consistency that’s rare this early in the season.
They’ll stay in Ann Arbor for two more non-conference tune-ups-La Salle on Sunday and McNeese State on the 29th-before resuming their Big Ten campaign. If they keep playing like this, it’s hard to see many teams keeping up.
Auburn’s Road Ahead
For Auburn, the focus now shifts to rebounding from those tough losses while holding firm in the AP Top 25. The Tigers just took care of business in Atlanta, beating Chattanooga 92-78 at the Holiday Hoopsgiving event. It was a solid bounce-back win, and one they needed heading into a critical stretch.
Next up? A high-profile clash with Purdue in Indianapolis next Saturday.
That’s a big one-not just for rankings, but for confidence heading into SEC play. After that, Auburn returns home to face Queens University of Charlotte on the 29th, then opens conference play on January 3rd in Athens against Georgia.
The Tigers have shown flashes of what they can be. Now it’s about consistency, especially with league play on the horizon. The path forward won’t be easy, but with the kind of talent and coaching Auburn has, they’re still very much in the mix.
Yes, those blowout losses sting. But when they come against teams that may be leading the national title conversation, they can also serve as valuable measuring sticks. Auburn’s got time to close the gap-and the next few weeks will go a long way in showing just how far they’ve come.