Auburn basketball fans can breathe a sigh of relief, at least for now. The Tigers snapped a five-game losing streak with a thrilling victory over Kentucky, but the win wasn't without its hiccups. While Auburn managed to come out on top, there were still areas of concern, particularly in closing out games.
Head coach Steven Pearl highlighted the need for improvement in crucial moments. "We were up 4 at the under-4 media timeout and just talked about having to finish," Pearl noted.
"We had two coverage mistakes on back-to-back possessions that led to 3s. Very similar to the Mississippi State game.
We've got to stop doing that if we want to win."
Despite the struggles, beating a storied program like Kentucky can provide a much-needed confidence boost. Auburn will look to build on this momentum as they prepare to take on Oklahoma in Norman.
The game is set for Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 8 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on ESPNU.
For those tuning in via radio, the game will be live on WLWI FM (92.3) in Montgomery and WGZZ FM (94.3) in Auburn. Online streaming is also available, with Andy Burcham providing play-by-play and Randall Dickey offering analysis.
Here's a look at Auburn's season so far:
- Nov. 3: Auburn edged out Bethune-Cookman in overtime, 95-90.
- Nov. 6: A dominant 95-57 win over Merrimack.
- Nov. 11: Auburn cruised past Wofford, 93-62.
- Nov. 16*: A nail-biter against Houston, falling 73-72.
- Nov. 19: A commanding 112-66 victory over Jackson State.
- Nov. 24*: Auburn topped Oregon, 84-73.
- Nov. 25*: A tough loss to Michigan, 102-72.
- Nov. 26: Rebounded with an 85-74 win over St.
John's.
- Dec.
3: Defeated North Carolina State, 83-73.
- Dec.
6: Fell to Arizona, 97-68.
- Dec.
13*: Beat Chattanooga, 92-78.
- Dec.
20*: Lost to Purdue, 88-60.
- Dec.
29: Dominated Queens, 106-65.
- Jan.
3: A close overtime loss to Georgia, 104-100.
- Jan.
6: Narrowly defeated by Texas A&M, 90-88.
- Jan.
10: A statement win over Arkansas, 95-73.
- Jan.
14: Lost to Missouri, 84-74.
- Jan.
17: Edged South Carolina, 71-67.
- Jan.
20: Beat Ole Miss, 78-66.
- Jan.
24: Took down Florida, 76-67.
- Jan.
28: Outlasted Texas, 88-82.
- Jan.
31: Fell to Tennessee, 77-69.
- Feb.
7: A high-scoring affair against Alabama, losing 96-92.
- Feb.
10: Lost to Vanderbilt, 96-92.
- Feb.
14: Defeated by Arkansas, 88-75.
- Feb.
18: Another tough loss to Mississippi State, 91-85.
- Feb.
21: A narrow victory over Kentucky, 75-74.
Looking ahead, Auburn faces Oklahoma next and will continue SEC play with matchups against Ole Miss, LSU, and a rivalry clash with Alabama. Each game presents a chance to solidify their standing and build towards postseason aspirations.