Auburn's basketball journey this season has been a rollercoaster, and first-year head coach Steven Pearl hasn't shied away from acknowledging the bumps along the way. Missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021, the Tigers wrapped up their regular season with a 17-16 record, including a 7-11 mark in the SEC. Despite being one of the first four teams left out, Auburn chose to keep fighting in the NIT.
In a nail-biter on Sunday evening, Auburn edged out Seattle 91-85, securing a spot in the tournament quarterfinals against Nevada. But Pearl wasn't entirely satisfied, especially with the team's defense-a recurring issue throughout the season.
“Obviously, we aren’t a good defensive team,” Pearl admitted. “That’s something that we’ve got to improve in the offseason. We’ve just got to find ways of trying to limit teams from scoring more points.”
Auburn's Defensive Struggles
The defensive woes have been apparent all season, even to casual observers. Auburn has struggled to contain opponents, ranking 313th in college basketball by allowing 79.2 points per game. This is a stark contrast to last season's Final Four run under Steven’s father, Bruce Pearl.
During a tough four-game losing streak in February, the Tigers allowed opponents to score an average of 89.8 points per game-a challenging figure to match offensively. In particular, both encounters with rival Alabama saw the Crimson Tide, the nation’s top-scoring team, rack up 96 points per game.
While Auburn has shown prowess on offense, averaging 82.8 points per game, their defense has faltered at crucial moments, leading to key losses that ultimately kept them out of the NCAA Tournament.
Looking Ahead
The silver lining? Auburn's next opponent, Nevada, ranks 167th in scoring offense, averaging 76.2 points per game. If the Tigers want to keep their season alive past Wednesday night, tightening up their defense against the Wolfpack will be essential.