Finished 28-5. A 15-3 record in SEC play. One of the tops in offense. Auburn had done enough to secure the No. 1 seed. But instead of getting a smooth road to March Madness glory, Bruce Pearl’s Tigers found themselves stuck in a South Region loaded with potential upsets. The only real “reward”? If they make it to the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, they’ll get to play in Atlanta, just 110 miles from campus. But before they can even think about deep runs and hometown advantages, they’ve got a bigger problem to fix. And it’s not their seeding.
Steven Pearl, Bruce Pearl’s son and Auburn’s associate head coach, pointed out another issue that could cause problems: the officiating. Speaking on ‘The Next Round,’ he was asked if it was common to see unfamiliar officials in the tournament. His response was basically a YES.
“You’re not gonna recognize one or maybe even two guys, especially in the first round. Usually, you’ll see one guy that you’ve had throughout the year, whether it’s an SEC official or someone from non-conference games. But in that first game, you’re gonna walk out there and be like, ‘Who the heck is this guy?’,” the coach said.
And officiating isn’t just a small concern, it already cost Auburn a big game. Tigers know all too well what bad officiating—or, more accurately, bad defensive discipline—can do. Pearl didn’t hold back, pointing to their SEC Tournament loss to Tennessee as a prime example. The Vols took a ridiculous 27 free throws, making 25 of them. Auburn fouled way too much and paid the price.
Dec 4, 2024; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Auburn Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl reacts during the second half against the Duke Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils won 84-78. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images
In that game, Auburn picked up eight fouls in the first half. But once the second half started, it got worse. Miles Kelly and Denver Jones had three fouls within the first two minutes, and the floodgates opened from there. The Tigers ended up committing 21 personal fouls in total, 13 in the second half alone, while Tennessee turned that into a 92% free throw shooting night.
Pearl Jr. laid it out clearly, highlighting the one issue they must fix, “For us in round one, we’ve got to do a better job of guarding without fouling because the games are called much tighter in the first round.” This basically means that if Auburn can’t clean up their defense, they might be in trouble before the tournament even gets rolling.
Now, sure, they’re facing a No. 16 seed in Alabama State, and on paper, that should be an easy win. But Alabama State isn’t just showing up for fun. They’re coming off a dramatic 70-68 win over Saint Francis in the First Four, securing their program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament victory.
Momentum is real, and the Hornets will be buzzing.
Meanwhile, Auburn hasn’t exactly been at their best lately. Losing three games in one week? Not ideal. But Steven Pearl wants people to remember who they’ve lost to. “All you hear about is 3 of the last 4, but I look back at our last 10. We’re 7-3 in our last 10 games. We have wins over a 2-seed, a 3-seed, two 6-seeds, a 9-seed, and two 10-seeds. You can’t push the panic button when you lose to 3 Top-13 teams in the country.”
Fair point. Losing to elite competition isn’t the same as being in a full-blown meltdown. The key is regrouping, tightening up the defense, and getting ready for a deep tournament run. Auburn is still one of the most popular picks to win it all.
Not everyone agrees with this notion, though.
Stephen A. Smith rips into Bruce Pearl’s squad
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith isn’t sold. And in classic Stephen A. fashion, he had some words for Bruce Pearl’s squad. “You’re right about Auburn, Shannon (Sharpe). I’m a huge fan of Bruce Pearl. You lose three of your last four games heading into the tournament. What the hell is going on?” the analyst ranted on ‘First Take.’
Then he really went in: “You got bounced out last year in the first round. Y’all are supposed to have an attitude. Auburn, what’s up? What’s up Auburn? Are you going home early again, is that what you’re going to do?”
Ouch!
Last season’s embarrassing first-round exit to No. 14 Yale is still fresh in everyone’s minds. And Smith made sure to remind Auburn of that. Before wrapping up, he had one last message for the Tigers, “Step your game up and handle your business. Y’all are better than that.”
Oct 23, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Stephen A. Smith (Stephen Smith) on the ESPN NBA Countdown live set at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
A fired-up Smith is no shocker but maybe Bruce Pearl should blast that clip in the locker room and let it fuel his guys. This is Auburn’s fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and the sixth under Pearl. They know what’s at stake, and they know they’re good enough to make a run.
Now, the only question is, can they prove the doubters wrong?
With all the odds in their favour, Auburn faces Alabama State in the First Four on Thursday, March 20, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. Let’s see if the Tigers come out roaring or if the analyst gets to say, ‘I told you so.’
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