Auburn football head coach Hugh Freeze made sure to tip his metaphorical cap to Auburn basketball head coach Bruce Pearl after his Tigers defeated Tennessee on the hardwood March 4 during AU’s home finale at the Neville Arena.
The action between Auburn and Tennessee was neck-and-neck for most of the game, with the Tigers fending off a Vols run late in the first half to keep the halftime deficit at 4 via a buzzer-beating Wendell Green Jr. 3-pointer. Auburn pulled away in the game’s closing moments with a steady diet of Green, Alan Flanigan, Johni Broome, and Jaylin Williams attacking the paint and forcing fouls.
With the win, AU has likely punched its ticket to March Madness regardless of their SEC Tournament results.
Auburn football head coach Hugh Freeze shouts out ‘great resolve’ of Bruce Pearl’s Tigers
On social media, Freeze made sure to offer his heartiest War Eagle after the win, and he specifically shouted out the resolve of Pearl’s Tigers in what was a make-or-break game for their tournament resume:
WarEagle!!! Great resolve by @coachbrucepearl , his staff and Auburn Basketball team!!!
— Hugh Freeze (@CoachHughFreeze) March 4, 2023
While it’s been a largely disappointing season in 2022-23, the regular season ended on a major high note.
Auburn football has a month of preparation before A-Day showcase
Freeze’s Auburn football program is currently going through spring practice ahead of the his Jordan-Hare Stadium debut for the 2023 edition of the Auburn A-Day spring game. Several questions about both sides of the ball must be answered before the first public display of the new coaching staff’s efforts.
First and foremost is the quarterback situation. Is Robby Ashford starter material in Philip Montgomery’s offensive schemes? Can TJ Finley have a role as a backup? Or is the six-foot-seven destined for the transfer portal? And where does Holden Geriner fit in?
And will Freeze’s overhauled offensive trenches be able to protect any of them?
Other less pressing offensive questions involve who will step up in the receiving corps and whether or not Rivaldo Fairweather is ready to assume the big role John Samuel Shenker did at tight end.
Defensively, the primary concern is whether Colby Wooden, Derick Hall, Eku Leota, and Owen Pappie can be properly replaced. Again, there’s plenty of new talent Freeze brought in along the defensive front, but can they do the job?
A-Day will offer us a glimpse into the answers of those questions.