When Auburn scores 92 points in a game, the Tigers usually walk off the floor victors.
That wasn’t the case on Saturday in Neville Arena, as Auburn gave up 96 points to rival Alabama in a four-point loss. The defense was there for Steven Pearl’s squad during most of the first half, but there were some signs of the Tigers’ wall leaking right before halftime, allowing three-straight three-pointers to let the Crimson Tide cut the deficit to just four at the break.
“I thought those last two minutes of the first half, when we gave up three threes was a huge momentum swing in the game because it gave them the confidence that they needed to know that they could knock down those shots,” Pearl said. “It carried over to the second half. For them to score 59 points, that is unacceptable of our defense, and that is on me as their coach."
Auburn can't stop Labaron Philon, Aden Holloway
That confidence carried over into the second half, as Alabama shot 56.7 percent from the floor, including 58.3 percent from three, scoring 59 points in the final 20 minutes as Auburn tried to keep up with them on the scoreboard. And even when Auburn did a great job of pushing the Tide off the three-point line, Labaron Philon and Aden Holloway found ways to get to the basket and make tough shots that helped the Tide take over in the last minute of the game.
The biggest play was made by Holloway, the former Tiger, who, with Auburn trailing by just two, nailed a three while getting fouled, converting the four-point play and extending the lead back to six.
Pearl is calling on his top players to step up their defensive effort on the court.
“Got to guard, just got to guard,” he said. “Our best players have got to be better defenders. That can be a challenge, and they can take that in a negative way, or they can take it as me knowing that they’re capable, because they’ve shown the ability to do so. But if we’re going to beat the best teams on our schedule, our best players have to play better defense.”