Auburn head basketball coach Bruce Pearl admitted that he did Johni Broome wrong during the Tigers' 79-73 loss to Florida in the Final Four. Broome didn't get enough looks in the post during his 6/14, 15-point performance to match Walter Clayton Jr.'s 34-point outburst.
"(Broome's) going to be disappointed that he wasn't elite tonight like he always has been. Give Florida credit. There's real size in that backcourt... But, if he had a better coach, he'd get better looks," Pearl said postgame.
Bruce didn't take 100% of the blame, noting that his team simply didn't execute in the second half like they did in the first.
"We just didn't execute offensively in the second half. I give Florida credit... but there were certain reads, certain plays and certain looks that we did in the first half and just didn't execute in the second half," Pearl added.
"We got everything we wanted (in the first half), but we had to work for it. I just thought we stopped working, offensively."
Auburn's outlook for 2025-26 college basketball season
Pearl's 2025-26 roster will be without Broome and may lose up to six other rotation members due to a lack of remaining eligibility. Expectations will be lowered, but Pearl is likely to be extra busy in the transfer portal now that the season is over. Keyshawn Hall has already been added from UCF.
Will there be another run for Pearl's program like this next year? The odds aren't great for that to happen. AU isn't a major NIL spender in basketball, though they're getting there. Replacing most of a roster is difficult, but if anyone could do it, it's Bruce.
Regardless of what's next, Auburn's 2024-25 season is in the books, and it was the best campaign the Plains has ever seen on the hardwood.