Less than 10 minutes into the Tigers' first NCAA Tournament game of the postseason, senior guard Chris Moore went down hard after a nasty ankle injury. Head coach Bruce Pearl took Moore out of the game almost immediately and the veteran forward did not shoot his own free throws, after being fouled on the play.
During a media timeout, Pearl shared that Moore's absence from the game would mean more Chad Baker-Mazara and more Chaney Johnson as the Tigers looked to avoid the same mistakes from last year:
In the 2024 NCAA Tournament, the Auburn Tigers were stunned by Yale in the First Round despite being one of the top seeds. This year, the Tigers are one of the No. 1 teams and are primed to make a deep run in the Big Dance.
However, the loss of a frequently utilized bench player in Moore was far from an ideal way to start Auburn's postseason run.
A few minutes later in the game, CBS showed footage of Moore doing some simple drills in the tunnel to try to test his ankle and then, he was seen exiting the tunnel with a smile on his face, a seemingly good sign for the Tigers.
This season, Moore started in four games and played in 33 games for Auburn. The forward averaged 10.7 minutes, 1.6 rebounds, 1.2 points, and 0.5 assists per appearance. Moore has played for Auburn since 2020 and has played in three previous March Madness tournaments.
CBS sideline reporter Allie LaForce shared that the Auburn coaching staff reported that Moore had suffered a sprained ankle but had yet to determine if he would return to the matchup.
Before Moore was ever able to return to the game, the Tigers had already built up a 28-18 lead over the Alabama State Hornets, who had defeated Saint Francis (PA) in the First Four round.