The Auburn basketball team's first game of the 2025 NCAA Tournament did not go the way everyone would have hoped, but it was a win. The Tigers beat the Alabama State Hornets 83-63, but that 20-point lead was far from reach in the first half.
Following the game, multiple Tigers, including assistant head coach Steve Pearl and senior center Dylan Cardwell, expressed frustration with the effort that was put forth by the team. Meanwhile, Auburn's Round 2 opponent, Creighton, played a fantastic game against Louisville and will be a formidable foe on Saturday.
As the No. 1 overall seed and a team with a National Player of the Year candidate on the roster, there are a lot of expectations directed at head coach Bruce Pearl and his squad this year. After an incredible season, everything is riding on a run in the tournament. Here is what folks had to say about tomorrow's game.
Steven Pearl on the team's effort against Alabama State, per Auburn Rivals:
“About the only positive is that we won the game. That’s about it. It was embarrassing, honestly. To come out in an NCAA Tournament game with that energy and that effort, that’s why we lost last year. We’ve got to be so much frickin’ better than we are right now. Johni and Chad have to be better. They have to be better in all aspects of the game. And if they’re not, we will not win. I would imagine that Coach is going to challenge them really hard right now because they just didn’t bring it tonight, and I have no idea why. No idea.”
Cardwell on his frustration with how things went in the first game, per Auburn Rivals:
“What’s it going to take? What more is it going to take? I don’t want to look back when I’m 40, I’m 50, I’m 60 and be like, ‘Dang, I wish I got past the first weekend. I wish I’d played in the Final Four.’ We’re a great team. We’re one of the greatest teams in the country. That’s why we’re the No. 1 overall seed. We’re not playing like the No. 1 overall seed anymore. We’re not playing like that anymore. And I don’t know what more it’s going to take for us to get there. We have all the Kumbayas, all the prayer meetings, we have all these things, but what’s it going to take for somebody to buy in?”
Chaney Johnson on his big game, per Auburn Undercover:
"It was big. All glory to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for me to go out there and play the way I did, but I still feel I could do a lot better. Made a couple turnovers, a couple silly shots that I should have made. So I mean, just going back to the drawing board, see where I could do better and trying to improve throughout this run through March."
Bruce Pearl on how to fix the effort issue, per Auburn Undercover:
"Honest. Just straight up. I've told you guys about it, I've told those guys about it. … Like, at the end of the game, are you exhausted? Do you have anything left in the tank? And we definitely had a few guys that just didn't. That's how the season ends, sooner than later."
Auburn and Creighton will tip off from Lexington on Saturday at 6:10 p.m. central time.