If anything, Steven Pearl has been blunt about Auburn’s struggles this season in his first year as the Tigers' head coach. For the first time since 2021, Auburn missed the NCAA Tournament after finishing 17-16, including 7-11 in the SEC, being one of the first four teams left out.
And while some teams might have called it a season, the Tigers decided to continue by playing in the NIT. On Sunday evening, Auburn defeated Seattle, 91-85, to advance to the tournament quarterfinals against Nevada. But Pearl wasn’t exactly happy with how his team defended, a problem that has been critical to some of the problems the Tigers have faced this season.
“Obviously, we aren’t a good defensive team,” Pearl said. “That’s something that we’ve got to improve in the offseason. We’ve just got to find ways of trying to limit teams from scoring more points.”
Auburn continues to struggle on defense
Those defensive problems have been evident all season, even to the casual fan, as the Tigers have struggled to keep opponents from putting up high scores. Auburn ranks a measly 313th in college basketball by allowing 79.2 points per game, a far cry from where the Tigers were last season when they made the Final Four under Steven’s father, Bruce.
During a four-game losing streak in February, Auburn allowed 89.8 points per game, a number that is difficult to keep up with on the offensive end. In both losses to rival Alabama, the Crimson Tide, the nation’s leading scoring team, put up 96 points per game.
And while the Tigers have been good on offense, averaging 82.8 points per game, the defense has failed them when they need it most, leading to critical losses that cost them a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
The good news? The Tigers’ next opponent, Nevada, ranks 167th in scoring offense, putting up 76.2 points per game. If Auburn wants to continue its season after Wednesday night, it must step up against the Wolfpack.