March is all about surviving and advancing, and Auburn men’s basketball did just that on Thursday, scraping past Alabama State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. But despite the victory, head coach Bruce Pearl was far from satisfied with his team’s performance, even going so far as to suggest it was worse than last year’s shocking upset loss to Yale.
Pearl didn’t mince words when reflecting on the game. “We didn’t play our best basketball tonight,” he said. “In fact, I’d argue that this performance felt worse than what happened against Yale. At least in that game, we had moments where we showed some fight. Tonight, I didn’t see enough of that.”
Auburn’s Struggles Continue Despite Surviving
Last year’s early exit against Yale left a bitter taste in the mouths of Auburn fans and players alike. The 12th-seeded Bulldogs stunned Auburn with a gritty performance, exposing weaknesses the Tigers had been able to mask for much of the season. This time around, Auburn was determined to avoid a similar fate, but their sluggish play against 15th-seeded Alabama State drew unwanted comparisons to that disastrous night.
Though Auburn emerged with the win, it was anything but convincing. Sloppy ball-handling, missed opportunities, and defensive lapses allowed Alabama State to hang around much longer than expected. Pearl’s frustration was evident as he repeatedly shook his head on the sidelines.
Pearl Demands More Heading into the Next Round
While Auburn lived to fight another day, Pearl knows that kind of effort won’t cut it moving forward. “We can’t play like that and expect to beat quality teams in this tournament,” he emphasized. “We’re fortunate to be advancing, but if we don’t clean things up, we won’t be advancing for long.”
Pearl’s comments serve as a stark warning to his team. In March Madness, surviving one bad game is possible — but two in a row? That’s a recipe for an early exit.
Auburn’s next test will come against a much tougher opponent in the second round. If the Tigers want to avoid another heartbreaking disappointment, they’ll need to regroup quickly and show the kind of intensity and execution that Pearl demands. Otherwise, Auburn’s tournament dreams could once again be shattered sooner than expected.
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