HotBasketballTakes: Auburn 95, Bethune-Cookman 90 (OT) — The Rockiest Debut Possible
The Steven Pearl era officially began with a win, but not the kind anyone wanted. Auburn, ranked No. 20 in the country and favored by 25.5 points, needed every bit of overtime to escape with a 95–90 win over Bethune-Cookman in front of a stunned Neville Arena. It was high-drama, high-stress, and way too close for comfort.
Auburn came out flat and never truly put the game away. Bethune-Cookman hit 11-of-20 from deep and outscored Auburn in the paint 44–34. The Tigers spent most of the night scrambling on defense and struggling to impose their will despite a major talent gap. For long stretches, BCU looked like the more organized and confident team.
The defining moment came with just 0.5 seconds left in regulation. Up 81–78, Auburn had one job—don’t foul. But Elyjah Freeman bumped BCU’s Arterio Morris on a desperation half-court shot. Morris stepped to the line and calmly knocked down all three free throws. Overtime. What should’ve been a hard-fought but secure win turned into a nightmare scenario, all because of one lapse in discipline.
To their credit, Auburn responded. Keyshawn Hall—who had been the most consistent threat all game—took over in OT. He finished with 28 points, including 16 from the free-throw line, and hit clutch shots to keep the Tigers in front. Pettiford added 17 points and played a major role in OT as well, coming up with a key steal, a block, and a dagger layup to help close it out. After starting 10-for-20 from the stripe, Auburn hit 17 of its final 18 free throws to seal the game.
Still, the problems were obvious. Auburn’s defense was shaky all night. BCU’s guards drove with ease, found open shooters, and exposed Auburn’s lack of rim protection. The rotations weren’t sharp. The energy was inconsistent. Even with the win, the night felt like a missed opportunity to build confidence and momentum out of the gate.
Steven Pearl praised his team for not panicking, and that’s fair. They didn’t fold in overtime. But they never should’ve been in that position in the first place. Auburn survived more than it won. And for a program with Top 25 expectations, that’s not a sustainable formula.
Lot of work to do, but I have full confidence in this team and the leadership. We will bounce back.
Next up is Merrimack on Thursday night. The hope is that the lessons from this near-miss turn into a sharper, more focused effort. Because if this team plays like that again, the margin for error will run out fast.