HotBasketballTakes: Auburn Humiliated by Michigan in Vegas Meltdown
Auburn 72, Michigan 102 — The Recap Nobody Wanted to Write
This was not a loss. This was an unraveling.
The #21 Auburn Tigers were annihilated by the #7 Michigan Wolverines on Tuesday night in Las Vegas, falling 102–72 in what instantly became one of the worst defeats of the Steven Pearl era. The score was 59–31 at halftime. Michigan led by as many as 38. Auburn never threatened. Every flaw was exposed. Every weakness magnified. And whatever momentum Auburn had built by beating Oregon the night before was detonated in 40 lifeless minutes.
The game was competitive for roughly six minutes before Michigan dropped the hammer. Auburn missed eight consecutive shots while Michigan went on a devastating 21–4 run that flipped a narrow two-point margin into a 22-point avalanche. By halftime, the Wolverines had racked up 59 points — the most allowed by Auburn in a single half in nearly a decade. Michigan outscored Auburn 29–3 in fast break points, dominated the paint 56–32, won the rebounding battle 51–35, and dished out 19 assists to Auburn’s 3. It was domination in every phase: effort, execution, energy — all gone.
Statistically, the Tigers weren’t just outplayed — they were outclassed. Auburn shot a meager 35.5% from the field (22-of-62), managed only three assists across 40 minutes, and clanked their way to 18-of-33 from the free-throw line, a brutal 54.5%. Even the team’s lone bright spot — shooting 10-of-24 (41.7%) from beyond the arc — was meaningless because of how badly they were beaten everywhere else. As Steven Pearl put it bluntly after the game, “We missed 15 free throws. In a 30-point game, those numbers add up.”
Individual performances didn’t carry much weight, either. Tahaad Pettiford led Auburn with 16 points, hitting 4-of-6 from deep, but most of his damage came in garbage time. Keyshawn Hall added 15 points and five rebounds, but failed to control the paint or impose his presence. Filip Jović and KeShawn Murphy combined for 25 points off the bench, though Michigan still outscored Auburn 47–27 in bench production. No player changed the momentum. No one sparked a run. Meanwhile, Michigan put six players in double figures and looked like a team with a plan. Auburn looked like a team that had just met.
This game was framed as a rematch of last year’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, where Auburn beat Michigan by 13. The Wolverines remembered. Nimari Burnett said afterward, “We had this one circled.” Yaxel Lendeborg led the Wolverines with 17 points and set a physical tone inside. Coach Pearl admitted, “It was painful. They wanted it more. And they showed it.” Auburn’s nine-game winning streak against Big Ten teams came to a brutal end.
This wasn’t just a random off night. It was a red flag. The effort was lacking. The defense was unrecognizable. The composure vanished after one punch. And while it was a back-to-back, Michigan faced the same schedule, the same environment, the same 24-hour turnaround. The difference? Michigan had an identity. Auburn had no plan.
Flush It or Let It Fester: The Bounce-Back Opportunity vs. St. John’s
Now Auburn faces St. John’s in a must-respond moment. The #21 Tigers (5–2) meet the #14 Red Storm (4–2) in the consolation final of the Players Era Festival — a high-stakes, reputation-resetting matchup in Las Vegas. Both teams are playing their third game in four days. Auburn is trying to erase the embarrassment of that 30-point blowout. St. John’s just hammered Baylor by 15. One team is leaving with a ranked win. The other leaves with serious questions.
For Auburn, this game is more than just a consolation. It's a culture check. The Tigers had momentum before Michigan buried them in the Vegas desert. The 102–72 loss revealed structural issues: poor rebounding, porous transition defense, and a lack of physical presence inside. Tonight isn’t about rankings or resume. It’s about grit.
Coach Steven Pearl acknowledged the need for a reset. He said the team must rediscover its defensive pride and offensive discipline — both of which disappeared during Michigan’s first-half blitz. Meanwhile, Rick Pitino’s Red Storm enters tonight looking for consecutive ranked wins after torching Baylor 96–81. They’re confident, fast, and disruptive.
This game will be decided by who controls tempo. Auburn’s formula is based on discipline, control, and efficiency. The Tigers average 89 points per game, commit just 8.7 turnovers (17th nationally), and hold opponents to 42.1% shooting. When Auburn scores over 75, they’re undefeated. But when that structure breaks down — as it did vs. Michigan — things unravel quickly.
St. John’s plays the opposite game. They want chaos. They average 95.3 points per game (8th nationally), shoot 50.9% from the floor, and force 15.3 turnovers per night. Pitino’s crew thrives on live-ball turnovers, transition buckets, and mismatches. They don’t care if the score hits 100 — they’re going to run until you stop them.
Auburn can’t outrun this team. They’ll have to outthink them.
Roster-wise, all eyes are on Keyshawn Hall. Auburn’s best player — averaging 23.3 points and 11.0 rebounds per game before the injury — has missed two straight contests with a lateral foot sprain. He was a game-time decision against Michigan and is expected to return tonight. Auburn needs him — badly. Without Hall, the Tigers lack an interior scoring threat and any real physical anchor.
Tahaad Pettiford, who led Auburn in scoring against Michigan, must show more efficiency and poise. He can’t just shoot — he has to manage the game. Depth will matter too. This is the third game in four days. Auburn’s bench was a strength against Oregon, invisible against Michigan. Players like Filip Jović, Elyjah Freeman, and Kaden Magwood need to create offense, draw contact, and slow the pace.
St. John’s, meanwhile, has star power. Zuby Ejiofor (a Kansas transfer) is a problem inside. Bryce Hopkins (formerly Kentucky and Providence) is a matchup nightmare at the wing. Combined, they average nearly 40 points per game. If Auburn doesn’t rotate, contest, and control the glass, this game could look a lot like the last one.
Watch three things: the turnover battle, points in the paint, and free throw shooting. Auburn must stay under 10 turnovers and keep St. John’s in half-court sets. Michigan dominated the paint — St. John’s will try to do the same. And Auburn left 15 points at the free-throw line on Tuesday. That can’t happen again.
HotBasketballTake: Auburn 87, St. John’s 84.
Keyshawn Hall returns. Pettiford settles in. The Tigers respond to the Michigan disaster with just enough toughness and execution to slow the game down, force St. John’s into jump shots, and sneak out with a much-needed bounce-back win in Vegas.
You don’t learn much from blowouts — unless you respond to one the next night. Auburn got embarrassed. Now we find out who they are.