Basketball News: 12-19-2025
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Dudley Dent
Dec 19, 2025, 7:52:59 AM (7 days ago) Dec 19
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Auburn Basketball News: 12-19-2025
How to Watch: No. 21 Auburn vs. No. 6 Purdue:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2025/12/18/how-to-watch-no-21-auburn-vs-no-6-purdue
Steven Pearl explains how Auburn can fight back its size disadvantage against Purdue:
https://flywareagle.com/steven-pearl-explains-how-auburn-can-fight-back-its-size-disadvantage-against-purdue-01kct1b13m3a
Auburn hoops looking for 'exceptions' to add a player midseason:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-basketball-roster-emeka-opurum-steven-pearl-266980293/
VIDEO: Steven Pearl Press Conference:
https://www.on3.com/teams/auburn-tigers/news/video-steven-pearl-press-conference-3/
Auburn women defeat Alcorn for 10th win of season:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2025/12/18/auburn-women-defeat-alcorn-for-10th-win-of-season
*************************
How to Watch: No. 21 Auburn vs. No. 6 Purdue
By Ted Feeley
Fans looking to watch the Indy Classic between No. 21 Auburn and No. 6 Purdue this Saturday, Dec. 20 at 5:30 p.m. CT have multiple options through streaming platforms.
Peacock, a subscription based streaming platform, will carry the game, and it can also be found on NBC Sports Network within YouTubeTV.
Additionally, the Voice of the Auburn Tigers Andy Burcham, along with analyst Randall Dickey begin their pregame radio show on the Auburn Sports Network at 5 p.m. CT which leads up to tipoff at 5:30 p.m. CT. Fans can watch the courtside cam of Burcham and Dickey throughout the broadcast.
Saturday marks the fifth meeting between Auburn and Purdue with the series even at two games apiece. The Tigers defeated the Boilermakers 87-69 last season in Birmingham.
Purdue is Auburn’s fourth game against an AP Top 10 team this season.
**************************
Steven Pearl explains how Auburn can fight back its size disadvantage against Purdue
By Brian Stultz
Steven Pearl didn’t have to give the stats and point out how good Purdue is this season, but the Auburn head coach did anyway during his press conference on Thursday while previewing the Tigers’ matchup against the Boilermakers on Saturday in Indianapolis.
“They're the No. 1-rated offense in college basketball,” Pearl started. “We've played three of the top 7-ranked offenses in college basketball, with Michigan and Arizona, as well. They're 13th nationally in rebounding margin, they're fifth nationally in assist-turnover ratio. The more Ted puts these notes together, the more it makes me realize how freakin' good they are.”
Note taken. The Tigers have a tall task (pun intended) against a team that started the season No. 1 in both polls. Much like the matchups against Michigan and Arizona, Auburn will have a size disadvantage, with the Boilermakers throwing 7-foot-4 Daniel Jacobsen and 6-foot-11 Oscar Cluff at them.
“You gotta be aggressive,” Pearl said. “You can't sit behind the post in this game. You just can't. Because if you do, like Cluff is going to do what he did against Marquette and go 8-for-8 and score layups every single time, or Kaufman-Renn is going to just kind of bully you under the rim, and if he doesn't make it, he's gonna go rebound it and finish it.
All-American Braden Smith is the key for Purdue
And while the tall guys get a lot of credit, it is senior guard Braden Smith who stirs the pot for Matt Painter’s team. A consensus First Team All-America selection last year, Smith returned to West Lafayette with the intention to win a national title.
“Braden Smith is probably the best passer in college basketball -- and has been the best passer in college basketball for a long time,” Pearl said. “He does so many things that can break down defenses, and he gets all those guys so involved.”
**************************
Auburn hoops looking for 'exceptions' to add a player midseason
By Nathan King
The season-ending ailment to Auburn reserve center Emeka Opurum may not affect the Tigers' lineup very much. Opurum was not in Auburn's main rotation, having only played 15 combined minutes all season against high-major opponents.
But as head coach Steven Pearl said last Saturday after the team's win over Chattanooga, that kind of a loss affects practice more than anything. Opurum was already the only true center on this team, with 6-foot-9 KeShawn Murphy being the starter at the 5 spot. Now the Tigers have to get even more creative with how they operate in the frontcourt.
They could get very creative over the holiday break — or, at least, Pearl and his staff are considering it. Pearl said Thursday that Auburn is keeping an eye open for a potential mid-year addition. He mentioned the JUCO ranks specifically.
"We're always looking," Pearl said when asked if the Tigers could bring in another player this season. "One of the things that I think people need to understand is that bigs don't just grow on trees. They are hard to find."
But, as it currently stands, Auburn would have to find some "exceptions" to add another play mid-semester. As Pearl explained, Auburn's scholarship numbers are at their limit at 13. That means, in addition to the primary that are known to be on scholarship, a couple walk-ons have been elevated with those open spots.
If that wasn't the case, and Auburn still had availability, there would be less hoops for the Tigers to jump through right now. The primary hurdle comes in the form of Opurum, whose season-ending "medical issue" would only have allowed an additional scholarship to become available if it had occurred before the season, per NCAA rules.
"We can't just kick someone off and bring someone else in, even if it's a medical redshirt situation," Pearl said. "The only way we would have been able to replace somebody with a medical redshirt as if (Opurum) had happened before the first game. So, they could play the first game, blow their knee out for the rest of the year, and you're stuck with that roster spot. You can't replace it."
Pearl, of course, didn't put together this roster. His dad did. Pearl said in the future he hopes to keep a scholarship spot open in case a situation like this arises.
Just because Auburn may be able to add a frontcourt player over the next few weeks doesn't mean it will have the ability to, though.
"That's something that we're navigating," Pearl said. "We're trying to figure out if there's any exceptions to any of the rules based on what we have."
Adding players in the middle of the season is allowed, even from the transfer portal, though their eligibility is made easier by being a grad transfer or a JUCO players. Most recently for Auburn, Austin Wiley reclassified, signed with Auburn and joined the team a few games into the 2016-17 season.
Auburn had to undergo a full frontcourt reset in the offseason. Johni Broome and Dylan Cardwell both ran out of eligibility, and there seemed to be a slim chance Chaney Johnson could have another year because of his Division-II past, but nothing came of that. Former JUCO addition Addarin Scott, who spent two years at Auburn and redshirted last year, would have been an ideal player for the Tigers' situation right now. The 6-foot-9 forward entered the portal in the offseason, though.
No. 21 Auburn plays its fourth top-10 opponent of the season — No. 6 Purdue — on Saturday in Indianapolis (5:30 p.m. CST, Peacock).
***************************
VIDEO: Steven Pearl Press Conference
By Jay G. Tate
Another Top 10 team? Why not?
Auburn adds to its impressive strength of schedule Saturday with a game in Indianapolis against No. 6 Purdue. The Boilermakers have the nation’s most efficient attack, as determined by KenPom.com, and also play a bit of defense as well.
This won’t be easy.
Pearl spent time Thursday talking about this game, but also discussed guard Kevin Overton’s health status and his team’s need to supplement its frontcourt staffing. Backup center Emeka Opurum is out for the season with a medical issue, leaving the Tigers perilously thin along the front line.
The Tigers would love to add another forward or center during the next few weeks, but Pearl is concerned that new rules won’t allow his program to bring in a junior college transfer. It’s a tough situation all around.
Here’s the interview:
https://youtu.be/-PArZlgAoe8
***************************
Auburn women defeat Alcorn for 10th win of season
By Jeff Shearer
Improving to 6-1 at home, Auburn defeated Alcorn State 62-50 Thursday at Neville Arena behind 15 points from Khady Leye and 14 from Harissoum Coulibaly.
“I’ve got to do a better job of figuring out my locker room and how to motivate them,” Auburn coach Larry Vickers said. “We’ve got to want a lot more. We’ve got to want to be more dominant as we prepare for the best league in the country.”
Auburn exceeded its average by making 15 steals and converting Alcorn 24 turnovers into 29 points.
Leye scored nine points in the first quarter on 4-for-5 shooting to help the Tigers take an 18-6 lead. She led Auburn with five rebounds.
Alcorn State opened the second quarter with a 5-0 run before Auburn used its bread-and-butter recipe – steals and transition buckets – to retake control. The Tigers scored 27 fast-break points and 42 points in the paint.
Kaitlyn Duhon made three steals and made all three of her shots to score seven points in the second quarter, including a 3-pointer in a 9-0 run that gave Auburn a 17-point lead late in the half.
“Our transition offense was really good,” Vickers said. “We came out those first 30 with a lot of energy.”
Alcorn State (3-7) ended the run with a steal and layup with six seconds left but Auburn answered when Sania Richardson received the inbounds pass, dribbled three times and launched from half court to beat the buzzer with a 3-pointer that gave Auburn a 38-20 halftime lead.
“One thing about freshmen, they enjoy every moment they get on the floor,” Vickers said. “They work on half-court shots at the end of every shootaround. They love shooting them. We needed those.”
In the third quarter, Auburn doubled the score when Richardson made a steal and passed to Coulibaly for a layup and a 46-23 lead.
Coulibaly followed with another steal and score, and Richardson added a conventional 3-pointer to help Auburn maintain its 23-point advantage going to the fourth quarter.
Alcorn State beat Auburn at its own game in the final period, forcing seven turnovers, holding the Tigers to 2-of-10 shooting and using a 10-0 run to outscore the home team 17-6.
“We have to figure out better ways to score when we’re not turning people over,” Vickers said.
The Tigers improved to 56-3 all-time against current members of the SWAC.
After playing three games in three states in five days, Auburn (10-3) takes an 11-day holiday break before hosting Jackson State Dec. 29 at 1 p.m. CT at Neville Arena.
“We’ve got to figure out a way to play for 40 minutes,” Vickers said. “That’s the biggest thing for us, a way to be consistent for 40. We want to make sure we’re building a foundation in year one of teams that do things the right way day in and day out.”
How to Watch: No. 21 Auburn vs. No. 6 Purdue:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2025/12/18/how-to-watch-no-21-auburn-vs-no-6-purdue
Steven Pearl explains how Auburn can fight back its size disadvantage against Purdue:
https://flywareagle.com/steven-pearl-explains-how-auburn-can-fight-back-its-size-disadvantage-against-purdue-01kct1b13m3a
Auburn hoops looking for 'exceptions' to add a player midseason:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-basketball-roster-emeka-opurum-steven-pearl-266980293/
VIDEO: Steven Pearl Press Conference:
https://www.on3.com/teams/auburn-tigers/news/video-steven-pearl-press-conference-3/
Auburn women defeat Alcorn for 10th win of season:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2025/12/18/auburn-women-defeat-alcorn-for-10th-win-of-season
*************************
How to Watch: No. 21 Auburn vs. No. 6 Purdue
By Ted Feeley
Fans looking to watch the Indy Classic between No. 21 Auburn and No. 6 Purdue this Saturday, Dec. 20 at 5:30 p.m. CT have multiple options through streaming platforms.
Peacock, a subscription based streaming platform, will carry the game, and it can also be found on NBC Sports Network within YouTubeTV.
Additionally, the Voice of the Auburn Tigers Andy Burcham, along with analyst Randall Dickey begin their pregame radio show on the Auburn Sports Network at 5 p.m. CT which leads up to tipoff at 5:30 p.m. CT. Fans can watch the courtside cam of Burcham and Dickey throughout the broadcast.
Saturday marks the fifth meeting between Auburn and Purdue with the series even at two games apiece. The Tigers defeated the Boilermakers 87-69 last season in Birmingham.
Purdue is Auburn’s fourth game against an AP Top 10 team this season.
**************************
Steven Pearl explains how Auburn can fight back its size disadvantage against Purdue
By Brian Stultz
Steven Pearl didn’t have to give the stats and point out how good Purdue is this season, but the Auburn head coach did anyway during his press conference on Thursday while previewing the Tigers’ matchup against the Boilermakers on Saturday in Indianapolis.
“They're the No. 1-rated offense in college basketball,” Pearl started. “We've played three of the top 7-ranked offenses in college basketball, with Michigan and Arizona, as well. They're 13th nationally in rebounding margin, they're fifth nationally in assist-turnover ratio. The more Ted puts these notes together, the more it makes me realize how freakin' good they are.”
Note taken. The Tigers have a tall task (pun intended) against a team that started the season No. 1 in both polls. Much like the matchups against Michigan and Arizona, Auburn will have a size disadvantage, with the Boilermakers throwing 7-foot-4 Daniel Jacobsen and 6-foot-11 Oscar Cluff at them.
“You gotta be aggressive,” Pearl said. “You can't sit behind the post in this game. You just can't. Because if you do, like Cluff is going to do what he did against Marquette and go 8-for-8 and score layups every single time, or Kaufman-Renn is going to just kind of bully you under the rim, and if he doesn't make it, he's gonna go rebound it and finish it.
All-American Braden Smith is the key for Purdue
And while the tall guys get a lot of credit, it is senior guard Braden Smith who stirs the pot for Matt Painter’s team. A consensus First Team All-America selection last year, Smith returned to West Lafayette with the intention to win a national title.
“Braden Smith is probably the best passer in college basketball -- and has been the best passer in college basketball for a long time,” Pearl said. “He does so many things that can break down defenses, and he gets all those guys so involved.”
**************************
Auburn hoops looking for 'exceptions' to add a player midseason
By Nathan King
The season-ending ailment to Auburn reserve center Emeka Opurum may not affect the Tigers' lineup very much. Opurum was not in Auburn's main rotation, having only played 15 combined minutes all season against high-major opponents.
But as head coach Steven Pearl said last Saturday after the team's win over Chattanooga, that kind of a loss affects practice more than anything. Opurum was already the only true center on this team, with 6-foot-9 KeShawn Murphy being the starter at the 5 spot. Now the Tigers have to get even more creative with how they operate in the frontcourt.
They could get very creative over the holiday break — or, at least, Pearl and his staff are considering it. Pearl said Thursday that Auburn is keeping an eye open for a potential mid-year addition. He mentioned the JUCO ranks specifically.
"We're always looking," Pearl said when asked if the Tigers could bring in another player this season. "One of the things that I think people need to understand is that bigs don't just grow on trees. They are hard to find."
But, as it currently stands, Auburn would have to find some "exceptions" to add another play mid-semester. As Pearl explained, Auburn's scholarship numbers are at their limit at 13. That means, in addition to the primary that are known to be on scholarship, a couple walk-ons have been elevated with those open spots.
If that wasn't the case, and Auburn still had availability, there would be less hoops for the Tigers to jump through right now. The primary hurdle comes in the form of Opurum, whose season-ending "medical issue" would only have allowed an additional scholarship to become available if it had occurred before the season, per NCAA rules.
"We can't just kick someone off and bring someone else in, even if it's a medical redshirt situation," Pearl said. "The only way we would have been able to replace somebody with a medical redshirt as if (Opurum) had happened before the first game. So, they could play the first game, blow their knee out for the rest of the year, and you're stuck with that roster spot. You can't replace it."
Pearl, of course, didn't put together this roster. His dad did. Pearl said in the future he hopes to keep a scholarship spot open in case a situation like this arises.
Just because Auburn may be able to add a frontcourt player over the next few weeks doesn't mean it will have the ability to, though.
"That's something that we're navigating," Pearl said. "We're trying to figure out if there's any exceptions to any of the rules based on what we have."
Adding players in the middle of the season is allowed, even from the transfer portal, though their eligibility is made easier by being a grad transfer or a JUCO players. Most recently for Auburn, Austin Wiley reclassified, signed with Auburn and joined the team a few games into the 2016-17 season.
Auburn had to undergo a full frontcourt reset in the offseason. Johni Broome and Dylan Cardwell both ran out of eligibility, and there seemed to be a slim chance Chaney Johnson could have another year because of his Division-II past, but nothing came of that. Former JUCO addition Addarin Scott, who spent two years at Auburn and redshirted last year, would have been an ideal player for the Tigers' situation right now. The 6-foot-9 forward entered the portal in the offseason, though.
No. 21 Auburn plays its fourth top-10 opponent of the season — No. 6 Purdue — on Saturday in Indianapolis (5:30 p.m. CST, Peacock).
***************************
VIDEO: Steven Pearl Press Conference
By Jay G. Tate
Another Top 10 team? Why not?
Auburn adds to its impressive strength of schedule Saturday with a game in Indianapolis against No. 6 Purdue. The Boilermakers have the nation’s most efficient attack, as determined by KenPom.com, and also play a bit of defense as well.
This won’t be easy.
Pearl spent time Thursday talking about this game, but also discussed guard Kevin Overton’s health status and his team’s need to supplement its frontcourt staffing. Backup center Emeka Opurum is out for the season with a medical issue, leaving the Tigers perilously thin along the front line.
The Tigers would love to add another forward or center during the next few weeks, but Pearl is concerned that new rules won’t allow his program to bring in a junior college transfer. It’s a tough situation all around.
Here’s the interview:
https://youtu.be/-PArZlgAoe8
***************************
Auburn women defeat Alcorn for 10th win of season
By Jeff Shearer
Improving to 6-1 at home, Auburn defeated Alcorn State 62-50 Thursday at Neville Arena behind 15 points from Khady Leye and 14 from Harissoum Coulibaly.
“I’ve got to do a better job of figuring out my locker room and how to motivate them,” Auburn coach Larry Vickers said. “We’ve got to want a lot more. We’ve got to want to be more dominant as we prepare for the best league in the country.”
Auburn exceeded its average by making 15 steals and converting Alcorn 24 turnovers into 29 points.
Leye scored nine points in the first quarter on 4-for-5 shooting to help the Tigers take an 18-6 lead. She led Auburn with five rebounds.
Alcorn State opened the second quarter with a 5-0 run before Auburn used its bread-and-butter recipe – steals and transition buckets – to retake control. The Tigers scored 27 fast-break points and 42 points in the paint.
Kaitlyn Duhon made three steals and made all three of her shots to score seven points in the second quarter, including a 3-pointer in a 9-0 run that gave Auburn a 17-point lead late in the half.
“Our transition offense was really good,” Vickers said. “We came out those first 30 with a lot of energy.”
Alcorn State (3-7) ended the run with a steal and layup with six seconds left but Auburn answered when Sania Richardson received the inbounds pass, dribbled three times and launched from half court to beat the buzzer with a 3-pointer that gave Auburn a 38-20 halftime lead.
“One thing about freshmen, they enjoy every moment they get on the floor,” Vickers said. “They work on half-court shots at the end of every shootaround. They love shooting them. We needed those.”
In the third quarter, Auburn doubled the score when Richardson made a steal and passed to Coulibaly for a layup and a 46-23 lead.
Coulibaly followed with another steal and score, and Richardson added a conventional 3-pointer to help Auburn maintain its 23-point advantage going to the fourth quarter.
Alcorn State beat Auburn at its own game in the final period, forcing seven turnovers, holding the Tigers to 2-of-10 shooting and using a 10-0 run to outscore the home team 17-6.
“We have to figure out better ways to score when we’re not turning people over,” Vickers said.
The Tigers improved to 56-3 all-time against current members of the SWAC.
After playing three games in three states in five days, Auburn (10-3) takes an 11-day holiday break before hosting Jackson State Dec. 29 at 1 p.m. CT at Neville Arena.
“We’ve got to figure out a way to play for 40 minutes,” Vickers said. “That’s the biggest thing for us, a way to be consistent for 40. We want to make sure we’re building a foundation in year one of teams that do things the right way day in and day out.”
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