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This is an opinion column.
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Two weeks ago, Auburn basketball almost lost its season opener to Bethune-Cookman.
On Sunday, the Tigers took No.1 Houston to the wire in a 73-72 defeat at Birmingham’s Legacy Arena.
Moral victories are for losers, to quote budding luminary Steven Pearl, but there can certainly be wins in perception for a young coach who’s taking over for his legendary father. I’m counting the close game against top-ranked Houston as a positive sign of growth for Pearl’s team.
Sometimes being close is good enough.
Let’s compare Pearl’s first big test to another SEC newcomer, Texas A&M coach Bucky McMillan.
McMillan has lost back-to-back games to Oklahoma State and Central Florida. An eight-point loss to UCF at home doesn’t feel the same as a one-point thriller to Houston in the Ham.
Auburn even had two chances to win it at the buzzer after trailing by seven points with under three minutes to go.
Picture this classic image that Birmingham framed for fans on Sunday afternoon.
Former coach Bruce Pearl, Steven’s father, was in the crowd holding his grandchild during the final seconds of the game. From generation to generation, indeed.
Sports are more than games, and I felt that eternal connection in Legacy Arena. Beautiful stuff.
But did the Cougars try to blow it just like they did against Florida in the national championship game? Well, yes, and that bizarre incident involving Houston coach Kelvin Sampson on the court in the closing minute probably should have been a technical foul, too.
Auburn’s defense forced a key turnover in the final possessions of a close game. The play occurred near the Houston bench, and Sampson was on the court during the sequence. For reasons unknown, Sampson walked onto the court during the play. He even made contact with an Auburn player after the Tigers’ steal.
Sampson got away with it, though. I guess that’s how it goes when you’ve got over 800 wins for your career.
Steven Pearl, meanwhile, has three.
Until Pearl builds a body of work, every game will be scrutinized.
No one is expecting Pearl to win the SEC in the first season, but the Tigers can’t really afford to miss the NCAA Tournament after making it to the Final Four last season. Like this loss to Houston, it’s about perception.
Pearl is under an immense amount of pressure this season. Just look at all the variables.
Dad Bruce Pearl went to the Final Four last season and was named national coach of the year. Bruce then suddenly decided to retire on the eve of the season. It left Auburn with little choice but to name son Steven the new coach.
It was the right hire, all things considered, but questions will linger until Pearl proves himself in big games. The performance against Houston was a good start.
It’s not going to be easy for this young coach, though.
Bruce Pearl lost his entire roster except for one player and decided to retire. That player, Tahaad Pettiford, then got a DUI over the summer.
Building an entirely new roster of transfers is the reality of this modern era of college basketball. Pearl is young, so he has an advantage. Some things don’t change for coaches, though. Managing the egos of star players will always separate the best coaches from the ones who are good enough but not great.
How Pearl develops Pettiford will determine Auburn’s success (or failure) this season. Pettiford is still showing signs of immaturity and is far from a finished product. To his credit, he did the smart thing and stayed in school at Auburn. After this summer, though, it was fair to wonder if Pettiford fully appreciates the game of basketball.
He was a freshman sensation in 2024, but his sophomore year got off to a rough start with the DUI.
Pettiford is only 20 years old. He’s already casually drinking and driving? For a frat bro, underage drinking isn’t a big deal. That’s why bros go to college, right?
But Pettiford wants to be a professional athlete. On top of that, he’s being paid to play basketball for Auburn. That he’s already drinking is a red flag for NBA execs.
Combine that with Pettiford’s poor shooting to begin the season, and there is a growing perception that he’s not putting in the work necessary for an undersized guard to have a chance in the NBA.
Pettiford has to be better. It was good to see him find his shot against Houston, but his attempts at the buzzer were terrible. Was it the best decision for Pettiford, who is 6-1, to drive into the teeth of Houston’s defense with 15 seconds to play? Pearl defended his player, which is the sign of a smart coach, but if he actually drew up the play that way then I would be shocked.
Pettiford tried to do too much in the Final Four, and it cost Auburn the game against Florida. He tried to do too much again against Houston, and his shot didn’t even reach the rim.
This is all nitpick-type stuff for this early in the season, though. Truth be told, sometimes it’s better to lose close games early than get lucky and confuse that with being perfect.
Pearl says moral victories are only for losers. Maybe so, but for a young coach, a learning moment for his star player is a win.
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