Let’s overreact to Auburn basketball’s loss to 20th ranked Baylor

The Tigers blow a lead late to fall to the Bears in Sioux Falls.

Author:
Jeremy Robuck
Publish date:
Nov 8, 2023 8:00 AM EST

In this story:

The Tigers tipped off their season opener last night in South Dakota. Baylor has been one of the best programs in college basketball over the last decade. They came in and played well. They looked polished, crisp, and professional. They are definitely a tournament team. This Auburn team led for the majority of the game taking a 9 minute lead into halftime. The lead held until the final minutes with the Tigers coming up short. Let’s overreact to what we saw.

This is the best Auburn offense since the final four team

The first overreaction doesn’t feel like one. The Tigers are talented. They are long. It looks like a circus out there with high flying acrobatics. This team is athletic, they run the floor, and they can shoot. This was a solid first performance despite the loss, and it really felt like the Tigers were just beginning to tap into their potential.

Aden Holloway is the best player on this team

Granted, this was his first college game. This kid is talented. He’s a prolific shooter. Aden looks confident. Whether he is Auburn’s best player is yet to be seen, but Auburn’s upside and true potential lie with him.

This is the deepest Auburn team ever

This could be a stretch, but depth is going to be a strength. The Tigers looked great at point guard for much of the night with Tre Donaldson and freshman phenom Aden Holloway. The additions of Denver Jones, Chad Baker-Mazara, and Chaney Johnson have greatly improved depth and give Auburn two of everything. Ten players were not enough in this game because of all the foul calls, but Auburn’s bench can be a difference maker regardless of who starts.

The Tigers didn’t close the game out in the end, but this will be considered a ‘good loss’ in the NET. Bruce Pearl’s team will learn a lot from this defeat, and it looks like this will be a fun team to watch. Here are some fan reactions from the game.