3 Areas Auburn Basketball Must Improve Before March

The college basketball season is quickly approaching its end, and the Auburn Tigers may still have some work to do to ensure they earn a bid to the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

Auburn sits at 14-11 overall and 5-7 in the SEC with six games remaining in the regular season, and currently, the Tigers aren’t on the bubble of The Dance – yet, at least.

Most, if not all, bracketology metrics predict that Auburn will ultimately be seeded as a No. 8 or No. 9 seed in the tournament come Selection Sunday in less than three weeks. They aren’t listed as one of the “Last Four In” or “Last Four Byes,” but if they continue to stumble in the remaining games, the Tigers could face some uncertainty regarding their future.

Let’s take a look at three areas in which Auburn must improve heading into the homestretch of the season and into March.

Defense

Everything starts for Auburn on the defensive side of the floor. In years past, the main staple of a Bruce Pearl-coached Auburn basketball team was relentless effort and energy on defense. It was a non-negotiable for players who signed to play for the Tigers, and because of that, they were often nationally regarded as one of the best and hardest-playing teams in the country.

However, despite Steven Pearl verbally expressing the importance of defense to the media, Auburn has yet to demonstrate the ability to consistently guard night in and night out. According to KenPom, the Tigers rank 91st in D-1 in defense, as the metric assigned Auburn a 104.5 defensive efficiency rating.

Additionally, Auburn is allowing an average of 79.0 points per game, which is good for 15th in the conference behind none other than their arch-rival, Alabama (82.7). The Tigers also rank last in the league in opponent field goal percentage, as opponents are shooting an average 45.7% from the field against Auburn.

The Tigers are at their best when they play with an edge and display an increased level of intensity on defense, and it is undoubtedly the main area in which Auburn must improve before the postseason hits.

Perimeter Defense

In addition to the previous point, one of the most costly struggles as of late has been Auburn’s perimeter defense. The Tigers currently rank 15th in the SEC in opponent 3-pointers made (8.6 per game) and 15th in opponent 3-point percentage (35.6).

For whatever reason, the Tigers are unable to limit teams from behind the arc, especially against those that rely most on their 3-point shooting. For example, Alabama led the league by a considerable margin in 3-pointers attempted (35.9 per game) and 3-pointers made (12.8 per game). The Crimson Tide’s offensive philosophy is drive, paint touch, kickout, 3-ball – if a team stops Alabama from doing that, they will have a solid chance to win.

However, Auburn allowed Alabama to shoot 23 threes, and the Tide made 12 of them (52%). Perimeter defense has been a lackluster area of concern throughout the entire season, but the Tigers need to quickly find a way to fix their defensive flaws.

Offensive Identity

It may be slightly odd to be pointing out Auburn’s offense, as it ranks No. 10 in offensive efficiency, according to KenPom, but the Tigers need to find a consistent identity on the offensive end of the floor.

In multiple games this year, and especially in recent losses, Auburn has shown a tendency to play “ISO ball” and abandon what has worked in victories. Whether it’s Keyshawn Hall or Tahaad Pettiford, the Tigers often stray away from their offensive system if they are trailing late in the second half or under any type of pressure.

The Tigers need to get back to playing team basketball, sharing the rock, and attacking the rim before March arrives.