Auburn Basketball Emphasizes Improvement in Key Area of Game

The Auburn Tigers have realized one of their greatest weaknesses after being exposed early in the season

This aspect of Auburn's game helps them control the game as a whole | John Reed-Imagn Images

AUBURN, Ala.- The 22nd-ranked Auburn Tigers have been dominant on the glass thus far this season, being +21 in rebounding against the Wofford Terriers and +31 against the Merrimack Warriors. Rebounding is one of the most essential parts of winning basketball games, and Auburn head coach Steven Pearl also preaches this to his players, knowing the importance of it. 

“It’s always talked about, all offseason it was one of our glaring weaknesses,” Pearl stated about his team being dominant on the glass so far this season. 

“It got exposed in the Oklahoma State (exhibition) game, and that is the kind of size we are going to be going against. It’s good to see improvement in that area, but you know, obviously, you gotta buckle your chin straps cause Houston (Auburn’s next opponent) is a whole different animal. Houston is the best offensive rebounding team in the country every single year. They play with a different level of physicality, a different level of energy… if we don't hit a body every time a shot is going up, they’re going to get every single offensive rebound and they are going to play volleyball with it.”

In Auburn’s last matchup against Wofford Tuesday evening, the leading rebounder for the Tigers was Keyshawn Hall, with 11 rebounds. The next leading rebounder for the Tigers was 7-foot center Emeka Opurum, with seven boards. Opurum had many opportunities to grab more rebounds, but just could not secure them. 

Auburn guard Kevin Overton also brought up the importance of rebounding in the post-game press conference, emphasizing that rebounding is what will win basketball games for Auburn. 

“I think that's the separator in what we talk about wins games,” Overton stated. 

“Up until this point, I think we are just trying to prepare for obviously better teams in different situations. But I think rebounding is something we’ve been trying to emphasize and get better at since we started against Oklahoma State.” 

Auburn has its biggest test of the season thus far this Sunday in its Battleground 2k25 matchup against the top-ranked Houston Cougars. This will be Pearl’s first ranked matchup of his tenure as the Tigers’ head coach, and he will have the opportunity to take down the top-ranked team in the entire country.