The No. 1 Auburn Tigers fell in shocking fashion to the No. 22 Texas A&M Aggies during their visit to College Station. Though the Tigers have already clinched the SEC regular season title and are heavy favorites for the NCAA tournament, head coach Bruce Pearl didnāt hide his frustration, making something clear about their performance.
Auburnās six-game win streak was snapped at Reed Arena, as Texas A&M delivered a statement victory over the apex predator in college basketball. The Tigersā last defeat had been on Feb. 8 as they lost to the Florida Gators at Neville Arena.
While deflating for the teamās morale ahead of the crucial month of the year, the loss in College Station could become a strong reminder for the Tigers not to rest in their laurels. It also put on display the leagueās strength, as the sixth seed in the SEC took down the No. 1 program in the country.
Auburn has only lost three games in the NCAA season, and just twice in their SEC schedule. However, Pearl had steam coming out of his ears after squandering the game against the Aggies.
Head coach Bruce Pearl of the Auburn Tigers reacts against the Texas A&M Aggies during the first half at Reed Arena on March 04, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
āWe just got physically punched in the mouth. We just got physically run out of here. They physically manhandled us,ā Pearl admitted postgame, via USA Today. āAnd if this team is going to continue to win, weāre going to run up against teams like Texas A&M or like Florida or like Duke that are big and physical.ā
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Out-muscled
The Aggiesā 83-72 win over the Tigers can be explained by the physical dominance the home team enforced on Auburn. Despite the Tigers posting better shooting percentages, the battle on the boards cost Pearlās team heavily.
āWe have no excuses to allow those guys to get 24 offensive rebounds,ā Pearl added. āI give Texas A&M all the credit. Our guys were physically dominated. So no, I donāt excuse our guys at all. Weāre better than that, but not tonight.ā
Texas A&M finished the night with 41 total rebounds, while Auburn had just 25. The Aggies had one less offensive rebound than the Tigers had total rebounds, a recipe for disaster that helps illustrate why Auburn fell in The Lone Star State.
Head coach Buzz Williams of the Texas A&M Aggies reacts against the Auburn Tigers during the second half at Reed Arena on March 04, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
Get back on track
Auburn must put their sorrow on the back burner and focus on the big task ahead. The Tigers must gear up for their NCAA Rivalry Week matchup against the Alabama Crimson Tide. The school in Tuscaloosa will be looking to add to the concerns at The Plains, handing them a regular-season finale loss before the SEC Tournament and March Madness.
