3 Concerning Takeaways From Auburn's Brutal 84-76 Loss to No. 19 Vanderbilt – Sports Illustrated

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The Auburn Tigers dropped their third consecutive game on Tuesday night, falling to No. 19 Vanderbilt, 84-76, in Neville Arena.
According to Matthew Wallace of the Auburn Villager, the game marked the first time Auburn has lost back-to-back home games since 2021, which was during a season with a limited crowd due to COVID. Furthermore, 247Sports’ Nathan King pointed out that it had been nine years (2017) since the Tigers last lost back-to-back games on their home floor with a full-capacity Neville Arena.
Auburn dug itself a deep hole from the opening tip, as the Commodores built a quick 9-2 lead within the first three minutes of action and led for just over 38 total minutes. The Tigers only held a lead over Vanderbilt for 20 seconds, which came when Auburn was up 19-18 with nine minutes remaining in the first half.
From then, Vanderbilt never really looked back, as the Commodores even extended their lead to 15 points at one point in the opening 20 minutes of play.
There are many conclusions one could make from this loss, but let’s take a look at three concerning takeaways that emerged on Tuesday.
Think back to recent years of Auburn Basketball, and some of the best players that have come through the Plains over the last 5-7 seasons. What comes to mind?
Johni Broome. Dylan Cardwell. Denver Jones. Jared Harper – just to name a few. The list goes on.
What is a constant theme that each one of those former players has in common? Yes, there are extremely talented basketball players on the court, but they also served as massive leaders on their respective teams.
This year’s squad of Tigers seems to lack a true leader. In terms of players, not coaches or supporting staff, there doesn’t seem to be someone who “rallies the troops” or takes control of the locker room in times that may require it. Auburn doesn’t have someone like Cardwell, whom the rest of the team respects, admires, looks up to, and holds in high regard as a valuable leader.
Some have shown glimpses at times, including Keyshawn Hall, KeShawn Murphy, or even Kevin Overton, but none of them have evolved into a steady leader for this basketball team.
Tahaad Pettiford was often viewed as the assumed leader, considering he was the only returnee from last year’s Final Four team, but the sophomore doesn’t seem to be taking that role – at least not yet.
And the lack of leadership shows in crunch time and important late-game situations. If Auburn wishes to right the ship and get this season back on track, a true leader needs to make his presence known soon
After riding a four-game winning streak heading into Knoxville, Tenn., last weekend, the Tigers have somewhat fallen apart in the last three outings.
The season seemed to take off when Auburn invaded Gainesville and claimed its first win at Florida in 30 years, which appears to be the best team in the SEC, before returning home and defeating Texas the following game week. However, instead of building on a historic victory over the Gators at a time when they were playing some of their basketball, Auburn has simply regressed once again.
There are plenty of opportunities that lie ahead for Auburn to garner more resume-building wins, but one of the most frustrating aspects of this team is the inconsistencies that continue to arise night in and night out.
In reality, it doesn’t seem like Auburn exactly has an identity on either end of the floor.
On the offensive end, the Tigers showed in their win over Florida that they could compete with teams that may present size challenges and talented big men down low. Auburn proved to itself that it can go toe-to-toe with some of the nation’s best teams if it plays with relentless effort on defense, attacks the rim, and crashes the glass effectively.
However, the Tigers have also displayed the inability to finish around the basket, and they often become stagnant in crucial moments. Additionally, Auburn has a tendency to play ISO-ball in panic situations, whether it be Hall of Pettiford, which really seems to plummet offensive production.
In terms of defense, the Tigers are extremely inconsistent while guarding, and head coach Steven Pearl has called out his team’s defensive effort multiple times in recent press conferences.
Auburn can’t seem to generate stops when needed most, and defensive breakdowns have haunted the Tigers in recent games, especially against Alabama on Saturday.
The Tigers need to find an identity quickly, as March is quickly approaching, if they want to make a run of any sort.
Gunner is a sports journalism production major who has written for the Auburn Plainsman as well as founded his own sports blog of Gunner Sports Report, while still in middle school. He has been a video production assistant for the Kansas City Royals' minor league affiliate Columbia Fireflies. Gunner has experience covering a variety of college sports, including football and basketball.
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