Norman, Oklahoma – Auburn University’s men’s basketball team travels to Norman, Oklahoma, on Tuesday evening seeking to bolster its NCAA Tournament prospects against a Sooners squad that presents a unique challenge. The Tigers, buoyed by a dramatic come-from-behind victory over Kentucky on Saturday, arrive at Lloyd Nobles Center for the first time in program history with an NCAA-leading 16th Quad-1 game on their schedule this season.
The contest, scheduled for at 8 p.m. Central Time and broadcast on ESPNU, comes at a critical juncture for Auburn (15-12, 6-8 SEC). Despite the recent win against a highly-ranked Kentucky team, the Tigers remain focused on securing their place in the postseason tournament. “Getting that win lightened our shoulders a little bit but we’re still hungry, we’re still desperate,” said freshman Sebastian Williams-Adams. “We still know we have to play our way into the tournament. That’s our only goal right now. We know we’re at our best when we’re playing desperately.”
The quick turnaround – Auburn departed for Oklahoma on Monday afternoon less than 48 hours after the Kentucky game – adds another layer of complexity. The demanding schedule of the Southeastern Conference leaves little room for recovery, according to Williams-Adams. “The SEC is not somewhere where you can just show up and expect to win the game,” he stated. “For the rest of the season, we’re playing for our tournament hopes. That’s been our main focus.”
Oklahoma (13-14, 3-11 SEC) presents a formidable opponent despite its inconsistent record. While the Sooners have struggled to close out games this season, they have recently secured notable victories over Vanderbilt and Georgia, including a win against the Commodores in Nashville that ended a nine-game losing streak. Auburn coach Steven Pearl acknowledged the danger posed by Oklahoma, describing them as “an incredibly dangerous team.”
Pearl highlighted Oklahoma’s ability to build and maintain leads, even against strong SEC competition. “They’ve had double-digit leads against a lot of teams in our league and have leads late in games. They are more than capable. They’re one of the top offenses in our league and in the country. They play hard as heck defensively,” Pearl said. “They’re still playing with a ton of effort, and energy. It’s a team that plays well at home (9-5). Incredibly dangerous opponent and they have our full attention.”
A key component of Oklahoma’s offensive threat is Nijel Pack, who leads the SEC and ranks tenth nationally in three-point shooting accuracy, converting 44.1 percent of his attempts. Pack also leads the Sooners in scoring, averaging 15.7 points per game. Pearl emphasized the importance of defensive focus against Oklahoma’s shooters. “They have a ton of games with double-digit makes,” he noted. “They’ve got multiple guys who can really shoot it. We’ve got to do a great job understanding who we’re guarding. We have to have great closeouts in this game and do a great job of contesting shots.”
The matchup also features contrasting statistical profiles. Oklahoma currently shoots 46.3 percent from the field, slightly higher than the 45.8 percent Auburn allows to its opponents. Auburn, averages 83.7 points per game, 5.7 more than Oklahoma concedes. The game represents the first conference meeting between the two teams this season.
For Auburn, the game is not just about securing a win, but about demonstrating consistency and resilience as the tournament approaches. The Tigers have been involved in a number of close contests this season, with a 1-2 record in games decided by three points or fewer, underscoring the need for composure in critical moments.
Following the game in Norman, Auburn returns to Neville Arena on to host Ole Miss at 7:30 p.m. Central Time. Auburn University students will receive “Standing on Business” T-shirts at the game.
