Auburn Assistant Coach Steven Pearl broke down the Tigers’ 3-0 start after their win over Wofford — and he didn’t sugarcoat what needs to improve. Pearl praised Keyshawn Hall for his third straight 20-point game, noting how the forward’s expanded range and leadership are fueling Auburn’s early success. He also highlighted Kevin Overton’s breakout night, returning to the defensive form he showed at Texas Tech, locking down Wofford’s top scorer and showing what Auburn needs from him to compete with elite teams.

Defensively, Pearl made it clear Auburn isn’t where it needs to be yet. He called out lapses in transition defense, missed rotations, and too much ball-watching — things that simply won’t fly against Houston, one of the most physical and relentless offensive rebounding teams in the country. He challenged his players to “hit a body on every shot” and play through all 40 minutes, not just 30.

Pearl also singled out Elijah Todd’s improvement after early defensive struggles, and how his attention to detail in the second half set a standard. When asked about calling a quick timeout after back-to-back buckets, Pearl said it was all about effort: “I’ll always coach effort and energy. That’s the standard.”

Auburn now faces its toughest test of the young season against Houston, a matchup that will measure how much this group has truly grown. Pearl’s message? Stay locked in, stay physical, and understand that this is the level you have to meet to beat the best.

🏀 Watch the full breakdown for every key takeaway from Steven Pearl’s postgame presser and Auburn’s 3-0 start.

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