Auburn falls at Arkansas, ends 19-game win streak

For the first time in almost 40 years, a No. 1 team has gone to Fayetteville and lost.

No. 1 Auburn could not outlast the Razorbacks on their home court, suffering its second loss of the season 80-76 in overtime. 

Both of Auburn’s losses of the season have come in overtime, with this loss ending a 19-game win streak. 

“Arkansas played well, played hard,” said head coach Bruce Pearl. “Give them credit.”

Auburn’s last two road games have been sloppy wins, and this game started no different. 

Auburn found itself down as many as 12 points in the middle of the first half, clawing back by halftime to only be down three. During the last eight and a half minutes of the first half, Auburn went on a 10-1 run to put the game at 28-25 in favor of Arkansas when the half ended.

In the first half, Auburn shot just 26.5% from the field, hitting only two 3-pointers in the process. While the team heavily outrebounded Arkansas 31-15, Auburn had committed 11 turnovers and Arkansas turned that into 15 points.

“In the first half, we never got on the same page,” Pearl said. 

The second half featured more back-and-forth, as the game saw 15 tied scores and 17 total lead changes. 

Tied at 66, with under 20 seconds left in the game, Auburn drew up a play for Wendell Green Jr. to end it. Green was handling main point guard duties for the game, as graduate senior Zep Jasper was sidelined for the second straight game with a non-COVID illness.

Pearl drew up a play where Walker Kessler was to set a high screen, and Green could either roll under it to the basket or take a deep three to win the game. Green chose the latter. It didn’t fall and the game was forced to overtime.

“We had a play drawn,” Pearl said. “Wendell could have gotten downhill, but instead he pulled. If it goes in, we win."

Green said postgame that his teammates support him and trust him in any shot he takes, no matter the circumstance.

“My teammates trust me with the ball in my hands at the end of the game,” Green said. “I took the shot. My teammates aren’t really tripping about it. Coach isn’t tripping about it too much.”

In overtime, Arkansas only made one single shot from the field: a lone three from JD Notae. But that was all it took, as Arkansas hit 11 of 14 free throws in extra time to outlast the Tigers.

On the other charity stripe, the Tigers were less efficient, going 8-for-17 on the game from the free-throw line. K.D. Johnson missed all of his free throws and Kessler went 2-for-6.  

Kessler, who fouled out in overtime, led Auburn offensively and defensively for the entire game.

Before having to sit for the last minute of overtime, Kessler put up 16 points, grabbed 19 boards and had seven blocks. Kessler’s rebound numbers were a career-high. 

Jabari Smith Jr. had a much better shooting night on the road, as opposed to his seven point and five point outings in the team’s last two road meetings.

Smith had 20 points, leading the team, and has two huge threes in overtime to keep the game close. 

“We went out there and played hard,” Green said. “We are trying to not let the guys beat themselves up. Stay together and move forward to the next game."

Green, who played a team high 38 minutes, noted postgame that his seven turnovers were far too many for a point guard of his caliber. 

“It's unacceptable for me to have that many turnovers, especially on the road,” Green said.

On the night, Auburn turned the ball over 19 times. 

The sky is not falling for the Tigers, as they suffered only their second loss of the year to a streaking team. Auburn will have a chance to right the ship, back at home against Texas A&M on Saturday. 

“Kind of forgot what it feels like to lose,” Green said. “It’s great. We need this. We’re going to stay together.”