Following an undefeated start to the season, the No. 22 Auburn Tigers and Steven Pearl will look to remain perfect as they face top-ranked Houston in Birmingham, Alabama, for a daunting early test this weekend.
The 2025 season got off to very different starts for both competitors, as Auburn had to overcome many obstacles in an overtime win against Bethune-Cookman while the Houston Cougars coasted to an 18-point victory over Lehigh, but both teams find themselves 3-0 entering Sunday’s contest.
While Auburn struggled early, the team has settled in since opening night, keeping stress levels inside Neville Arena to a minimum during its last two wins. The Tigers’ offense has impressed, scoring 90-plus points in their first three games for the first time since the 1987-88 season, when Sonny Smith’s squad reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
A predominant star paving the way to success for the Tigers’ offense has been Keyshawn Hall. Hall is a senior at his fourth program in college and has been putting up exceptional numbers in his first three games in an Auburn uniform, as he has averaged 24.3 points per game, which is good for second in the Southeastern Conference. The senior also leads the SEC in rebounding, which has played a crucial role in the team’s ability to gain second-chance opportunities.
“He's (Hall) the first Auburn player to start the season with three 20-point games since KT back in 2014. So obviously, his ability to — he can score on all three levels, and there's not a lot of guys in college basketball that can do that at the consistency that he's done it,” Pearl said. "He's done a great job of leading by example, and he's done a good job of using his voice in practice, and that's something that's really important for me as a coach.”
While Auburn’s stellar offense has made headlines, the story has been the opposite for Houston so far this season. Kelvin Sampson’s team’s defense has been extremely valuable, just as every other year, as his squad has not allowed more than 60 points in a contest and has averaged 50 opponent points per game, which leaves them first in the Big 12. Going up against an intimidating defense will certainly be a challenge for Pearl’s offense, as they have not seen anything like Houston yet, but it should be a very exciting battle to watch.
“Houston is a whole different animal,” Pearl said. “Houston is the best offensive rebounding team in the country. Every single year, they play with a different level of physicality, a different level of energy and a different just level of intensity that our guys you know, have not been able to experience yet.”
Although Auburn did find success inside the Houston Rockets’ arena to start the 2024-25 season, escaping with a 74-69 hard-fought victory, wins have been rare historically against the Cougars. The Tigers are 2-7 all time against Houston but hold a .500 record while playing at a neutral site, which will be the setting for Sunday’s matchup.
If Keyshawn Hall is able to combat the Cougars’ physicality with his rebounding skills, and Tahaad Pettiford can step up offensively, Pearl and Auburn will have a solid chance to upset Houston this weekend in front of a packed crowd.
Tip-off is set for 2:00 P.M. CST inside Legacy Arena in Birmingham with the contest airing on ESPN.
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Will is a sophomore majoring in journalism. He started with The Plainsman in the spring of 2025.
You can follow him on X (Twitter) at @willdembo
