TL;DR
- Michigan dominated Auburn from the start, leading 59-31 at halftime due to superior shooting and physicality.
- Michigan's length, offensive flow, and execution overwhelmed Auburn, who struggled with shooting and penetration.
- The game highlighted coaching differences, with Dusty May's Michigan outperforming Stephen Pearl's Auburn.
- Michigan's decisive 102-72 victory exposed Auburn's fundamental weaknesses and Michigan's tournament-ready team.
Las Vegas has a peculiar way of revealing teams' weaknesses. While shortcomings might be concealed for a short period, perhaps a week or two, facing a formidable opponent on a 24-hour turnaround will expose your true nature, much like a slot machine jackpot. On Tuesday evening at the Michelob ULTRA Arena, the seventh-ranked Michigan team appeared confident in their identity. In contrast, the twenty-first-ranked Auburn team seemed to be attempting to persuade themselves of their own strengths.
And by halftime, the convincing was over.
All the pregame noise pointed to coaching. Dusty May — “one of the best coaches in America,” hardened by tournament runs and short-prep chaos — against Stephen Pearl, coaching in his first real high-major pressure cooker. In a 24-hour prep window, the consensus was simple: fewer details, more clarity, execution above everything. Advantage Michigan.
Add in the Wolverines’ length, their true-road win at TCU, their 90.6 points per game, and their 50% shooting entering the night, and you could see why Vegas leaned Michigan -3.5. You could also see why it wasn’t nearly enough.
Michigan didn't start slowly; they exploded. They began with an 11–2 surge. The ball moved rapidly, resembling a pinball. Auburn struggled initially, missing their first six shots. Tahaad Pettiford was the primary scorer for The Tigers early on, contributing seven points when Michigan had already amassed 17.
Auburn's shooting percentage was a mere 17% in the initial period. Michigan, on the other hand, achieved 51% shooting for the entire game (making 35 of their 68 field goal attempts). By the halfway point of the half, Michigan had recorded six assists compared to Auburn's two. The Tigers struggled to establish their offense, unable to penetrate Michigan's defensive length or find any offensive flow in halfcourt sets. Following a timeout, Keyshawn Hall momentarily revived Auburn's hopes by scoring seven consecutive points, narrowing the deficit to 26–17, but this effort was ultimately insignificant against the overwhelming performance.
Michigan's sharpshooters connected on 14 of their 35 three-point attempts (40%). Auburn managed 10-of-24 from beyond the arc (42%) but faltered in other areas, hitting just 35% of their shots from the floor. The interior game was particularly one-sided, almost to an awkward degree.
Yaxel Lendeborg contributed 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists, shooting 6-11 from the field and 3-7 from three-point range. Morez Johnson Jr. Scored 15 points with 5 rebounds on 6-7 shooting, and Nimari Burnett also had 15 points and 5 rebounds, making 5-7 field goals, as they overwhelmed Auburn. Michigan's physical advantage wasn't just a factor; it was dominant. Aday Mara provided a strong presence in the paint, grabbing 8 rebounds in only 16 minutes. Michigan outrebounded Auburn 51-35 and recorded 19 assists, more than twice the Tigers' eight.
When the halftime buzzer hit: Michigan 59, Auburn 31. Two turnovers. Thirteen second-chance points. A complete physical dismantling.
By the time the lead stretched beyond 30 in the second half, the competitive tension evaporated and the human angle took over. Inside three minutes, Oscar Goodman caught an exclamation-point alley-oop that sent the entire building into a roar — everyone except one voice in the broadcast booth.
Bruce Pearl fell quiet. The ex-Auburn head coach observed from the sidelines as his son's team faltered, one play after another. The feeling was palpable without needing a visual. Michigan held a 35-point lead. Auburn was enduring its most significant defeat in a long time. Meanwhile, Stephen Pearl was experiencing the most devastating loss of his nascent coaching tenure.
Keyshawn Hall paced Auburn with 15 points, 5 boards, and a 6-of-7 performance at the free-throw line. KeShawn Murphy contributed 12 points. Tahaad Pettiford scored 16 points, with nearly all of them originating from three-pointers or free throws. However, a 22-of-62 (35%) field goal percentage and a mere 18-of-33 from the charity stripe meant the Tigers couldn't match Michigan's well-rounded and accurate play.
Michigan controlled the rebounds, capitalized on every error, and appeared more energetic, focused, and significantly more cohesive than a team should at its sixth game of the season.
It wasn't about the 102–72 score. The focus was on preparedness, coaching deficiencies, and a Michigan squad constructed for a tournament run versus an Auburn team still searching for its fundamental footing.
Dusty May distilled a 24-hour prep into a masterpiece. Stephen Pearl experienced the other side of tournament basketball harshly, loudly, and publicly. Las Vegas didn’t reveal anything new. It just made the truth impossible to miss.
More college basketball news:
Duke Basketball one-and-done makes NBA history, earns Player of the Week honor
Bruce Pearl becomes Auburn super fan during son's loss to No. 1 Houston