Auburn basketball: 2019-20 season review and 2020-2021 first-look preview

Performance

Auburn basketball finished 25-6 in 2019-20, with a 12-6 record in the SEC, which was good for second place in the conference. There were high expectations after a Final Four run in the 2019 NCAA Tournament, as the Tigers became one of March Madness’s surprises amid a chaotic field of play.

Despite a refreshed roster, Auburn appeared strong out of the gate. The long winning streak had them playing far and beyond the last regular season and Pearl’s work shined brightly in the first half of the year.

Once conference play began, though, the situation changed. Facing more difficult opponents, Auburn succumbed to a handful of middle-of-the-road SEC teams, dampening the hot start to the season, most of which came against schools outside of their zone.

This season marked Pearl’s third consecutive season of at least 25 wins, with the potential to reach 30 for the second time. The conference tournament would have helped, along with multiple wins in the NCAA Tournament. Of course, those results will never be known, but he solidified his job security.

Overall, Pearl had a fine year at the helm. He utilized different players at the top from 2019’s magical run and found more success. The same will be expected in 2020-21.