The Auburn Tigers finally caught a break.
After dropping four straight games and watching its SEC hopes wobble, the Tigers are getting their leading scorer back at exactly the right time. Keyshawn Hall is set to return Wednesday night, giving a frustrated team a much-needed jolt of energy.
For a group that has struggled to close games and generate consistent offense during this skid, that’s not small news. That’s everything.
Four losses, rising pressure
The numbers tell the story. Auburn sits at 14-11 overall and 5-7 in SEC play. The margin for error is gone. Every game from here on out carries weight.
During the four-game slide, the Tigers have looked tight offensively. Shots haven’t fallen. Possessions have stalled late. And the absence, or limited role, of Hall has been noticeable.
He averages 20.7 points per game, fourth in the SEC, along with nearly seven rebounds. Auburn doesn’t just rely on him to score. They rely on him to create rhythm.
When he’s aggressive, the floor opens up. When he’s not there, things shrink quickly.
Coach Steven Pearl recently challenged Hall to meet program standards. Now comes the response.
The stretch that will define Auburn
There’s no soft landing here.
After Mississippi State, Auburn closes the regular season with:
- vs. Kentucky (Feb. 21)
- at Oklahoma (Feb. 24)
- vs. Ole Miss (Feb. 28)
- vs. LSU (March 3)
- at Alabama (March 7)
That’s a defining stretch before the SEC tournament. Wins there could stabilize the season. More losses would push Auburn into dangerous territory.
Getting Hall back doesn’t guarantee anything. But it changes the ceiling.
A chance to flip the script
Sometimes adversity fractures a season. Sometimes it refocuses it.
For Auburn, this feels like the pivot point. Four straight losses have tested confidence and exposed flaws. Now the Tigers get their best scorer back with everything still in front of them.
The skid has been real.
But now,so is the opportunity.