Everything Bruce Pearl said after Auburn’s 15-point win over Southeastern Louisiana

AUBURN — Sure, Auburn won by 15 at home for their first win of the season, but head coach Bruce Pearl was none too pleased when he spoke postgame.

“I’m still not happy,” Pearl said. “We gave up 43 points in the second half, 54 against Baylor, that’s 97 points in the second half of basketball and it’s not good enough. We only turned the ball over one time in the second half and I’m still having to coach effort and energy. That’s a problem.

“I think the thing that has to translate is how much you hate losing. If we can’t pick up our energy, effort, physicality of our play — finishing plays, we clock a shot and they get the rebound — if I can get the guys focused on that then we have a chance to be OK.”

Here’s more of what Pearl said following the first win of the season…

Are the “energy” and “effort” issues something that Pearl can understand with so many newcomers?

“I can’t understand it at all. It’s gotta come from within and come from our returning players.”

Jaylin Williams became Auburn’s all-time winningest player tonight with 88 wins and counting.

“That’s a pretty cool thing now. He’s going to add to that this year. The first thing I did in the locker room was congratulate Jaylin for that. The fact that he came here originally and showed some promise, but was behind some veteran frontline guys. We had an injury or two, then late in the year, that’s a pretty promising, pretty bouncy freshman. Then his sophomore year, which wound up being that Covid year and has a great sophomore year. He put up real numbers and had a great sophomore year.

“Then he comes in his junior year and Jabari Smith is coming in. Most guys leave. Instead, Jaylin said, ‘I love Auburn, I’m going to compete with Jabari…and they battled and Jabari didn’t beat him out right away. Obviously last year, Jaylin went to the tournament. Can he go three years in a row? Not many guys wearing an Auburn basketball uniform have done that. We have a lot of work to do to make that happen. I know that’s in his sights.”

Southeastern Louisiana was picked to win the Southland Conference and Pearl was impressed with what he saw against his Tigers.

“They live in a league with Northwestern State, who last year beat TCU at TCU. They live in a league with McNeese State who already went on the road and beat VCU. And tonight, Nicholls State beat LSU. Trust me when I tell you, those guys came in thinking they were going to win the game. That’s a good team. That team is going to have a good year. I want to give them credit.”

KD Johnson and Chad Baker-Mazara combined for 25 points, eight rebounds and just one turnover off the bench.

“I thought KD was terrific. KD played one of his better games. I thought he was really locked in. He got downhill. He shot the three ball. He still breaks us down by taking some possessions off defensively, but there were less of those tonight. I thought Chad Baker at times, I’m one of his biggest fans and biggest critics. He has real ability, but he has to do it on both ends of the floor. I’m excited for him and excited to coach him. I have a great relationship with both KD and Chad, and those two guys are really talented.

“I believe in asking more from the guys who are capable of giving more. I don’t believe in asking more from everybody. That’s the way KD is capable of playing like and then some. Chad Baker is capable of playing better.”

Chaney Johnson grabbed 11 rebounds, but shot just 2-for-11 in the game as he adjusts to life at Auburn versus Alabama-Huntsville.

“Every shot he takes I like. He is our hardest worker. He’s in the gym all the time, but I want him to keep shooting. I think he adds to the degree of difficulty inside by twisting, flipping and floating, that stuff needs to go away. I think he’s very unselfish. He’s one of those guys now, he plays the way I want to play now. He is athletic and he’ll fly around, so I’m OK with Chaney maybe tricked off a few shots. He helps us defensively and with 11 boards, seven offensive boards, that’s how he needs to play. I was very happy with how he played tonight.”

Freshman point guard Aden Holloway was a team-best +17 in 22 minutes played tonight. He scored 11 points, dished out three assists and committed zero turnovers.

“The lights come on, the lights get bright and number one shows up. He does. He’s a gifted offensive player. He’s got a real good feel for tempo. I’d like him to go faster. I’d like him to push it harder, but he’s got it. You can see it. He’s working hard defensively. He still gets lined up a bit because of his size and youth, but he’s working at it. He’s got some special in him.”

The post Everything Bruce Pearl said after Auburn’s 15-point win over Southeastern Louisiana appeared first on On3.