Auburn Tigers Face Merrimack Warriors in College Basketball Showdown

AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 20 Auburn Tigers will host the Merrimack Warriors in a college basketball game Thursday at Neville Arena, aiming to extend their early season success.

Auburn (1-0) enters this matchup fresh off a thrilling 95-90 overtime victory against Bethune-Cookman. Last season, they rolled to a 32-6 record, allowing 69.4 points per game while showcasing a dominant offense that averaged 83.0 points.

Merrimack, on the other hand, finished last season with an 18-15 record, averaging only 65.6 points per game, which ranks among the lowest in the nation. The Warriors were impressive defensively, conceding just 64.2 points per game.

Auburn’s coach, Steven Pearl, emphasized the importance of taking control early: “We’ve got to do a good job of guarding without fouling.” He warned players against underestimating Merrimack, noting their top-10 ranking in forced turnovers last season.

The key for Merrimack to stay competitive will be finding an offensive rhythm and maintaining defensive discipline, especially against an Auburn team that excels at rebounding.

Auburn’s rebounding prowess was on display against Bethune-Cookman, where they significantly outperformed the Warriors, who ranked 360th nationally in rebounding last season. Pearl’s team averaged 34.4 rebounds per game.

<p“It's going to be a unique challenge because they play zone the whole game,” Pearl said about Merrimack's defensive strategy. “Their wings are so high up the floor and they fly around.”

The game will be available for streaming on SEC Network+ and is set to tip off at 7 p.m. CT, with Brit Bowen and Joe Ciampi calling the action from Neville Arena.