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Auburn Drops Out of Top 25 After Purdue Blowout as Pettiford Leaves With Ankle Injury

A rebuilt roster under first-year coach Steven Pearl has struggled through a top‑10 gauntlet, leaving Pettiford’s health and defensive fixes as priorities before SEC play.

Overview

  • Auburn fell 88-60 to No. 6 Purdue on Dec. 20 in Indianapolis, slipping to 8-4 with one nonconference game left.
  • Tahaad Pettiford exited after his right foot rolled on teammate Filip Jović and was later seen in a walking boot, with no official update on his status.
  • The Tigers dropped out of the AP Top 25 and the USA TODAY Coaches Poll on Monday after the loss.
  • KenPom now places Auburn at No. 38 overall, with No. 16 adjusted offense and No. 86 defense following the Purdue game.
  • Shooting and interior play underscored the gap: Auburn shot 36% to Purdue’s 56%, was outscored 40-20 in the paint, and trailed 36-25 on the glass, as Steven Pearl cited missed uncontested looks.