BIRMINGHAM — Steven Pearl 's debut as Auburn basketball 's head coach was certainly one to remember, despite the result.

The Tigers faced Oklahoma State in exhibition play on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at Boutwell Auditorium and lost 97-95, but not without a fight. It took one overtime period for the Cowboys to put Auburn away, and a late comeback by the home team had a crowd of 5,000 on its feet late into the evening.

A win would've been nice, sure, but it's certainly a good starting point for Pearl and his first team, which walked away from a dramatic defeat with plenty on which to build.

Here's 11 takeaways from Auburn's first action of the 2025-26 season.

Who was in Steven Pearl's first starting five?

The first starting five of the Steven Pearl was as expected: Need a news break?

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