BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Auburn Tigers faced an unexpected defeat in their first exhibition game Wednesday night against the Florida State Seminoles in the Ballin’ at Boutwell tournament in Birmingham, Alabama, losing 82-71. The exhibition marked the start of year two for both Auburn head coach Steven Pearl and Florida State head coach Luke Loucks.
The Tigers started the game trailing 11-5 less than five minutes into the contest, and the Seminoles’ lead grew to nine at 22-13 with 8:33 remaining in the first half. Auburn responded with a comeback of its own behind seniors George Kimble III and Adam Olsen, with Kimble knocking down a 3-pointer to give the Tigers a 29-28 lead. However, the Tigers entered halftime trailing 37-32. Olsen finished with 11 points on 4-for-8 shooting from the field, while Kimble added six points on 2-for-6 shooting and played more than half the game.
Kimble returned to game action after missing time since the 2024-25 season. While playing his sophomore season for Eastern Kentucky, he sustained a cartilage injury in his left leg, which kept him on the sideline until Wednesday night.
Pearl highlighted Kimble's ability to stay aggressive.
“I thought George was probably the one spot. Played with great intensity, great energy,” Pearl said.
Once the second half started, the Seminoles looked like a different team. Kameron Taylor led the way for Florida State, finishing with 19 points. Marcis Ponder recorded a double-double with 13 points and 21 rebounds, helping Florida State maintain its advantage over Auburn during the heated matchup in Birmingham.
The Tigers made several attempts to complete a comeback, even cutting the lead to one point at 60-59. These efforts were led by Auburn standout Tahaad Pettiford, who impressed with a game-high 20 points. However, after Auburn cut the deficit to 65-62, Florida State scored seven straight points to extend its lead to 72-62 with 3:40 remaining. The Seminoles maintained their advantage down the stretch, securing an 82-71 victory over the Tigers.
Pearl noted several unfamiliar characteristics in his team following the defeat.
“We look soft in that, and that’s an area that we've got to improve, and we’ve got to improve quickly,” Pearl said. “And, you know, we got punked on the inside, and, you know, that film’s out there now, which is great. So those guys are all going to be accountable, and we have to take some real steps.”
Auburn will have to bounce back quickly as it prepares to take on Nate Oats’ Crimson Tide on Thursday, Oct. 22, in a historic exhibition game for the state of Alabama. The game will take place at 7 p.m. CT at Legacy Arena in Birmingham.
The two teams have never met in an exhibition game before, and the Tigers will have to be ready to face an Alabama team that will provide another major preseason test.
