Observations: Auburn 86, Yale 64

Five Tigers scored in double figures, the defense set a Pearl Era record for blocks and Auburn cruised past another team that might make the Big Dance.

SG K.D. Johnson and everyone else’s facial expressions (Jake Taylor/Auburn Athletics)

SEC play doesn’t start for another three weeks, and no one would have confused an undersized Yale team for a conference opponent.

But in the first Saturday home game of the season — and the last game before finals week for students — Auburn Arena truly brought its A game for the first time in a while.

“Look, the energy in the arena was incredible today,” Bruce Pearl said. “I mean, it's incredible.It's December, what, fourth? It's 1 o'clock in the afternoon in Auburn, Alabama, and this place was lit.”

Auburn transferred that energy into an 11-0 run to start the game. The closest Yale ever came again was a four-point deficit, which was immediately answered by a 9-0 run. The Tigers later opened the second half on a 20-8 run, giving them a 34-point lead on a team projected to make it to the NCAA Tournament later this season.

“We’ve got a lot of things to work on, a lot of things to get better on,” Pearl said.…