Observations: Auburn 99, Nebraska 68

In their first game after the NCAA's decisions — and their first without Bruce Pearl — the Tigers put on a high-scoring show in Atlanta vs. a B1G team.

PG Wendell Green Jr. (Grayson Belanger/Auburn Athletics)

A dark cloud that had been hanging over Auburn basketball for four years dissipated Friday, when the NCAA announced its punishments for the Chuck Person scandal. The program’s self-imposed postseason ban would be its only one, Bruce Pearl would have to serve a brief two-game suspension and there would be light scholarship restrictions across a four-year probation period.

A little less than 24 hours after the announcement was made, the Tigers stepped into the bright lights of an NBA arena and put together a performance to match it all — the stage, the A-list crowd, the entire vibe of the program this weekend.

Auburn picked a perfect time to put together its best all-around performance of the season, shredding Nebraska by a score of 99-68 at the Holiday Hoopsgiving in Atlanta. The Tigers led for all but 1:27 of the neutral-site clash, which featured the likes of Kevin Durant and Charles Barkley sitting courtside.

“Our guys obviously s…