Observations: Auburn 77, Tennessee 72

If the Tigers were ready to be done with their brutal 2020-21 campaign, they didn't show it in a surprising win over a ranked opponent.

SF Allen Flanigan (Shanna Lockwood/Auburn Athletics)

Forget the tough schedule and the lack of a healthy point guard at the moment. Auburn basketball isn’t ready for this challenging season to be done just yet.

That was evident Saturday, when the Tigers’ starting five scored 75 points and turned the ball over just seven times in a 77-72 win over a ranked Tennessee team.

“Our guys just beat a team that's 15 in NET, a team that was picked to win our league,” Bruce Pearl said after his sixth straight victory over his former employer. “They did it with tremendous effort and energy. I was so proud of our guys in their preparation. It's obviously been tough this season, because we haven't had as much success as we would have liked, and we knew how young we were.

“So there hasn't been a ton of joy in Mudville after games. But you can see, the kids just haven't quit.”

Here are five Observations from how the Tigers pulled off a much-needed victory at home Saturday, along with the Rotation Chart, N…