For the first time all season, Auburn entered Sunday’s game against Richmond coming off a loss.

The Tigers lost their first game of the season on Wednesday, falling to Duke in the SEC/ACC Challenge. It was arguably Auburn’s toughest nonconference test of the season, and it remained competitive in the six-point loss.

Auburn didn’t look affected by the loss on Sunday, beating Richmond 98-54, improving to 8-1 on the season.

Here are three takeaways from the win:

No hangover

It’s not uncommon for an emotional or hard-fought loss to result in some sort of letdown in the next game. That’s especially true when you have a four-day turnaround before the next game, and your opponent has 11 days to prepare.

There was no such letdown or hangover for Auburn on Sunday, starting strong and never letting up against Richmond. The Tigers started the game relatively cold from the field, but the intensity and effort never seemed to be lacking.

It’s a sign of both an experienced and well-coached team. Those two things have never been concerns for Auburn, but it’s still a positive sign ahead of an SEC slate that won’t feature many easy games.

However, it’s also fair to mention that Richmond is a level below any team Auburn will face in conference play. Sunday’s game wasn’t much of a test in terms of the level of opponent, but a positive showing nonetheless.

Jahki Howard is back

Howard, one of Auburn two true freshmen, played his first significant minutes since the season opener against Vermont. He didn’t appear in the following five games after he was reportedly involved in an in-flight altercation during the team’s trip to Houston.

He played two minutes late in Auburn’s 90-76 win over Memphis, but hasn’t played in any other game since the altercation.

That changed on Sunday, as Howard played 21 minutes, scoring 13 points. He was one of Auburn’s first two players off the bench, checking into the game at the 16:47 mark of the first half.

His athleticism made a difference for Auburn in the first half, scoring six points, all coming on dunks. On the third dunk, though, he was assessed a technical foul after blowing a kiss following the basket.

Too many weapons, still

Auburn ranks first nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency for a reason. With the number of capable scorers the Tigers have, it’s nearly impossible for teams — especially those of Richmond’s quality — to effectively defend them.

Against Richmond, six Auburn players finished the game in double-figures and five made at least one 3-pointer.

Adding Howard back to the rotation gives Auburn another scoring option and a slightly different look with his quickness and ability to play above the rim.

Even on a night where Johni Broome was relatively quiet, Auburn’s offense never missed a beat. Broome finished with 11 points, but Tahaad Pettiford and Miles Kelly both had 15 along with double-figure contributions from Chad Baker-Mazara and Denver Jones.

Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at [email protected]m