Lexington, KY – Auburn Tigers Head Coach Bruce Pearl addressed the media ahead of his team’s first-round matchup against Alabama State, emphasizing the growth of college basketball within the state of Alabama and the challenges that lie ahead.
Pearl began by congratulating Alabama State on their recent victory, noting how well-represented the state is in this year’s tournament. “Basketball in the state of Alabama was really good this year, obviously led by Auburn and Alabama, UAB. Troy being in the tournament, Jacksonville State had a great year,” he said. Pearl also highlighted the competitiveness of Alabama State’s conference, pointing out that teams like Grambling, Prairie View, and Texas Southern have pulled off significant upsets in the past.
The Auburn coach acknowledged that Alabama State is no pushover. “We know we have our hands full with a very quick, deep, athletic, well-coached basketball team,” he stated.
Pearl spoke about the competitiveness of college basketball in Alabama, praising the universities’ commitment to their programs and the quality of coaching throughout the state. “Alabama has always produced a tremendous number of great football players and baseball players and a lot of terrific athletes. And keep in mind in the state of Alabama, we have no professional sports at all. So the university system, the colleges, universities get a lot of attention, a lot of notoriety, and so therefore they get a lot of support.”
Reflecting on last year’s disappointing tournament exit against Yale, Pearl stressed that his team is well aware of how quickly things can change in March Madness. “Yale outplayed us. We shot 50% in the game. Typically that’s good enough to win. We fouled them too much. We turned the ball over late, crucial moments, and we didn’t make free throws at the end. And as a result, we lost the game.”
Despite earning the overall No. 1 seed this season, Pearl made it clear that the team is focused on taking things one game at a time. “We are six wins away from achieving what our real goal is, which is to win the national championship. We recognize that at any stop, including tomorrow, we could lose. We’re going to do everything we possibly can to not.”
Pearl outlined the keys to success against Alabama State, emphasizing the importance of defense and rebounding. “There are going to be some nights we’re going to shoot it really well and some nights we are not going to shoot it well. What does Alabama State do to score? How do they score? Understand that. Do the best job we can to prevent that.”
He also noted Alabama State’s reliance on three-point shooting and their ability to chase down offensive rebounds due to their speed and quickness. “We have the advantage on the inside. But they’re going to come down and double team and strip and rip and be really, really handsy because they’re really, really athletic. We have to do a good job protecting the ball.”
When asked about the SEC’s improvement in men’s basketball, Pearl credited the commitment of the conference’s leadership and institutions. “The SEC is the best conference in intercollegiate athletics. We have not been in men’s basketball in a long, long time. What happened? Just a commitment… Mike Slive, Greg Sankey, hiring of some guys that are just focused on basketball.”
Pearl explained that the investment in the NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) has made a big difference. “In the SEC, the teams that finished at the bottom were almost as invested as the teams in the top, and as a result you have 16 teams that are really playing hard, that are really talented, that are really deep and well-coached.”
Regarding Alabama State, Pearl expressed respect for head coach Tony Madlock and the program’s familiarity with high-level competition. “Tony Madlock was an assistant at Auburn for four years… They don’t have the resources we have, but their expectations for how they train, how they coach, how they treat their players [are high].”
With the stage set, Pearl is preparing his team for what he expects to be a competitive contest against a resilient Alabama State team that won’t be intimidated by the moment.
Stay tuned for more coverage of the Auburn Tigers and their tournament journey.
The Barn 