Bruce Pearl delivers message to team before Missouri game

Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl was asked an interesting question in his press conference ahead of the team’s home game versus Missouri on Tuesday. Pearl is calling this game a must-win game for the Tigers, as they’re in a three-way tie for fourth place in the conference between themselves, Mizzou, and Kentucky.

There’s no doubt that there are plenty of NCAA Tournament implications on the line in this upcoming matchup and down the stretch for Auburn. So much so that Pearl was asked if he would be giving his team any extra motivation by shaving his beard for winning games in the future.

“No man, win this game, got a chance to go to the tournament. Don’t win this game, we’re in sixth place, seventh place and we have an uphill battle, that’s just where we’re at,” Pearl said.

The SEC standings are tight at the moment, as Auburn shares a 7-5 record with the aforementioned teams and there are three 6-6 squads right on their heels. Three of Auburn’s next four opponents are either currently tied with them in the standings or right behind them, and following those games, they end their regular season schedule with two of the SEC’s top teams (and only two ranked teams), Alabama and Tennessee.

“We’ve worked so hard to put ourselves in a great position, we’re still in a great position. And we’ve earned the position by virtue of our record and the quality of some of our wins, but if we don’t start winning then the NCAA tournament’s not gonna be available to us,” Pearl said.

Auburn got off to a hot start to their non-conference and conference schedule, opening up the season with an 8-0 record and winning six of their first seven conference games. Unfortunately for the Tigers, that was followed with a complete 180, as they’ve lost all but one of their last six matchups.

Thankfully, their hot start to their SEC schedule has created a cushion that keeps their tournament hopes alive. And those same tournament hopes will have to be enough motivation for the Tigers, as Pearl doesn’t plan on shaving his beard any time soon.

“So I don’t need to motivate them with my beard being shaved if we win a game or two. I’m already trying to lose weight because I’m a big boy, whatever, but win or go home,” Pearl said. “That’s motivation enough.”

Auburn and Missouri square off on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in a matchup airing on ESPN2.