Bruce Pearl, Auburn ready to seize opportunity during March Madness

Auburn coach Bruce Pearl hopes his team will use the pain from an early exit in the SEC Tournament to motivate itself heading into March Madness. The Tigers suffered a heartbreaking 76-73 loss to Arkansas on Thursday, but now enter the NCAA Tournament with a fresh slate.

Despite entering the 2022 tournament as a two seed, Auburn suffered an upset to Miami in the second round. This season the Tigers are a No. 9 seed, drawing a matchup against Iowa in the first round. As he gets his team ready for that matchup, Pearl wants them to take advantage of the opportunity for redemption.

“They say that it’s an advantage having been there,” he said. “I know for me, losing on Thursday, watching the games over the weekend, that wasn’t any fun. Look, we lost to a good team in Arkansas (in the SEC Tournament). Arkansas could make a run here like they did last year. It wasn’t like we stubbed our toe, but we didn’t take advantage of the opportunity. It didn’t feel very good, so we’ve got an opportunity here.

“The road to the Final Four is very difficult, very challenging. But I think they’re excited about playing. I think they’re still excited about coming to practice tomorrow.”

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Throwing out the 2020 season in which March Madness was canceled, Pearl has now led Auburn to four tournament appearances in the past five seasons. The team finished 25-6 in 2020 and likely would have made it that year as well. In 2019, he guided the school to its first Final Four appearance as a No. 5 seed. The Tigers exited in the second round both of the other times.

Although this is the lowest Auburn has ever been seeded in any of those appearances, Pearl still believes it has a chance to make a run. Four of the Tigers’ five starters were also on the team last year, with the lone exception being Morehead State transfer Johni Broome.

If Auburn can get past Iowa, it would draw a tough task in the second round against No. 1 seed Houston. However, as Pearl said, experience matters in March and the Tigers have a lot of it.

Tip-off for the matchup between Auburn and Iowa is set for 5:50 p.m. CT on Thursday.