Bruce Pearl shares what he loves most about Auburn roster

There’s a new No. 1 team in college basketball, and they’re rolling through the SEC thanks to their chemistry on and off the court. The Auburn Tigers (18-1) are playing as well, if not better than any team in the nation.

“What I like most about this team is how much they enjoy playing with each other — and how much they are with each other on and off the court,” Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said. “Now, we haven’t faced much adversity.”

Pearl said that it’s the players, not coaches, that win championships. If the season ended today, the Tigers would be March Madnesses No. 1 overall seed. He credits that to the level his teams’ playing at and still having the ability to play deep into his bench.

“People say ‘you’ve got 10 or 11 good players, you’re damn right we do,” he said.

After Auburn’s 80-71 beating of Kentucky Saturday afternoon in front of a rocking Auburn Arena crowd, the nation is on notice and are beginning to realize just how special this Tiger team is. Pearl, however, knows there’s still room for improvement.

“The No. 1 ranking matters because it’s historical. I’m very happy for Auburn,” he said. “I’m very happy for our coaches and players for being able to achieve that. That said, we’ve got a lot of work to do. There’s a reason we were down double-digits at home to UK.”

That top rankings comes with a downside. Now there’s a massive target on their backs.

Pearl addressed this situation, saying he expects every team Auburn faces this season to give them their best shot. He said that might test his team’s chemistry moving forward. The ability to keep that bond as strong as ever and not become complacent is at the forefront of their minds heading into their first games as the face of college basketball.

Auburn is set to take on Missouri (8-10) on the road Tuesday night at 8:30 p.m. ET live on the SEC Network.

Mizzou’s Kobe Brown, who leads his team in scoring with 13.8 points per game and rebounds (8.6) is the player to look for if you’re banking on an upset bid.

“Big, strong, physical team,” Pearl said of Missouri. “They play really well at home. Kobe Brown is a terrific player, an Alabama kid that we recruited … We’re happy for him and his success at Missouri.”

ESPN currently gives Auburn a 91.8 percent chance of winning Tuesday, via their matchup predictor and are currently 14.7-point favorites as of this writing.