Bruce Pearl, No. 13 Auburn prep for Missouri with 'much to play for coming down the stretch'

AUBURN -- Bruce Pearl likes how his team is playing with two games left in the regular season, but knows now isn't the time to get comfortable. Now is the time to pick up the pace. Auburn is fighting to finish inside the top four in the SEC, which would earn them a double bye in the SEC Tournament and a Friday first game. More important, Auburn is fighting to earn a 4-seed in the NCAA Tournament, 5-seed worst case. Earning a 3-seed is likely out of reach, unless Auburn won the SEC Tournament. Falling to a 6-seed is possible, but it would likely take losing one of the next two, plus a one-and-done situation in Nashville. "There is so much to play for coming down the stretch," Pearl said on Monday. "My focus has been primarily it’s the last week of the regular season and mathematically, we can finish anywhere between one and six. We’ve been saying that for a while now. We have to continue to win. Second thing is, there’s an awful lot to play for as far as seeding in the SEC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament, and the ability to advance in tournament play in March. We’re trying to be at our best." More from Pearl inside...