Everything Bruce Pearl said after Auburn's blowout win over Vanderbilt: 'We did what we needed to do tonight'

AUBURN — For 30 minutes of the game against Vanderbilt, Auburn was fairly average. The Tigers led by just 12 against the ‘Dores, but the final 10 minutes or so was a different story. The Tigers scored 27 points in the final 10 minutes to run away with a much-needed victory heading into a brutal stretch of SEC games ahead.

“I think it was important,” Bruce Pearl said. “I thought Jaylin, Johni and Denver in that stretch really played effectively offensively. Really truly, the key to our future is the fact we held Tyrin Lawrence to 2-11 and (Ezra) Manjon to 2-8. As we move forward, are we going to be able to guard Ole Miss’ guards again? Mississippi State, who is one of the best defensive teams in the country, couldn’t. I look at anything as we move forward, it’s will our guards continue to guard like that? Will they guard night in, night out for the next 11 games.”

The 27-point win on Wednesday night tied Auburn’s second-largest margin of victory in the 148-game series with Vanderbilt, matching a 97-70 victory on Jan. 29, 1986. The Tigers’ biggest win over the Commodores was a 62-28 victory on Feb. 1, 1928.

Auburn improves to 110-34 as a ranked team under Coach Pearl including 64-4 at home. The Tigers are 99-26 as a ranked team versus unranked opponents under Pearl including  57-3 at home.

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Pearl said his message to the team this week was the SEC is a grind, so get ready.

“We’ve put ourselves in position. I had to work hard to make sure we didn’t have a letdown. We beat Vanderbilt by 15 up there. I don’t think the kids took it for granted, I think the played really well.”

Next up is a road trip to No. 22 Ole Miss, where the Rebels haven’t lost at home all season. Florida beat Kentucky on Wednesday night, Georgia nearly upset Alabama in Athens, a place Auburn will travel to soon. This one night after South Carolina beat Tennessee on the road. The SEC isn’t a place for the faint of heart, as five of Auburn’s next eight games are currently Quad I games.

“It gets real coming up Saturday. The environment at Ole Miss, they are going to be going crazy. Another sold out game on the road. They haven’t lost at home. It’s going to take some special. I think they understand that and hope they are ready for it,” Pearl said.

“You look across the league, Florida going to Kentucky and beating them. They are playing really well right now,” Pearl said. “Georgia plays tough against Alabama, plays really well. Obviously what South Carolina did last night at Tennessee. We did what we needed to do tonight.”

Pearl also revisited his recent statements about the state of this Auburn team and some of the feedback he’s seen on social media and elsewhere, adding on to his comments from Monday where he thought some of the recent feedback after two road losses was “too negative.”

“I’ll make it clear again tonight. We are so grateful for the support, I love all the passion, and I love the intensity we have. It’s just that, we’re picked sixth in the league. Johni Broome was the only kid on first, second or third-team anything in the SEC. To this point, we’ve played and the kids have played above those expectations,” Pearl said.

“I don’t know if that’s going to continue. As we get into the schedule, I can tell you we’re going to lose some games. We’re still in this thing. My guess is there will be time to be disappointed, now is not the time, if that makes sense. The guys are working. We’ve had some guys step up, but we’re going to have to continue to step up if we’re going to continue winning.”

Here’s everything else Pearl said after the Tigers’ 17th win of the season:

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Tre Donaldson started, finishing with two points, seven rebounds, five assists and four turnovers…

“That starting group, those plus/minus numbers were pretty good. The three over and backs was just incredible. I think part of it was him not knowing where he was on the floor. I’m just not sure he was aware. Manjon can put great pressure on the ball and I’m sure Tre was bothered by it. When you have seven rebounds, that’s one of the things we talked about and he responded, and his team played well with his team on the floor and that’s what point guards are responsible for.”

Denver Jones scored 19 points (SEC high) and hit a season-high four threes in the win…

“I’m really glad to see the ball go in for Denver Jones and see what he’s capable of doing. It makes us a lot better. It was vital. Denver was focused in, he was ready to go. He had a good week of practice. I like his focus and where he is right now as we move forward.”

Was there anything Pearl saw fundamentally that looked different tonight versus the last two losses?

“Maybe rebounding. Vanderbilt still had 11 offensive rebounds, but we rebounded better. Obviously, we made, the ball went in for us. That was a big part of what was different, what was better. There were probably still too many turnovers, 13 is too high for us.”

Auburn hit 10 threes, but the Tigers have always shot better at home…

“We shot it better at home tonight. Making 10 threes, but Denver making four, Jaylin making three, Johni making two…big.”

Johni Broome recorded yet another double-double, scoring 16 points and grabbing 11 rebounds (he also blocked five shots and dished out four assists)…Jaylin Williams scored a team-high 21, while Chad Baker-Mazara poured in 11 points, grabbed five boards and had four assists…

“I thought Johni Broome, this is three straight where Johni has been dominant. It was good to see Jaylin Williams play well again tonight. I thought Chad (Baker-Mazara was really good off the bench. And defensively, Vanderbilt is a good team. We just wore them down. Our halfcourt defense was outstanding.”

Aden Holloway is now 11-47 from three in SEC play after an 0-5 night…

“Aden, he’s working hard and trying to do all the little things. He’s really working on defense…he’s trying to get the offense set. The one thing he’s always been able to do is just shoot it from wherever. When those shots start going in, we’re going to be a different team and he’s going to have so much more fun and confidence. But right now, the ball isn’t going in for him.”