SEC Network schedule set for Auburn basketball's summer trip to Israel

AUBURN – All three of Auburn’s exhibition games during its foreign tour of Israel this summer will be broadcast live on SEC Network.

What an opportunity for Bruce Pearl and the program. And what a sign of how far this program has come.

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The what?

Pearl’s team will head overseas for the inaugural “Birthright for College Basketball” tour, with the Tigers heading to Israel on July 31 for a 10-day trip that will wrap up Aug. 10. During the tour, Auburn will play in three exhibition games against Israel’s top teams.

The who?

Auburn will play the Israel U-20 National Team on Aug. 2 at Malha Arena in Jerusalem, followed by back-to-back games against the Israel All-Star select team on Aug. 7 and the Israel National Team on Aug. 8 at Sport Palace Tel Aviv Yafo in Tel Aviv. Games will be played in front of fans and will be played using FIBA rules, including a four-quarter format as opposed to the two-half setup used in NCAA competition.

“Grateful to Auburn University and the NCAA for allowing us to take these foreign trips every four years,” Pearl said. “This experience both academically, historically and religiously, will have a forever effect on our student-athletes. As a Jewish-American college basketball coach, I am honored and blessed to share this experience with our Auburn Basketball Family. Birthright for College Basketball in Israel will become one of the most sought after and impactful foreign trips in the future.”

All three of Auburn’s games will air live on SEC Network at noon Central time, with ESPN analyst Jay Bilas and play-by-play announcer Roxy Bernstein on the call.

More about the trip to Israel

Kentucky and Kansas have previously had their foreign trips televised, but not many programs have. What an accomplishment for Auburn basketball, and for Pearl.

Previously the only three known NCAA Division I, II or III schools to travel to the Holy Land for a preseason foreign tour – UConn Men’s Basketball in 1998, Toledo Women’s Basketball in 2011 and Wheaton (Ill.) College Men’s Basketball in 2016. UConn would go on to win its first national championship title in men’s basketball following their foreign tour to Israel in 1998-99.

Pearl’s Jewish background is a big reason Auburn is making this trip. Pearl hopes other college basketball programs travel to Israel – a country that absolutely loves basketball – and politically, a country that’s an ally to the United States.

This effort by Pearl to make trips to Israel, whether it’s Auburn or encouraging other programs to do the same, is very, very important to Pearl during this final decade or less of his college coaching career.

Along with the cultural experience and chance to play against quality international competition, Pearl will use the trip for 10 additional practices in Auburn and extra competition to scout his roster. Returners like K.D. Johnson, Zep Jasper, Wendell Green Jr., Jaylin Williams, Allen Flanigan, Dylan Cardwell and Chris Moore will all make the trip, along with newcomers Johni Broome, Tre Donaldson, Chance Westry and Yohan Traore.

Off the court, Auburn will visit Bethlehem, Yad Vashem – the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, City of David, the Dead Sea, the Old City and the Sea of Galilee.

The Tigers’ travel and international competition have been a collaboration between Pearl, Complete Sports Management, the Israeli Basketball Association and Athletes for Israel. All parties hope this is the start of annual preseason foreign tours to Israel for Division I men’s basketball programs.

“We believe this trip will be the start of a longstanding relationship with college basketball and Israel,” said Lea Miller-Tooley, CEO of Complete Sports Management. “Coach Pearl’s vision coupled with SEC Network’s coverage will make for an unprecedented trip. Complete Sports Management is proud to be part of history in the making.”