What Bruce Pearl said following Auburn's selection into the NCAA Tournament
AUBURN — Making the NCAA Tournament isn’t an easy task. Those who follow Auburn basketball should know that better than most. Even Bruce Pearl, who will head into his 12th NCAA Tournament as a head coach, takes nothing for granted.
“You cannot take making this tournament for granted,” Pearl said on Sunday evening.
Pearl and Auburn landed the 9 seed in the Midwest Region and will face 8-seed Iowa in the first round. The game will be played in Birmingham, Ala. on Thursday.
Auburn will play in its 12th all-time NCAA Tournament. Four of those appearances have come in the last six seasons under Pearl, and if not for the cancelled tournament in 2020, it would be five appearances in the last six seasons.
The Tigers (20-12) earned an at-large bid and their 12th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance next to 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2018, 2019 and 2022. It was the program’s fourth berth in the last five tournaments.
The Tigers are 18-11 (.621) all-time in NCAA Tournament games including 6-3 under Coach Pearl.
Pearl is 16-11 overall in the NCAA Tournament, having taken Auburn to the Final Four in 2019. Auburn’s nine NCAA Tournament wins since 2000 ranks 52nd nationally, one ahead of rival Alabama. The Tigers also remain the most recent SEC team to make the Final Four, followed by South Carolina in 2017 and Kentucky in 2015 before that.
RELATED: AUBURN LANDS THE 9 SEED AGAINST 8-SEED IOWA IN THE MIDWEST REGION
As always, here’s what Pearl said during a meeting with the media on Sunday afternoon inside Neville Arena: (also, we’ll talk to Pearl again on Monday after he’s learned more about Iowa)
— “We played six non-conference teams” that made the field, played 13 NCAA Tournament teams, “so it was a tough schedule.”
— “Even in our losses — we were extremely competitive. With the new metrics, you get rewarded with how you play, not just if you win. I’m proud of the team for making the tournament.”
— “This team, including the summer trip, logged 31,000 miles of travel. Last year’s team only traveled 11,000 miles of travel.”
— “It was special to be an assistant at Iowa for six years. I think the people in Alabama would share a lot of things in common with the people in the midwest.”
— “Iowa will be one of the best offensive teams we’ve played.” Pearl mentions a great offensive rebounding team, doesn’t turn the ball over.”
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— To be in Birmingham “for our fans and students is awesome. Hopefully we’ll get great support. We’ll see if we can have a shining moment or two.”
— More on the seeding and location: “We were going to be in that 8, 9 or 10 game. We knew Birmingham was an 8-9 site, and we knew about Alabama being there, but because of pods, we had a chance to maybe be there.”
— “We had a gathering in the locker room and were excited to hear their name called. There have been times where we’ve been good defensively and times where we haven’t.”
— Pearl on the Birmingham atmosphere: “I’m happy for our alumni, students, fan base to watch some incredible basketball.”
— On the SEC representatives: “Getting eight in is unbelievable. And Vandy was one of the last teams that didn’t make it.”
— On the non-conference schedule: “Give credit to Mike Burgomaster. We always try to play a tough schedule.” Talked about Texas Southern, Colgate, Northwestern, etc.
— “We were 19-3 against teams we were favored against,” Pearl mentions.
— “Watching the (SEC) games on Friday and Saturday wasn’t fun” after losing on Thursday. He thinks the players will bounce back and practice well.
