Five things Bruce Pearl said after the game

Bruce Pearl always has good things to say about Kentucky‘s basketball program. For a rival, he rarely says a bad word about the Cats. On Saturday, Pearl had no choice but to speak highly of Kentucky after John Calipari took the Cats into Auburn and ruined the jungle’s unbeaten record, winning 70-59. Typically, Kentucky’s offense carries the team to victory. But at Auburn, it was mostly the defense getting the recognition. Antonio Reeves, too.

“Reeves has killed us every year.”

Reeves scored 21 points against Auburn last season, hitting 8 of 13 shots from the field with four 3-pointers in Kentucky’s 32-point win in Rupp Arena. The Tigers got a second shot at Reeves and Kentucky on Saturday only to give up another 22 points to Reeves in a Wildcat win on Auburn’s floor.

“Our point guards didn’t have an assist.”

Pearl admitted that Kentucky’s ball pressure caused significant problems for Auburn’s backcourt. “Our point guards didn’t have an assist, maybe just one basket,” he said in his opening remarks. “So, their ball pressure and their guards wouldn’t really allow us to get the ball into places on the floor that we needed to be able to execute our offense.”

“I thought they were more physical.”

When asked what Pearl saw out of Kentucky that he didn’t catch on film in Kentucky’s loss to Gonzaga, he noted that the Wildcats amped up the physicality. “They were real physical.”

“There were a couple of plays that I’m going to send into to the league.”

Pearl thought Kentucky was that physical. Ugonna Onyenso’s inadvertent elbow is one that really set Pearl off during the game. Still, even Jay Bilas agreed there was no intent by Onyenso on the play, only incidental contact.

“Kentucky disrupted us.”

“Their length at the rim, obviously, disrupted us. Their ball pressure disrupted us. They had a good scout. So, I really think you just go, alright, if Kentucky guards like this, they can beat anybody.”

Watch Pearl’s entire press conference for more (video via Auburn Tigers):