Pearl: ‘We’re going to lose games’
AUBURN | Auburn will enter conference play Saturday with a 12-1 record, ranked No. 2 nationally and with a nation’s best six Quad 1 wins.
But the Tigers will also be entering a league race that includes 10 teams ranked in the Top 25 and all 16 teams with 10 or more wins.
“Now, we get ready to start the toughest conference schedule in the history of college basketball,” said AU coach Bruce Pearl. “Like, there’s maybe never been a league like this and … the strong are literally going to be the only ones who survive. Hungry, healthy, humble is the way to get through it.
“Matchups are going to matter. We’re going to lose games. But we can’t let a loss affect us the next time out. We’ve got to be beat instead of beating ourselves. But we’re healthy and we’re ready.”
Auburn is as prepared as any team in the country with wins over No. 4 Houston, No. 5 Iowa State, No. 12 North Carolina, No. 16 Purdue, Memphis and Ohio State on neutral courts.
The only loss was 84-78 at No. 9 Duke.
“It was the toughest non-conference schedule in the history of Auburn basketball, and we lost one game at Duke; a close game,” said Pearl. “So, I’m very, very proud of our kids. A lot of the games we played were on neutral sites and away from home, so we demonstrated that we can win away from Neville.”
The Tigers opening SEC opponent will be Missouri, which will enter the contest 11-2 overall including a home win over No. 1 Kansas Dec. 8.
Auburn’s remaining conference schedule includes home and away games against No. 5 Alabama, No. 24 Ole Miss and Georgia, home games against No. 1 Tennessee, No. 6 Florida, No. 12 Oklahoma, No. 17 Mississippi State and No. 23 Arkansas, and road games at No. 10 Kentucky, No. 13 Texas A&M, Texas, South Carolina, LSU and Vanderbilt
“We had some really great competition in neutral environments, and it just gives me confidence for this team going forward,” said fifth-year senior Dylan Cardwell. “I’m excited to play on the road in the SEC to see how we compete.
“We did a good enough job, an all right job against Duke, but not every place is gonna be Duke or Cameron Indoor, so I’m just excited to see the potential of this team going forward.”
Tip-off at Neville Arena is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
In a recent press conference, Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl made a bold statement about the upcoming basketball season. He said, “We’re going to lose games.”
This might seem like an unusual thing for a coach to say, but Pearl went on to explain that losing is a part of the game and a necessary step in the process of growth and development. He emphasized the importance of learning from losses and using them as motivation to improve and get better.
Pearl’s honesty and willingness to acknowledge the reality of competition is refreshing in a sports world that often focuses solely on winning. By embracing the inevitability of losses, he is setting a positive example for his players and showing that setbacks can be valuable learning experiences.
So, while Pearl’s statement may seem pessimistic on the surface, it actually speaks to a larger philosophy of resilience and determination. As the Auburn basketball team prepares for the season ahead, they will undoubtedly face challenges and setbacks, but with Pearl’s leadership, they will be ready to face them head-on and come out stronger on the other side.
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