For recent Tennessee vs. Auburn matchups, it’s been Bruce Pearl facing off against the school he used to lead.
But desires changed this offseason, and Pearl decided it was time to call it quits as a head coach. And weeks before the season began, he handed the reins off to his son, Steven Pearl, who used to play for Tennessee basketball under his father.
Steven Pearl was a guard from 2007-11, appearing in 101 games across his tenure. Now, as the head coach of the Auburn Tigers, Pearl returns to Knoxville for the first time on Saturday.
“Steven has done a really good job,” Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said. “I think that they continue to get better all year, which that’s what you’re looking for. And playing with confidence. And he does, again, a terrific job of getting his guys where he wants them to be. And they’re doing a lot of really good things.”
Auburn’s attack is one that is heating up entering the heart of SEC play. Pearl’s Tigers struggled out of the gate, dropping the first two games of conference play while dropping to 9-6 on the season. Ever since, they’ve won five of the last six and ride a four-game winning streak entering Food City Center.
It includes a stunning win over a hot Florida team in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center a week ago. While Pearl has been around his father for all 38 years of his existence, taking over his own program has come with adding his own touches.
“Well, I mean, obviously, Steven was with Bruce for a long time, and had a chance to be a huge part of all their success,” Barnes said. “And I think that he has still stuck to some of the things they’ve done, but yet he’s put his own touch to it too, which I’m sure his dad is proud of. And they’ve just continued to get better. And I think if you go back and look at all of Bruce’s teams too, they did that. They got better as the year went on. And when I watched from Auburn, they’ve done the same thing.”
Auburn averages a middling-pack 85 points per game, allowing 77.7 per night. The Tigers’ improvements have come by way of complementary basketball, allowing an improved 70.5 points during the four-game winning streak.
On the offensive end, they’re striping the basket with efficiency. Auburn is 14-3 this season when it shoots better than 40% from the field, including a 7-0 mark when shooting 50% or better. It includes a 51% mark in a win over Texas on Wednesday, where the Tigers turned the ball over a program-low three times.
“I mean, they’re definitely playing winning basketball just all playing together,” guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie said. “No selfishness.”
UCF transfer Keyshawn Hall is the leading culprit on the offensive side. The 6-foot-7 forward averages 20.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, making him the only player in the conference who ranks in the top 10 in both categories.
Heralded sophomore guard Tahaad Pettiford follows behind with 13.4 points and 3.1 assists across 31 minutes per night. His last performance against the Vols, in the SEC Tournament semifinals, went for zero points on 0-for-8 shooting.
“He can score at all three levels,” Gillespie said. “He’s a really good player and really shifty. So, just got to really sit down on him defensively and make him take tough shots.”
Tennessee and Auburn take the late-night ESPN slot for an 8:30 p.m. ET tip.
