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Auburn Basketball: Tigers Look to Reverse Losing Streak in Pearl’s Return to Tennessee

By Nicholas Ian Allen

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Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl returns to face his old Tennessee program Saturday for the first time as an opposing coach, and the Tigers aim to pick up a big SEC win on the road.

Auburn Tigers (10-10, 2-5) at Tennessee Volunteers (12-7, 4-3)

  • Date: Saturday, January 31, 2015
  • Start Time: 11:00 AM Central
  • Location: Knoxville, TN
  • Arena: Thompson-Boling Arena
  • TV Info: ESPN2
  • Live Stream: WatchESPN
  • Odds (VegasInsider.com): Tennessee (-7)

Bruce Pearl did some terrific things as the head coach at Tennessee from 2005-2011. Under his direction, the Vols won 145 games in six seasons and made the NCAA Tournament every year. In 2007 and 2008 the Vols reached the Sweet Sixteen, and two seasons later Tennessee made it to the Elite Eight.

They were ranked No. 1 in the nation for a short stint in 2008 – the season in which Pearl was named SEC Coach of the Year – and Tennessee picked up big wins against powerhouse programs like of Memphis, Florida and Kentucky. But obviously, it wasn’t all great – otherwise Pearl would still call Knoxville home.

Jan 27, 2015; Auburn, AL, USA; Texas A&M Aggies guard Jalen Jones (12) blocks Auburn Tigers guard KT Harrell (1) during the first half at Auburn Arena. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

Instead, following a three-year show cause penalty for a series of NCAA violations, he’s the head coach of the Auburn Tigers, who travel to face the Vols Saturday.

How does the head coach think he’ll be received?

“Some will be booing and some will be Bruuuuing,” Pearl said Friday. “I don’t know what one it will be.”

Pearl also expects ESPN2 cameras to be following him very closely before, after and during the game – and he welcomes it.

“That’s good for Auburn basketball, good for the Auburn athletic program for that visibility on a Saturday afternoon,” Pearl said, always with an eye on promoting the Tigers whenever and wherever he can. 

It’s sure to be an emotional return for Pearl, but once the ball is in the air and the game begins, it will be just another basketball game. A very important SEC basketball game. But still, just a basketball game.

The Tigers carry a three-game losing streak with them to Tennessee and need to find a way to pick up a win to avoid a 2-6 start in conference play. It won’t be easy. The Vols are currently in the top half of the league standings with a 12-7 overall record, including a surprising 4-3 mark in the SEC.

Of course, the Vols have a losing streak of their own following back-to-back losses to Texas A&M and Arkansas. Also, the Tigers match up much better physically against Tennessee than they did in Tuesday’s 71-61 loss to the Aggies.

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To win, Auburn will need a better start from senior guard and second-leading SEC scorer K.T. Harrell than the Tigers got in their last game. Harrell was shut out in the first half against the Aggies and his 11 points after halftime weren’t enough to help the squad cut down a seven-point deficit after the first twenty minutes.

A better performance from Harrell, who was much more cautious to pull the trigger than normal against A&M (3-for-7 from the floor including a 1-for-3 night from beyond the three-point line), is a start, and Antoine Mason and Cinmeon Bowers will need to be on their game as well.

But, they’re going to need more than just those three to pull off an upset in Knoxville. The Tigers need scoring help from someone else.

You have to go back to the 85-79 victory over Missouri to find a game in which someone other than Harrell, Bowers or Mason scored more than seven points in a game for the Auburn basketball team. Against Mizzou, K.C. Ross-Miller scored 13 points in the first half and Malcolm Canada and Tahj Shamsid-Deen (who is probable to play against Tennessee due to two shoulder injuries) chipped in with ten points apiece off the bench.

With a well-rounded effort, Auburn has a chance to give Pearl a triumphant return to Tennessee. With another lackluster scoring performance from the rest of the roster, a fourth-straight SEC loss is inevitable.

Auburn

#5 Cinmeon Bowers, F, Jr., 6-foot-7, 278 pounds, 13.5 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 30.1 MPG
#25 Jordon Granger, F, Jr., 6-foot-8, 210 pounds, 5.0 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 23.2 MPG
#1 K.T. Harrell, G, Sr., 6-foot-4, 212 pounds, 17.1 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 32.4 MPG
#12 K.C. Ross-Miller, G, So., 6-foot, 178 pounds, 6.2 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 24.2 MPG
#14 Antoine Mason, G, Sr., 6-foot-1, 216 pounds, 14.1 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 29.1 MPG

Tennessee

#1 Josh Richardson, G, Sr., 6-foot-6, 200 pounds, 15.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.5 APG
#0 Kevin Punter, G, Jr., 6-foot-4, 180 pounds, 10.7 PPG, 2.4 RPG
#3 Robert Hubbs III, G, So., 6-foot-6, 206 pounds, 6.6 PPG, 2.5 RPG
#4 Armani Moore, F, Jr., 6-foot-5, 215 pounds, 9.7 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 2.3 APG
#23 Derek Reese, F, Jr., 6-foot-8, 220 pounds, 5.3 PPG, 5.2 RPG

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