AUBURN, Ala. – For anybody questioning why a workforce that narrowly missed out on the NCAA Tournament would need to play in the NIT, Auburn coach Steven Pearl solutions that query with one in all his personal.
Why wouldn’t we?
“We’re all here to compete,” Pearl mentioned. “I’m not going to duck away from a possibility to arrange and compete and play basketball. I’m not going to take my ball and go residence as a result of we didn’t make the match.
“I see it as an unbelievable opportunity for our guys to compete on a stage. Most of our games will probably be on ESPN. There are a lot of people in college basketball who would love to be able to do that.”
While nobody was extra dissatisfied than Pearl, his assistant coaches and Auburn’s pupil-athletes to be uninvited to the Big Dance, the NIT nonetheless provides the Tigers an opportunity for a championship if they will string collectively 5 consecutive wins.
“Our goal is to not play in the NIT,” he mentioned. “Our goal is to play in the NCAA Tournament and advance in the NCAA Tournament but that didn’t happen this year. We get an opportunity to play in a tournament that’s nationally televised and continue to play basketball for these next few weeks if we’re able to advance.”
Standing in Auburn’s means is South Alabama, a 21-win workforce from the Sun Belt Conference that will likely be motivated to knock off an in-state SEC opponent.
“They’re going to be really excited about this game,” Pearl mentioned. “Our guys are going to have to get up for it because we’re going to have our hands full because they play an interesting style, they have two high-major players on their roster, and our guys have to be ready because they’re going to be coming in her with their hair on fire trying to knock us off.”
Relying solely on zone defenses, the Jaguars look to Sun Belt Player of the Year Chaze Harris, who averages 18.9 factors, 4.7 rebounds and 4.9 assists per recreation.
The NIT’s No. 1 seed, Auburn (17-16) hosts South Alabama (21-11) Tuesday at 9 p.m. CT on ESPN2 and the Auburn Sports Network, the place Andy Burcham and Randall Dickey will name the motion for listeners.
General admission tickets are $25 with free admission for Auburn University college students. The NIT matchup caps a busy day on the Plains that begins with the primary spring soccer apply of the Alex Golesh period, continues with a 4 p.m. CT high-5 baseball recreation between No. 4 Auburn and No. 3 Georgia Tech, then culminates with a late evening at Neville.
“It’s on us as coaches but also as players to continue to have joy in playing basketball,” Pearl mentioned.
“It’s a nationally televised game against a team that’s in our state at home in a national tournament. That should be all the motivation they need. Let’s go play. Let’s go hoop and have some fun with it.”
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on X: @jeff_shearer
