Since he was hired as Auburn’s men’s basketball coach in March 2014, Bruce Pearl has constantly talked about bringing credibility and national exposure to the Tigers’ program.
In his fourth season on The Plains, Pearl has his Auburn team off to its best start in nearly 20 years. The national recognition Pearl has worked towards arrived Monday morning.
For the first time since January 2003, the Auburn Tigers are ranked in the AP Top 25.
Auburn entered this week’s poll at No. 22. After knocking off back-to-back nationally-ranked opponents last week, the Tigers are the second highest-ranked team in the SEC this week behind Kentucky, who sits at No. 21.
“We’re playing good basketball right now,” Pearl said following Auburn’s 88-77 victory over Arkansas on Saturday. “We have nine guys that are playing really well together, so we’re in a good place. We have to take advantage of it when we get these opportunities. Our team is pleased, but our focus is to continue to get better.”
Although excited about the recognition, Pearl said his team is looking for a lot more than being ranked this season.
“It puts a bigger target on our head,” Pearl said. “A win over Auburn is worth way more to the opponent. But our goals are bigger than being nationally ranked sometime in January. This team’s goals are bigger. We’re going to focus on that. I don’t think there is any chance that we become too confident. No chance in that.”
Auburn, who has not lost a game since Nov. 17 vs. Temple in the semifinals of the Charleston Classic, has won 12 straight games, which is the Tigers’ sixth-longest longest winning streak in program history and their longest streak since winning 14 straight from Dec. 1, 1999-Jan. 19, 2000. The winning streak is the second-longest active streak in the country behind No. 2 West Virginia, who has won 13 consecutive games.
“We are just playing as a unit right now and we look to keep that up the whole season, playing together, playing hard, playing for each other,” Mustapha Heron, Auburn’s leading scorer, said. “We just want to go play hard for each other. We are just having a lot of fun right now. That’s the easiest part of the game just to continue having fun.”
The Tigers have played the entire season without two of their top returning players from last season, Austin Wiley and Danjel Purifoy. The two sophomores were suspended indefinitely prior to the start of the season due to involvement with former associate head coach Chuck Person, who was suspended without pay after federal prosecutors announced that he is being charged in a wide-ranging corruption and bribery investigation surrounding four top-tier NCAA basketball coaches across the country.
It remains unclear whether Wiley or Purifoy will be cleared by the NCAA this season.
"We're still in the process of trying to get Austin and Danjel eligible," Pearl said last week.
Auburn, which is 14-1 this season, is 2-0 in the SEC for just the third time in 18 years and the first time since 2013. The Tigers have won 10 straight games inside Auburn Arena, which is tied for the longest streak in the eight-year history of the facility.
"The crowd was awesome," Pearl said after the win over Arkansas. "It makes a big difference. It makes a big difference for television. It makes a big difference with the whole environment. Again, it’s a very good basketball game and a really good environment. Two really good teams. And Auburn is one of those really good teams in the SEC.”
The Tigers will return to action Tuesday night as they host Ole Miss inside Auburn Arena. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. CST. The game will be televised by ESPNU.
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