Since his arrival on the Plains, head coach Bruce Pearl has spoken several times about building a foundation and changing the way Auburn basketball is seen around the country.
"I want to be open and honest with them and let them know what is at stake," Pearl said. "We need to build that foundation, make a mark and change the culture. At the end of the season we can look back and say we did that a few times, but this is not the end of the season."
To do that, Pearl said they have to start with beating their rivals, and for Auburn, that means one thing.
"You have to beat Alabama if you are going to be able to build that foundation," Pearl said. "You have to be able to beat your rival. Alabama is really good, and I know they have won 15 games and they are not above .500 in SEC play, but that has a lot more to do with the league than it does with Alabama."
Leading scorer KT Harrell said the last time the teams met, a 57-55 loss to the Tide in Tuscaloosa, still lingers with the Tigers.
"I think it's going to make us play even harder because there's nobody in the locker room that doesn't think we shouldn't have won the game we played at Alabama," Harrell said. "I think it's just going to make us play even harder, with a lot more energy. We're going to execute the things that coach talks about because we really want to beat them."
Harrell, a Montgomery native grew up around the rivalry, said he knows what it means when these teams meet, but the senior guard said he's approaching it like he does every other game.
"I try to take it a game at a time," Harrell said. "I am conscious and aware of where we are in the standings and how if we win this game how it could affect us as far as where we would be in the standings but you just have to take it a game at a time and just focus on Alabama. It is a must win game. I don't think that makes you put a lot more pressure on yourself. I just think that you got to go out there and execute and do all the things we talk about doing in preparation.
Harrell said everyone, not just the players from within the state borders, wants to win Tuesday.
"Even though we've got a lot of guys on this team who aren't really familiar with the rivalry and aren't from Alabama, we got guys who understand what it means and they want to win just as bad as I do," Harrell said. "Everybody does so it's not really something you have to talk about. We all want to win and we really want to beat them."
Harrell and the Tigers will tip off against the Tide tonight at 8 p.m. at Auburn Arena. The matchup will be broadcast on ESPNU.
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