Bruce Pearl played reverse possum vs Texas A&M, but Auburn basketball can’t relent against Alabama in IBOB
Bruce Pearl undersold Auburn’s injury woes and general motivation issues ahead of an 83-72 letdown against Texas A&M in College Station on Tuesday night. He claimed his team had a lot to play for.
Later, he’d go back on that proclamation.
“It’s human nature… this game did not have implications for a conference championship. If it did, would we have put our bodies on the line a little more? I hope so,” Pearl said to reporters postgame on Tuesday.
As the Tigers stare down a regular season finale against Alabama that is undeniably a lot to play for — AU will still have that No. 1 next to their names with a chance to solidify it before the postseason — Pearl believes Alabama, which lost 99-94 in their Coleman Coliseum finale to Florida on Wednesday night, has tape to exploit from their IBOB opponent.
“I want to see how we respond,” Pearl said of his team. “If I’m Alabama, I’m watching that tape and saying ‘all you’ve got to do is throw them out of the way.'”
Bruce Pearl undersold Auburn’s injury woes and general motivation issues ahead of an 83-72 letdown against Texas A&M in College Station on Tuesday night. He claimed his team had a lot to play for.
Later, he’d go back on that proclamation.
“It’s human nature … this game did not have implications for a conference championship. If it did, would we have put our bodies on the line a little more? I hope so,” Pearl said to reporters postgame on Tuesday.
As the Tigers stare down a regular season finale against Alabama that is undeniably a lot to play for — AU will still have that No. 1 next to their names with a chance to solidify it before the postseason — Pearl believes Alabama, which lost 99-94 in their Coleman Coliseum finale to Florida on Wednesday night, has tape to exploit from their IBOB opponent.
“I want to see how we respond,” Pearl said of his team. “If I’m Alabama, I’m watching that tape and saying ‘all you’ve got to do is throw them out of the way.'”
Pearl probably is nervous a little bit. The Crimson Tide are in dire need of a resume-building win after faltering against the Gators and Tennessee last Saturday. Alabama has lost four of their last six games overall.
There’s urgency, and a cornered animal, coming from Tuscaloosa via U.S. 80 and I85 East.
But that Tigers locker room knows this isn’t the one to drop. Losing in the SEC Tournament is far more worth their while.
The IBOB is a must-win at any point in the season.
Even after the SEC regular season crown has been clinched.
Pearl can’t relent now with a winning mindset important to maintain while crossing the regular season’s finish line and beginning to mentally prepare for March Madness.
