Bruce Pearl: The journey from Rocky Top to The Plain

[jbcarol]

Matthew Stevens ‏@matthewcstevens  1h1 hour ago
BLOG (w/VIDEO): Auburn coach Bruce Pearl says PF/C Tyler Harris isn't healthy - http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/auburnauthority/2016/02/14/auburns-bruce-pearl-says-tyler-harris-isnt-healthy/80388746/ ...

The talking points have now changed regarding the back issue with Auburn forward Tyler Harris.

Following watching the 6-foot-10 forward struggle for 24 minutes Saturday against Vanderbilt, Auburn coach Bruce Pearl didn't sound as optimistic about Harris' health as he clearly did one day prior.

Pearl said Harris isn't nearly healthy after Auburn's embarrassing 86-57 home loss to Commodores that saw the graduate transfer post just four points on 1 for 8 shooting and four rebounds.

[jbcarol]

Tom Green ‏@AUBlog  24h24 hours ago
Auburn still awaiting word on Danjel Purifoy's eligibility http://www.oanow.com/sports/college/auburn/basketball/men/auburn-still-awaiting-word-on-danjel-purifoy-s-eligibility/article_a2dee368-c6bb-11e5-9068-e7e772fd642b.html ...

Brandon Marcello ‏@bmarcello  Jan 29
If you're wondering: No news today on Danjel Purifoy's eligibility.


This breaking news just in  – "Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead!"

Matthew Stevens ‏@matthewcstevens  7h7 hours ago
Pearl says "we're antcipating some finality" soon on Danjel Purifoy's eligibility. #MGMAuburn

[jbcarol]

Tom Green ‏@AUBlog  8h8 hours ago
Pearl: "I'm sure (Arkansas) is licking their chops a little bit, looking to go at us without a true point guard."

[jbcarol]

Highly touted freshman forward Danjel Purifoy will redshirt and have four years of eligibility remaining beginning with the 2016-17 season, the school announced Tuesday. He has been sidelined this season while the NCAA looked into his ACT scores.

The 6-foot-7 forward was rated as the No. 1 player in Alabama in the 2015 class...

[jbcarol]

AL.com sports ‏@aldotcomSports 32m32 minutes ago

Here's what to watch when #Auburn takes on Arkansas: http://ow.ly/Yp7Cr 

Auburn men's basketball team looks to faces Arkansas on the road Wednesday at 5 p.m. CT.

Since upsetting Kentucky and Alabama on Jan. 16 and Jan. 19, respectively, Auburn has had a rough go during the last few weeks. The Tigers have lost seven consecutive games, falling by 10 or more points in each contest. The team has few options at point guard and hasn't recovered from the departure of leading scorer Kareem Canty

Pearl: "Believe it or not, I believe we can play a lot better than we are playing, and so from that standpoint it's discouraging. Like at halftime against Vanderbilt (Saturday), I just felt like we're two stops and a couple of scores away from getting it close again, and we just didn't have any energy coming out of the second half."

The Tigers are just 1-9 on the road this year.

[jbcarol]

James Crepea ‏@JamesCrepea 54m54 minutes ago

Auburn is a 15.5-point underdog at Arkansas tonight, per @TwitVI

[jbcarol]

Tom Green ‏@AUBlog 9m9 minutes ago

...
Auburn snaps its seven-game skid, defeats Arkansas, 90-86. Tigers shoot 61 percent FOR THE GAME. ...

That's Auburn's first SEC road win in 368 days -- since Feb. 14 last year at Georgia.

[jbcarol]

Brandon Marcello ‏@bmarcello  15h15 hours ago
Hoops: 4 keys to an Auburn win against Ole Miss http://www.al.com/auburnbasketball/index.ssf/2016/02/4_keys_to_an_auburn_win_against_ole_miss.html ...

Auburn has the confidence, but will the Tigers put together the performance they need to emerge victorious against Ole Miss?

The Tigers (10-15, 4-9 SEC) are coming off a surprising 90-86 victory at Arkansas in which Bryce Brown hit nine 3-pointers, the most by a player in the SEC this season.

Auburn hosts Ole Miss (16-10, 6-7) Saturday at 4 p.m. CT inside Auburn Arena.

Pearl believes Auburn required seven players to have career games in order to knock off Arkansas. Will it take a similar effort (Brown and TJ Lang combined to hit 14 of 20 treys) from the Tigers to knock off the Rebels?

"I'm not sure what it's going to take," Pearl said. "I know beating Arkansas at Arkansas is tough, but this is not one of Mike Anderson's best teams. I do think it will take big nights from a lot of guys for us to be able to win. If you've got four guys in double-figure scoring, but you're only playing seven guys, there's not much margin for error, so when we put it all together like we did, we can be right there. Ole Miss is not going to be intimidated by our building. They've got a lot of experienced guys, so I don't anticipate them not playing well, so it's going to take a great effort."

Cinmeon Bowers also needs to continue to play clean basketball. His 14 points, 10 rebounds and six assists as Auburn's point forward at Arkansas was much needed. He also hit some free throws down the stretch.

[jbcarol]

Matthew Stevens ‏@matthewcstevens  58m58 minutes ago
LIVE: FINAL AT AUBURN ARENA - Ole Miss 69, Auburn 59 - Stefan Moody dominates with 23 - http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/auburnauthority/2016/02/20/live-blog-ole-miss-auburn-mens-basketball/80664276/ ...

[jbcarol]

Tom Green ‏@AUBlog  23m23 minutes ago
Bruce Pearl is here now: "I'm really disappointed in that loss. I'm not disappointed in the effort. Really disappointed in the execution."

Pearl: "T.J. Dunans, it was good to have him back. I did not know he was coming back until Friday."

Pearl: "I knew he had been making progress. ... He was cleared to practice Friday, so he practiced. After practice he told me."

Pearl: "You could see some rust, but it won't take us long to get him going again."

Pearl: Tyler "took a pretty serious hit. ... Obviously he has a concussion. The next 24 hours are very important."

[jbcarol]

After snapping a seven-game losing streak with an upset over Arkansas this week, Auburn's men's basketball team loses. FINAL: Ole Miss 69, Auburn 59

After taking an early lead the Tigers score just one basket from the field in the final 6:31 of the game, and Ole Miss gets the win. Stefan Moody finished with 23 points to lead all scorers. Cinmeon Bowers recorded his 12th double-double of the season for Auburn with 11 points and 18 rebounds.

Ole Miss made 43 percent of its shots while Auburn converted just 33 percent. The Rebels had a 47-37 edge on the boards. Ole Miss went 9-for-21 from long range while the Tigers went 6-for-24.

[jbcarol]

Tom Green ‏@AUBlog  2h2 hours ago
FINAL: Auburn beats Georgia, 84-81. Lang career-high 21. Granger 18 and 11 rebs. Dunans 12 points and 7 assists. Spencer 9 points, 8 rebs

Pearl: "Pretty special for Jordon Granger to pick up his first double-double ... particularly on a night we didn't have Tyler Harris."

Pearl: "I thought that Dunans made a huge difference. We don't win the game without him. Period. The end. ... Seven assists and 1 turnover"

Pearl on all the career nights: "That's what it takes when you play seven guys."

Pearl: "I talked to the team about 'let's do something last year's team didn't do.' ... It's steps in the right direction."

With the win tonight, Auburn surpassed last season's SEC win total.


Did win 3 in the '15 SEC Tournament.

[jbcarol]

Matt Zenitz ‏@mzenitz  1m1 minute ago
Retin Obasohan scores to give Alabama a 50-49 lead with 5:30 remaining

[jbcarol]

Final from Coleman:

AUB 57  Bama 65

[jbcarol]

Jay G. Tate
‏@JayGTate
Auburn MBKB now ranks 343rd among Division I teams in free-throw shooting. There are 351 teams in all.

[jbcarol]

Tom Green ‏@AUBlog 13h13 hours ago

Auburn falters late, falls on road against Alabama   http://www.oanow.com/sports/college/auburn/auburn-falters-late-falls-on-road-against-alabama/article_4eb461de-ddc0-11e5-8371-b353f6a6f005.html ...

The numbers aren't ones that Auburn was hoping for, but rather ones that proved to be the Tigers' undoing during a 65-57 loss to archrival Alabama as Auburn missed 15 free throws and turned over the ball 18 times.

The free throws and turnovers haunted Auburn (11-17, 5-1 Southeastern Conference), particularly in the second half as the Tigers built a 10-point lead early in the half only to see it evaporate over the game's final 14:58. After building the double-digit advantage, Auburn committed 10 turnovers and missed 4-of-12 free throws as Alabama (17-11, 8-8 SEC) outscored the Tigers by 18 during that stretch.

"I told our team, to go on the road against a potential NCAA Tournament team and be where we wanted to be, that was positive," Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said. "But too many turnovers, too many missed free throws and (we) didn't make enough plays down the stretch, and Alabama did."

...Auburn continued its extended run, outscoring Alabama 30-10 during a 12-minute, 36-second stretch spanning the first and second halves to build a 10-point lead at 44-34.

From there, things went south for Auburn. The Tigers went ice cold from the field, missing 11 of their final 14 shot attempts while missing eight of their 12 free-throw attempts the rest of the game.

"The longer we got away from halftime, the worse it got," Pearl said. "We didn't execute very well; we didn't. I give Alabama's defense credit, but I'll take the blame."

[jbcarol]

Tom Green ‏@AUBlog 2h2 hours ago

Pearl is here. "The good news is we were able to play 7 scholarship guys double-digit minutes Saturday. Bad news is it's still just 7 guys"

Pearl: Horace Spencer continues to play really well. Notes that Alabama only scored 24 points with Horace on the floor Saturday.

Pearl: Horace is one of our hardest workers.

Pearl on Spencer: I just think he's made nice, really overall progress to his game

Pearl on Bowers: "For him to pick Auburn at a time when we really needed him is something I hope our fans ... will always remember."

[jbcarol]

Matthew Stevens ‏@matthewcstevens 14h14 hours ago

BLOG (w/VIDEO): Cinmeon Bowers' roller coaster ride of an Auburn career near a close - http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/auburnauthority/2016/02/29/bowers-roller-coaster-ride-auburn-career-near-close/81132220/ ...

Cinmeon Bowers is spoken of by his head coach in a similar way anyone would describe an long-term investment. It's going to take time to fully appreciate the value.

However, on the eve of his senior's final home game at Auburn Arena, Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said he believes Auburn fans will one day soon look back at the 6-foot-7 forward with a smile. Bowers will be among five players including Tyler Harris, Jordon Granger, Jonathan Walker and Cole Stockton that will be honored on Auburn's Senior Night.

"I think that people will remember Cim fondly and appreciate his contributions, his effort (and) his energy," Pearl said Monday.

That's certainly not saying the overall path of Bowers' two-year Auburn career hasn't been met with challenges including how the Chipola Community College transfer got to the campus at all. Bowers was arrested in 2014 for allegedly eating marijuana in order to conceal it from police. According to the police statement, Bowers, who had committed to Florida State earlier that month as one of the nation's best junior college talents, along with two teammates attempted to conceal marijuana from the officers during a routine spot for speeding. They were charged with tampering with evidence and taken to the Jackson County Correctional Facility in Florida but the charges were dropped three weeks later. Eventually Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton withdrew the scholarship offer and months later Bowers became Pearl's first signed recruit to Auburn.

"For him to pick Auburn at a time when we really needed him is something I hope our fans and Auburn family will always remember," Pearl said Monday. "He took advantage of the opportunity by developing his game inside and out and certainly he had some terrific, terrific moments."

[jbcarol]

Matthew Stevens ‏@matthewcstevens 8h8 hours ago

RECAP: No. 20 Texas A&M proves too tough at Auburn in 81-63 blowout -  http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/auburnauthority/2016/03/01/texas-m-proves-too-tough-auburn-81-63-blowout/81190938/ ...



The arena's emergency alarm letting people know the tornado warning is no longer in effect.

[jbcarol]

AL.com sports ‏@aldotcomSports 13h13 hours ago

Auburn basketball is headed to Mexico next season: http://ow.ly/Z0562

Auburn men's basketball team is set to play in the 2016 Cancun Challenge next season along with Purdue, Texas Tech and Utah State, Triple Crown Sports announced Wednesday.

The Tigers, Boilermakes, Red Raiders and Aggies make up the "Riviera Division" of the Cancun Challenge and will play in Mexico Nov. 22-23.

Auburn (11-18, 5-13 SEC) travels to Mississippi State Saturday for the regular season finale before playing in the SEC Tournament next week in Nashville.

[jbcarol]

James Crepea ‏@JamesCrepea 57m57 minutes ago

Auburn fully healthy for regular season finale against Mississippi State
http://bit.ly/1TeZhZ8

Tigers will look to avoid entering the next week's SEC Tournament on a three-game skid and could be playing for the No. 11 seed if Ole Miss is able to beat Tennessee and Kentucky beats LSU.

Rebels and Volunteers play before Auburn and Mississippi State, so the Tigers will know if there's anything to play for.

"We probably have too many hot and cold players that just play with the kind of consistency that you need to have to put a run together (like last year's SEC Tournament)," Pearl said. "Sometimes Cim (Bowers) is hot sometimes he's cold. Tyler (Harris) played with great offensive efficiency against Texas A&M, he doesn't always finish and he's got to be able to physically step up against bigger physical players even though he's a small forward playing center for us sometimes. Bryce Brown is hot and cold. TJ Lang is hot and cold.

"The good thing is there's some hot there and so when I say that I'm not saying it to be critical, just saying it to be analytical."

[jbcarol]

Matthew Stevens ‏@matthewcstevens  21m21 minutes ago
Final at Humphrey Coliseum: Mississippi State 79, Auburn 66 - Tigers finish 2-11 on the road this season. Will play Tennessee Wed in SECT.

[jbcarol]

Brandon Marcello ‏@bmarcello 17h17 hours ago

Brandon Marcello Retweeted James Crepea

Bruce Pearl will face his former program, Tennessee, in the SEC Tournament opening game Wednesday at 7 p.m. CT.

[jbcarol]

Josh Ward ‏@Josh_Ward 22h22 hours ago

Auburn is 9-27 in regular season SEC games under Bruce Pearl. Tony Barbee had the same record his last two seasons at Auburn.

[jbcarol]

AL.com sports ‏@aldotcomSports 2h2 hours ago

Last season #Auburn made a big run in the #SEC tourney. Can the Tigers do it again? http://ow.ly/ZdCLR 

Bruce Pearl has been in this situation before.

This time last year, Auburn had nothing to lose. The Tigers had dropped 13 of its last 15 games and were the No. 13 seed entering the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament in Nashville.

Nobody expected anything from the Tigers, but they managed to turn quite a few heads by making the semifinals. They managed to upset Mississippi State, Texas A&M and LSU in dramatic fashion before falling to eventual champion Kentucky.

"Just because it happened last year doesn't mean it's automatically like there's some magic wand that I can wave and some formula for winning in postseason," Pearl said Monday. "When you add up 15 years of SEC Tournament play for Auburn prior to our getting here and you come up with three wins, March hasn't been really good to us. So that's the challenge I want to put on the players... understand that a win, two wins, three wins in the SEC Tournament, which we're certainly capable of, are historic and not going to be easy."

Auburn (11-19, 5-13 SEC) is on a similar late-season slide as it was last year, having lost 11 of its last 13 games. All but one of the losses came by 10 or more points.

Wednesday's game against Tennessee (13-18, 6-12) will be the third meeting between the schools this season. The Tigers claimed an 83-77 victory in the SEC opener at home Jan. 2 but were smacked 71-45 in Knoxville Feb. 9.

[jbcarol]

Josh and Will ‏@sports180 4h4 hours ago

Tennessee vs Auburn and Bruce Pearl, again. http://bit.ly/21Z8I41 

Tennessee will play Auburn tonight in Nashville in the opening round of the SEC Tournament.

Tennessee (13-18) is trying to avoid its worst record since Kevin O'Neill's team finished the 1996-97 season with an 11-16 record.

Tennessee is also trying to win its grudge match against former coach Bruce Pearl, whose team beat Tennessee to open SEC play in January before losing badly in Knoxville last month.

Neither team has had the kind of season it hoped for entering the year.

Pearl's team struggled throughout conference play. The Tigers lost seven straight games in the middle of SEC play, all by double figures.

[jbcarol]

 Michael Carvell ‏@Carvell_AJC 9h9 hours ago

Auburn's Bruce Pearl assessed technical foul while yelling at SEC officiating coordinator http://sec.news/1R8fQ2F

NASHVILLE — Facing a 32-point deficit in the second half of Auburn's SEC tournament game against Tennessee, Tigers coach Bruce Pearl let loose.

But instead of going the traditional route — yelling at the game officials — Pearl turned his attention toward a pair of SEC bigwigs sitting courtside: conference commissioner Greg Sankey and basketball officiating coordinator Jake Bell.

Referee Tony Greene whistled Pearl for a technical foul in the middle of the coach's rant, which was unintelligible, animated and hurled directly at Sankey and Bell.

"I just thought it was a foul. That's what I said, 'That's a foul,' " Pearl said after the game when asked about the moment.

[jbcarol]

Brandon Marcello ‏@bmarcello 9h9 hours ago

Auburn school records: back-to-back 20-loss seasons (110 seasons); 7th straight losing season; 17 losses by double digits in single season.

Largest loss this season and largest versus SEC opponent in at least five years.

[jbcarol]

Wesley Sinor ‏@WesleySinor 7h7 hours ago

Bruce Pearl says losing at Auburn 'takes years off your life' http://www.al.com/auburnbasketball/index.ssf/2016/03/bruce_pearl_says_losing_at_aub.html ...

Bruce Pearl is not accustomed to losing.

The seasoned basketball coach never had a losing record in 19 years prior to his hire at Auburn in 2014, but the first back-to-back 20-loss seasons in program history have taken their toll on the 55-year-old.

"I think it's always harder on the players, but it takes years off your life," Pearl said after his team's elimination loss to Tennessee at the SEC Tournament in Nashville Wednesday. "It just does. The way I'm built, it's the first thing I think of every morning and it's the last thing I think of every night. It identifies me, and I've never been identified as (someone) who didn't win."

Pearl coached Auburn to a 15-20 mark in his first year on the Plains and finished the 2015-16 campaign at 11-20.

[jbcarol]

Wesley Sinor Verified account
‏@WesleySinor

FINAL: Tennessee 97, Auburn 59. Tigers end the year with a 38-point loss and an 11-20 record http://www.al.com/auburnbasketball/index.ssf/2016/03/live_updates_auburn_vs_tenness.html ...

[Inhogswetrust]

Wesley Sinor ‏@WesleySinor 7h7 hours ago

Bruce Pearl says losing at Auburn 'takes years off your life' http://www.al.com/auburnbasketball/index.ssf/2016/03/bruce_pearl_says_losing_at_aub.html ...

I've always thought Pearl was the type of coach that would sell his soul for eternity in hell to the devil just to win only one game if needed.

[jbcarol]

Wesley Sinor ‏@WesleySinor 6h6 hours ago

Journeyman Tyler Harris thanks Auburn fans after final game http://www.al.com/auburnbasketball/index.ssf/2016/03/journeyman_tyler_harris_thanks.html ... @1TimeTy

After playing in 118 games at three different schools, Tyler Harris' college basketball career came to an end Wednesday night in Nashville when Tennessee eliminated Auburn from the SEC Basketball Tournament.

The forward played just one season for Auburn as a graduate transfer after transferring from Providence and North Carolina State. Despite Auburn's disappointing 11-20 finish, Harris enjoyed the most productive statistical season of his career with the Tigers, as he averaged 13.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.

"It's very hard to accomplish (my goals) on the court, personally, when you're losing like this," said the Dix Hills, New York native. "It's difficult, but I learned a lot just from being here and I'm going to take that with me as I get myself into the real world."

Harris, whose brother Tobias played for Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl at Tennessee before joining the NBA, will now attempt to follow in those footsteps by playing professionally.

"My plan is to work my way to the NBA and start getting ready for the draft," Harris said. "Now would be the time to start talking to (Tobias) about it and get the advice I need."

Harris also thanked his Auburn fans:

To the Auburn fans and community,

I have to take the time to thank the fans of Auburn for how much you stuck with us all year. I had many expectations this year and unfortunately they didn't work out, it hurts like hell they didn't work out but I learned a lot. I failed but I know I will win in the long run and will remember Auburn for what it has taught me as a man and a player. A lot of people this year told me they seen me grow into a man this year and I see that in myself, that is bc of Auburn. I always felt that God brought me here for a purpose throughout this year I questioned that purpose, I still do right now but I felt in a way the Lord wanted me here to grow as a person, mentally and physically, as a man and as a player. And for that I will always keep Auburn in my heart. Thank you AU fans for sticking with me and the team all year no matter what, in my book those are TRUE FANS, for that I will say THANK YOU !! Thank you Auburn #GoTigers #WarDamnEsgle

[jbcarol]

Tom Green ‏@AUBlog 12h12 hours ago

A LOSS FOR WORDS: Auburn's season ends in blowout loss to Vols http://www.oanow.com/sports/college/auburn/basketball/men/a-loss-for-words-auburn-s-season-ends-in-blowout/article_350078a4-e67b-11e5-91af-57a78e90d080.html ...

Auburn's season ends in a 97-59 loss to Tennessee that wasn't as close as the score looked. Worst loss of the season for Auburn (maybe ever)

There was no Cinderella run this year. No shocking the rest of the Southeastern Conference. This Auburn team wasn't destined for another prolonged stay in Nashville.

For Bowers, Harris and the rest of the Tigers, it was a one-and-done affair at Bridgestone Arena. Auburn endured its worst loss of the season — and its worst in 11 years —

"I'm not discouraged by the future of our program," Pearl said. "I'm very disappointed in our play at times. I didn't think we played together offensively, and there were times teams played harder than we did. Tennessee played harder than we did tonight. They wanted it more. As a result, they got it."

The Volunteers (14-18) got it right from the opening tip. They opened the game on a 10-0 run and never looked back as they led from start to finish.

[jbcarol]

AL.com sports ‏@aldotcomSports 18h18 hours ago

Bruce Pearl had knee surgery Monday: http://ow.ly/ZVSZS 

Auburn coach Bruce Pearl underwent total knee replacement surgery Monday.

The surgery is the second major operation for Pearl in the last two years. He underwent back surgery in the days leading up to his debut as Auburn's coach in 2014.

The surgery on Pearl's left knee was performed in Pensacola, Florida by Dr. Brett Smith under the recommendation of Dr. James Andrews.

"I'm extremely thankful for Dr. Smith, Dr. Andrews and Dr. Goodlett for their expertise and care," Pearl said in a statement. "At Auburn, we have the best team of doctors and medical and training staff in the country.

"The knee was in really bad shape, and it feels absolutely wonderful now. It is amazing, and I am very fortunate. I will spend a lot of time with our trainers, and it will get me close to the players this spring while working on rehab."

Pearl is expected to use a walker for two weeks.

[jbcarol]

James Crepea ‏@JamesCrepea 15h15 hours ago

Auburn expecting Tahj Shamsid-Deen to take medical redshirt, return for 2016-17
http://bit.ly/235TiYO 

Auburn expects point guard Tahj Shamsid-Deen, who underwent a second surgery on his right shoulder in January, to take a medical redshirt and return for the 2016-17 season.

Tigers coach Bruce Pearl told AL.com he has spoken with Shamsid-Deen and Dr. James Andrews, who operated on Shamsid-Deen's shoulders three times in less than a year, and believes the 5-foot-9, 175-pound guard will be back.

"While a final decision has not been reached, I would be anticipating Tahj taking a medical redshirt," Pearl said. "That decision has not been reached but that would be my lean after listening to the doctors and listening to Tahj. He is rehabilitating and he is training like he's coming back."

With Shamsid-Deen returning and four-star signee Jared Harper set to arrive this summer, Auburn will have two points guards on its roster for next season and Pearl is looking to add another via a graduate transfer.

"With Jared coming in, I've got great confidence that Jared will play the position," Pearl said. "So that's already one more point guard than we had at the end of the year last year. But we are actively out there recruiting and watching the transfer market."

[jbcarol]

AL.com sports ‏@aldotcomSports 13h13 hours ago

The #Auburn basketball team won this weekend, and the Tigers didn't even play http://ow.ly/10hMIC

Scarblog: They won because they didn't lose Chuck Person to UAB.

Person interviewed for the UAB job Thursday in Houston but, as AL.com reported, he was told Saturday the Blazers are going in a different direction.

UAB may still hire a quality coach. Auburn gets to keep one.

Bruce Pearl said he had "mixed emotions" about Person interviewing for the UAB job, but make no mistake. The Auburn head coach did not want to lose Person at all, let alone to an in-state program where he could recruit against the Tigers for the local talent in the upcoming classes.

Instead Pearl and Person will keep working together, building a roster that's going to be hard for UAB to beat the next three times they meet in their four-game series.

See 2016 five-star swingman and Auburn signee Mustapha Heron, and 2017 five-star Auburn commitment Austin Wiley.

Which One of Them is Not Like the Others
Remember that Auburn, as healthy and deep as it would be all year, beat UAB in this season's opener. It's only a matter of time - and a little good fortune for a change - before the Tigers collect big moments like beating UAB, Kentucky and Alabama and weave them into a big season.

[jbcarol]

Tyler Harris took home the top honor at the 27th annual Auburn Basketball Awards Banquet Sunday night (oh no he didn't).

The graduate transfer from Providence was named the best all-around player and winner of the Paul Lambert/Tommy Joes Eagles Memorial Trophy. Harris averaged 13.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game last season. In arguably his best performance, the big man posted 21 points and 11 rebounds in the upset over No. 13 Kentucky as the Tigers snapped an 18-game losing streak to the Wildcats.

True freshmen Horace Spencer and Bryce Brown took home two awards apiece.

Spencer led the team with 65 blocks and was given the Outstanding Defensive Player award and the Most Improved Player Award. Brown became a star by averaging 10.1 points in 24.7 minutes per game and earned the Sixth Man Award and the John Mengelt Free Throw Award. Brown shot 82.6 percent from the foul line. His 78 3-pointers set a school record.

Jordon Granger was also honored twice, earning the the Sonny Smith Outstanding Teammate and the SEC Community Service Team. Granger played multiple positions on the court for the Tigers in his final season.

The Iron Tiger Award went to Cinmeon Bowers, who averaged 10.5 points per game and ranked second in the SEC with 9.6 rebounds.

Tyler Harris ‏@1TimeTy 13h13 hours ago

To the Auburns fans for not being able to make the banquet tonight @coachbrucepearl @ChuckPerson45

[jbcarol]

Todd Golden has been hired as an associate head coach at the University of San Francisco, according to a report from ESPN's Jeff Goodman. He played with current San Francisco coach Kyle Smith at Saint Mary's.

Golden has been on Auburn's staff since 2014, when Auburn coach Bruce Pearl hired him as director of basketball operations. Pearl promoted him to assistant coach last season.

[jbcarol]

James Crepea ‏@JamesCrepea  3h3 hours ago
Houston PG Ronnie Johnson @showtheworld3 committed to Auburn, source confirms. Grad transfer eligible immediately.

[jbcarol]

AL.com sports ‏@aldotcomSports 1h1 hour ago

#Auburn has been no stranger to transfers under Bruce Pearl, and DeSean Murray could be the next in line:



http://www.al.com/auburnbasketball/index.ssf/2016/04/desean_murray_could_be_auburn.html

Since his arrival at Auburn in March 2014, Cinmeon Bowers, Kareem Canty, T.J. Dunans, Tyler Harris, Antoine Mason and K.C. Ross-Miller have all left their respective colleges to play for the Tigers.

Houston's Ronnie Johnson is set to become Pearl's seventh incoming transfer after the point guard announced Monday he'll spend his final season on the Plains. Presbyterian College's DeSean Murray could be the eighth.

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound forward led the Big South in scoring with 20.2 points per game and ranked fourth with 7.4 rebounds per game last season as a sophomore. He's looking for a new home, and has narrowed his choices to Auburn and Middle Tennessee State.

"Honestly I just want to go to a bigger school with better competition," Murray told AL.com. "I just feel like I can play with the best. I want to improve my game and will get a year to do that. I just want to be in the best style of play for me with coaches who are a better fit for me."

Murray is expected to visit Auburn this weekend after recently hosting Pearl at his home to review the roster and how he could fit into the system as a small forward and power forward.

"(Pearl) just talked to me about the program," Murray said. "From what he said, I really liked it. I'm really interested in Auburn... I like his coaching and his history. He told me a lot and it just seems like he really needed me as a player."

[jbcarol]

Auburn lands MEAC defensive player of year, third graduate transfer of offseason

Graduate transfer forward LaRon Smith, a 6-foot-8 forward, committed to Auburn...

Smith averaged seven points and three blocks last season with Bethune Cookman and was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He is the third graduate transfer to join Auburn this offseason, joining guard Ronnie Johnson and forward DeSean Murray as Auburn's 2016 grad transfers.

[jbcarol]

Auburn's Tahj Shamsid-Deen, who dealt with multiple shoulder surgeries in the last two seasons, announced Friday his career has ended and he will not return next season. Center Trayvon Reed, who dealt with legal troubles and spent a stint in jail after an alleged assault during a shoplifting incident, has left the program...

"Tahj gave it all he had," Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said...

[jbcarol]

DeSean Murray is officially an Auburn Tiger.

The former Presbyterian College forward has signed his National Letter of Intent

"DeSean Murray was a dominant player in mid-major college basketball in the Big South," said Pearl, according to a university press release. "I talked to a number of coaches in that league who said that if he had the chance, they thought he could be a really effective player at the high major level.

"More than just glue and being a great teammate, DeSean has a pretty complete game. While playing with and against more talented players night in and night out, I am excited to see what he can do."

As a sophomore last fall he shot 54.3 percent from the field and led the Big South in scoring by averaging 20.2 points per game. He also contributed 7.4 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.7 assists per contest.

"During the offseason I'm going to be focused on improving my game and becoming a better team player," Murray told AL.com. "I want to help my team anyway I can during that season. I won't be on the court, but I want to help any way I can off the court in practice and everything."

Five-star guard Mustapha Heron, four-star guardJared Harper and four-star forward Anfernee McLemore have also signed with the Tigers.

[jbcarol]

AL.com sports ‏@aldotcomSports 14m14 minutes ago

It's been 3 months since Kareem Canty left the #Auburn basketball program. How's he been? http://ow.ly/aY4m300t4v6

In the three months since he unceremoniously left the Auburn basketball program, Kareem Canty has had a lot of time to think.

To reflect. To hate watching his former team struggle without him. To go overseas and return to the United States to train and pursue his dream of playing professional basketball...

Harlem, New York native led Auburn with 18.3 points and 5.3 assists per game during his 21 starts at point guard and helped deliver back-to-back wins over Kentucky and Alabama that were the high point of Auburn's season.

But Canty's actions after those wins ended his college career and effectively sent the Tigers into a tailspin, as Auburn went 2-8 beginning with his two-game suspension for "conduct detrimental to the team" and eventual departure.

Both Canty and Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said the suspension was due, at least in part, to an altercation with Steven Pearl, Bruce's son and Auburn's director of basketball operations.

Bruce Pearl said there was more than one incident that caused him to suspend Canty indefinitely.

"It wasn't just a run-in with my son, Steven, there was a series of run-ins," Pearl said. "Kareem is passionate and he's intense and there were times where he was as good as anybody out there on the floor. Had we had more success, had I had a little bit more depth, had we had some better players to play with I really think he could have survived it and not made some of the mistakes that he made."

No projections have Canty, a 6-foot, 183-pound point guard, being drafted, so he is leaving his options open as to whether to try and make it to the next level via the NBA D-League or playing in Europe.

"The key is getting a good agent, getting a couple of tryouts, see if he can catch on," Pearl said. "Then he's going to have to make a choice between whether he goes to the D-League and stays home and stays ready to see if he can get called up for some 10-day contracts or goes overseas and makes a little bit more money."

Canty says he is six hours away from graduating from Auburn and when the time is right, hopes to return to finish his coursework.

[jbcarol]

Lee-Scott's Heath Huff to walk on at Auburn next season

6-foot-10 forward averaged 11.7 points and 10.8 rebounds per game

"I've wanted to play for Auburn ever since I was a little boy," Huff told AL.com on Wednesday afternoon. "I grew up watching pretty much every Auburn team, and my granddad played for Auburn and pretty much my whole family went to Auburn. It just means so much living in Auburn and growing up an Auburn fan to finally get to have a chance to be a part of it and play for them."

His grandfather, John Huff, played at Auburn between 1938-40 when Ralph "Shug" Jordan coached the basketball team.

Huff also played AAU ball with Auburn signee Jared Harper for the Southern Stampede before Harper switched AAU clubs this past season. The two only played in a few tournaments together before Harper switched teams, according to Huff, but built a solid relationship during their time together on the court — and Huff is excited to rekindle it at Auburn and "see what we can do with the program the next few years."

"Coach Pearl has been great," Ray Huff said. "He was straight up with him and told him he had a special place in his heart for walk-ons and he'd be given the same opportunity every other player would be given and would have to earn everything he got. That's all Heath wants. He said if you understand that and you want the spot, it's yours. He said he did."

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/EvanDaniels/status/736943046000922625

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. -- Five-star Auburn pledge Austin Wiley returned to the court, after injuring his ankle in his state playoffs in March.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/aldotcomSports/status/740901292147658752

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/742804096047054849

Bruce Pearl's early commitments have pushed Auburn to the top of the heap on the national level, according to Scout.com's first 2017 class rankings.

Auburn has commitments from the nation's No. 8 (forward Austin Wiley) and No. 36 (guard Davion Mitchell) prospects.

[jbcarol]

Auburn forward Horace Spencer is expected to miss eight to 10 weeks after having meniscus surgery on his left knee, Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl has confirmed

The surgery took place June 14 in Phenix City and "went well," according to Pearl, who expects Spencer back in early September.

The 6-foot-9, 220-pounder is expected to compete for a starting job in his sophomore season after the departure of fellow forwards Cinmeon Bowers, Jordon Granger and Tyler Harris.

"This is a big year for Horace," Pearl said. "It's a tough break for him to miss the summer, but he is already ahead of schedule in his rehab, and he has a healthy knee. He has to keep working hard in the weight room and working hard academically. He will be good to go probably in September."

Spencer played in every game for the Tigers (11-20) last year and started 18. He averaged 5.1 points, 4.9 rebounds in 18.1 minutes per contest. He led the team with 65 blocks.

[jbcarol]

Steve Walentik ‏@Steve_Walentik 2h2 hours ago

Bruce Pearl has brought in six newcomers to Auburn for the third straight year

Auburn Coach Bruce Pearl lamenting NCAA selection committee's use of "top-50" wins, suggesting 50 is an arbitrary number.

Pearl thinks the committee could just as easily consider top-68 or top-75 wins. SEC had a lot of teams between 50-70 last year in RPI.