Mark Pope had no answers against coach Bruce Pearl’s Auburn team on Saturday. (Vicky Graff Photo)
By LARRY VAUGHT
For as long as I can remember, Bruce Pearl has had a special reverence for Kentucky basketball.
Sure, he’s always wanted to beat Kentucky when he coached against the Wildcats but he also respected the tradition of Kentucky basketball much like former LSU coach Dale Brown did when he tried to build a program that could compete with the Cats.
Pearl got a win over Kentucky in Rupp Arena in 2006 when he was coaching at Tennessee when former Mason County star Chris Lofton poured in 31 points and went 7-for-10 from 3-point range in a 75-67 win.
Pearl brought No. 1 Auburn into Rupp Arena Saturday and his team put on a clinic in a 94-78 victory over No. 17 Kentucky in a game the Tigers controlled from start to finish.
It was no surprise the Auburn coach was both giddy and respectful after the win.
“I just want to say something that I hope y’all find funny,” Pearl said to start his press conference. “I was prepared to win but I was also prepared to lose, which I’ve done a lot in this building. Last time I had a win here, Chris Lofton, I’d be curious how many he had, but it was in the high 20’s, had a big gam, and Miles Kelly (30 points, nine 3’s) had a huge game tonight.
“But my line was going to be now and then when y’all have a coaching change my name comes up and I wonder why in the world y’all want me to be your coach when I can’t win in Rupp. That was going to be my line.
“But having coached at Southern Indiana in Evansville, Indiana, having coached in Division II for a long time, y’all remember what great basketball there is in the state of Kentucky and Indiana and how much y’all love your high school basketball. But you also love your Division II basketball because y’all respect the game so much.”
Pearl wasn’t through showing his respect for UK basketball.
“There are no more knowledgeable fans anywhere in the country than right here in Kentucky. So, there have been times I’ve brought really good teams in here and we have gotten spanked, and now and then I walk away going I thought that Pearl could coach, a little bit, and he can, but you know whatever,” the Auburn coach admitted.
“I wanted to bring a team in and I wanted to play good basketball. I want to honor the game whether we win or lose, and we’ve played well a couple times and got beat, but this is historic.”
The win clinched at least a share of another SEC championship for the Tigers who are in position to be the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They already have 16 Quad 1 wins, more than any other team in the country. They have the highest offensive efficiency rating in the country.
“This is our fifth team in the last eight years that has won either regular season or a tournament championship, so I’m just super proud and super happy about that,” Pearl said.
