June 27, 2016
By Charles Goldberg
AuburnTigers.com
AUBURN, Ala. - Bruce Pearl says he's experienced ''tremendous roster adjustments'' in his first three years as Auburn's basketball coach.
Consider those code words for bringing in 18 new players, graduating 11 players and upgrading the talent level to make Auburn more competitive. Pearl now says the revolving door is starting to slow, his roster is starting to stabilize and his recruiting has improved.
''One of the things to building a consistent program and building a team that can compete in the tournament is bringing guys back, and I've not just been able to bring enough guys back to matter. But we're getting closer,'' Pearl said on the Southeastern Conference's summer basketball teleconference Monday.
''Of our top 12 or 13 guys, seven or eight of them are freshmen or sophomores. We've got a very good young foundation built.''
That, he said, and ''the combination of the way Auburn Arena has emerged as a great home-court advantage, and the support we have received selling games out'' can help that Tigers move up.
''That, and upgrading recruiting the last couple of years. We've had some good classes and it will start to pay off for us on the court.''
Pearl said it's too early to know what to expect for a season that is still months away.
''When coaches lead, you can win games. When players lead, you can win championships,'' he said. ''So it has to come from within. I don't know which players it's going to be, but it's got to come from within the framework of our team. We're too young and we're still new for me to be able to know who that will be.
''I like our work ethic. I like our attitude.''
Charles Goldberg is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: Follow @AUGoldMine