AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl thrives on making history. He's also adept at teaching it.
Next Game:
Missouri
Jan. 25, 2022
7:30 p.m. CT
TV: SEC Network
Radio: Auburn Sports Network
Before top-ranked Auburn boarded the plane Monday for the Tigers' Tuesday game at Missouri, Pearl told his team a story about what happened the last time he coached the nation's No. 1 team.
In 2008, Pearl's Tennessee Vols earned the No. 1 ranking by knocking off then-No. 1 Memphis on a Saturday night, only to fall at No. 18 Vanderbilt one day after reaching the mountaintop.
"It didn't last very long," Pearl said.
It's unlikely any of Auburn's players, no matter how much they follow SEC basketball, were aware of that anecdote before Pearl's history lesson. Fourteen years ago, Jabari Smith was in preschool.
"You tell them these stories so they understand what can happen," Pearl said. "You hope that success won't change them. So far it hasn't."
Off to a 7-0 SEC start for the second time in program history, Auburn looks to remain unbeaten on the road, taking a 5-0 away record to Mizzou.
"Our focus has got to be to defend and rebound," Pearl said. "Because they're going to do that to us."
Pearl credited Auburn's confidence and depth for the Tigers' ability to overcome double-digit deficits, including against Kentucky in Saturday's 80-71 victory.
"Developing your bench is important," he said. "It's been part of our culture and it helps keep our locker room in a better place."
Pearl has now led three programs to No. 1 rankings: Southern Indiana in D-II, Tennessee and Auburn.
"They were all deep and they were all close," he said. "And they all cared about winning more than anything else."
Seeking its 16th straight win, No. 1 Auburn (18-1, 7-0) plays at Missouri (8-10, 2-4) Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. CT on SECN and the Auburn Sports Network.
PLAYER TO WATCH: WALKER KESSLER
Named Co-SEC Player of the Week on Monday, Walker Kessler's defensive presence has been felt all season as he leads the SEC and ranks No. 2 nationally in blocks with 79. His offensive game has taken off recently as well as he's averaging 18.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 5.0 blocks over his last three games while shooting 75 percent from the field (24-of-32) during that span. He scored a team-high 19 points in Saturday's win vs. Kentucky.
INSIDE THE SERIES: MISSOURI
Auburn holds a one-game advantage in the all-time series with Missouri, 7-6, and has won four out of the last five contests between the two schools including an 88-82 over then No. 12 Mizzou last season. In the victory, freshman Sharife Cooper finished with 28 points and broke the Auburn record for free throws made in a game with 18.
Head coach Bruce Pearl is 7-5 all-time against Missouri, including a 7-4 mark at Auburn. Pearl has won six of his last eight contests against Missouri and is 3-3 in Columbia.
MAKING HISTORY: NO. 1 IN THE AP
Auburn moved up to No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 Poll on Monday for the first time in program history. Auburn is one of only eight SEC schools (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina and Tennessee) all-time to ever achieve a No. 1 national ranking.
Head coach Bruce Pearl became one of only three known head coaches to ever lead three schools to a No. 1 national ranking, joining Frank McGuire (St. John's, North Carolina, South Carolina) and John Calipari (UMass, Memphis, Kentucky). He is the first head coach to lead two SEC schools to the program's first-ever No. 1 national ranking (Tennessee, Auburn).
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer