Bruce Pearl on making two Final Fours at Auburn: 'It is so significant'

Since taking over at Auburn prior to the 2014-15 season, head coach Bruce Pearl has led the Tigers to appearances in six of the last seven NCAA Tournaments (Auburn was ineligible for the 2020-21 Tournament). They have made the Final Four in two of those appearances, losing to eventual National Champions Virginia in 2019 and Florida in 2025.

Pearl discussed why making two Final Fours at Auburn has been so significant on “The Sideline with Andy Katz“.

“It is so significant Andy [Katz] because you and I worked together at ESPN for a little while and when I decided to get back into coaching and take the Auburn job,” Pearl said. “I think people probably said I should wait for something a little easier or that I don’t have to jump at the first opportunity. Auburn is a ridiculously special place. People have no idea.”

In just 11 seasons, Pearl has become the all-time winningest coach at the university. Six of the program’s 14 trips to the NCAA Tournament have come in the Bruce Pearl era.

“We are a secret not a lot of people know about,” Pearl said when continuing to rave about the university. “Everybody else was [succeeding] except men’s basketball. I remember when I took over I said ‘it can be done.’ We’ve got a great fanbase. Look at the Final Four. Who brought more people? Houston? Florida? Duke? Auburn had the most people in the house. We’ve got great, great support. I’ve got a great staff and every now and then I have to pinch myself.”

Many of the program’s greatest players have been brought to Auburn by Pearl, including All-SEC guards Jared Harper (2016-2019) and Bryce Brown (2015-2019), 2022 SEC Freshman of the Year forward Jabari Smith Jr. (2021-22) and All-American forward Johni Broome (2022-25).

“What have we done to deserve this kind of blessing?” Pearl asked. “Five SEC championships in eight years with different teams. We’re just grateful and thankful. God’s blessed us to be able to get what we’ve deserved.”

Heading into his 12th year as Auburn‘s head coach, Pearl has had to build a whole new team after nearly all of last season’s Final Four team moved on. His one major contributor returning is sophomore guard Tahaad Pettiford, who averaged 11.6 points and 3.0 assists last season off the bench. 10 incoming players will be making their Tiger debuts next season, led by Mississippi State transfer forward KeShawn Murphy and UCF transfer forward Keyshawn Hall.