What we heard from Steven Pearl, Bruce Pearl and... Charles Barkley
Here's more insight on Oklahoma State, Auburn basketball's rotation, the coaching change and Chuck's thoughts on, well, everything.
OPELIKA — As is tradition, two days after a big home game for Auburn football, Auburn basketball held its annual “Bruce, Barkley & Basketball” fundraising golf event at Grand National in Opelika on Monday morning.
That name will continue, even though Bruce Pearl has retired and Steven Pearl has stepped up to the head job.
“We decided we’re not going to call it ‘Steven, Jabari & Basketball’ just yet,” the elder Pearl joked Monday morning.
This year, media members were able to talk to both of the Pearls and Charles Barkley. We’re planning on having a football newsletter later today from Hugh Freeze’s press conference this afternoon.
But, until then, here’s what we heard from this Big Three of Auburn basketball on Monday morning — from this week’s opening exhibition against Oklahoma State and the latest on the Tigers’ current roster to more on the coaching change and Barkley’s always entertaining thoughts on, well, everything.
Steven Pearl
This is technically the first game week for Auburn basketball under Pearl, as the Tigers will face Oklahoma State in an exhibition on Wednesday night at Boutwell Auditorium in Birmingham. Pearl said the staff started looking at the Cowboys this morning, and they will watch film with the players this afternoon. Auburn will treat this like a two-day prep for Oklahoma State in practice Monday and Tuesday.
Both Auburn and Oklahoma State are returning two players that could be in their respective rotations this season. The rest are brand-new. Because of that, there’s only so much you can learn from last season’s game tape. The two teams agreed to trade 20 minutes of officiated practice film. Auburn has had officials at practices several times this preseason, including last Saturday.
Pearl’s early read on Oklahoma State, which went 17-18 (7-13 Big 12) last season under first-year head coach Steve Lutz: “They’re gonna go on some runs. They shoot the ball really well. They’re really big and physical on the inside. It’s gonna test some of our toughness, some of our physicality.”
What does Auburn want to learn from the exhibition Wednesday? “Which guys are really locked into the personnel segment? Who can pick up on tendencies of what they’re doing? But, you know, more importantly, how are guys gonna handle playing in front of 3,500 people? Their families are gonna be at this game. It’s always to see if people change in those environments.”
You might have been surprised that I said two returning players for Auburn, considering Tahaad Pettiford was the only one who was a part of the Tigers’ rotation last season.