Bruce Pearl is here to preview Auburn's trip to Nashville to play Arkansas in the 2nd round of the SEC Tournament...
** BTW, we talked to Wen Green and Johni Broome first, and Wen mentioned the rivalry against Arkansas and how the two teams don't like each other very much.
** Pearl opens with the sign in locker room about making history. He credits Joel Eaves teams from 57-63, which is last time they had a run of five 20-win seasons in six years. Mentions some of Eaves' players and how they were a part of a special period in AU basketball.
** Pearl said it takes some doing to put 79 points on the best defensive team in the country. Mentions the amazing crowd support at Neville. How the students stuck around. On making history: "Everybody is a part of it."
** Arkansas is No. 18 in NET, but seeded 10th in SEC Tournament. "What a great reward" for beating UT.
** Arkansas is very talented, athletic. Beat them when they didn't have Nic Smith. Played zone against them but they're shooting much better from 3-point range. "Zone is not going to be the answer this time around."
** Smith can shoot it. He's another big guard. They are just huge, 13th longest team in the country. The last three teams Arkansas played are pretty long. That's not how we're built.
** Arkansas went to the foul line 32 times in Neville so we have to guard without fouling.
** We haven't looked past anybody and we won't start now.
** UT win was a back against the wall, everything on the line game. Will remember that one for a while.
** On Johni's improved 3-point shooting: Pearl laughed and said Johni just reminded him he was 40% from 3 in last several games. Pearl said he expected Johni to improve his 3-point shooting as the season went on. He's been working on it a lot in practice. "He's going to be a stretch-5 now, which is good for us and good for him going into the NBA.
** Pearl doesn't want to touch on rivalry too much with Arkansas but did mention getting getting knocked off as a No. 1 up there and almost getting run over by the court storm.
** Keeping Arkansas off the glass will be important.
** On this team not turning the ball over much: Arkansas will force turnovers and force you to go fast. We've played at a little slower pace this year and not pressured as much. Been better in both half court offense and defense this year. Past years, forced tempo and turned the ball over more.
** Dylan Cardwell practiced today. He wasn't in there a lot but enough to think he's possible for Thursday.
*****THAT'S ALL*****
** BTW, we talked to Wen Green and Johni Broome first, and Wen mentioned the rivalry against Arkansas and how the two teams don't like each other very much.
** Pearl opens with the sign in locker room about making history. He credits Joel Eaves teams from 57-63, which is last time they had a run of five 20-win seasons in six years. Mentions some of Eaves' players and how they were a part of a special period in AU basketball.
** Pearl said it takes some doing to put 79 points on the best defensive team in the country. Mentions the amazing crowd support at Neville. How the students stuck around. On making history: "Everybody is a part of it."
** Arkansas is No. 18 in NET, but seeded 10th in SEC Tournament. "What a great reward" for beating UT.
** Arkansas is very talented, athletic. Beat them when they didn't have Nic Smith. Played zone against them but they're shooting much better from 3-point range. "Zone is not going to be the answer this time around."
** Smith can shoot it. He's another big guard. They are just huge, 13th longest team in the country. The last three teams Arkansas played are pretty long. That's not how we're built.
** Arkansas went to the foul line 32 times in Neville so we have to guard without fouling.
** We haven't looked past anybody and we won't start now.
** UT win was a back against the wall, everything on the line game. Will remember that one for a while.
** On Johni's improved 3-point shooting: Pearl laughed and said Johni just reminded him he was 40% from 3 in last several games. Pearl said he expected Johni to improve his 3-point shooting as the season went on. He's been working on it a lot in practice. "He's going to be a stretch-5 now, which is good for us and good for him going into the NBA.
** Pearl doesn't want to touch on rivalry too much with Arkansas but did mention getting getting knocked off as a No. 1 up there and almost getting run over by the court storm.
** Keeping Arkansas off the glass will be important.
** On this team not turning the ball over much: Arkansas will force turnovers and force you to go fast. We've played at a little slower pace this year and not pressured as much. Been better in both half court offense and defense this year. Past years, forced tempo and turned the ball over more.
** Dylan Cardwell practiced today. He wasn't in there a lot but enough to think he's possible for Thursday.
*****THAT'S ALL*****
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