Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl after 85-70 win over Ole Miss. Matthew Stevens
AUBURN — The traveling Bruce Pearl road show will arrive in Starkville, Mississippi, literally and figuratively.
Following Auburn being nationally ranked for the first time in 15 years, Pearl said his program has already filled up spots on two large couch buses to Saturday’s game at Mississippi State. Following the Tigers' 85-70 victory over Ole Miss on Tuesday night, Pearl admitted to creating the marketing idea that for $50 fans, specifically encouraged to be Auburn students, could get a spot on the bus for the four-hour ride, a game ticket and a boxed lunch.
Auburn’s athletic marketing department simply executed the idea, creating what Pearl hopes is more of an NCAA Tournament atmosphere instead of a hostile road environment as No. 22 Auburn (15-1, 3-0 SEC) tries to increase its 13-game winning streak. Mississippi State (13-3, 1-2) has won 14 of its last 15 home games against Auburn, including the last six. Auburn's last win in Starkville came in 2009.
“It’s not going to win or lose us the game, but it will really improve the environment,” Pearl said. “I think one of the things that I have always been in such admiration of is SEC football and the way fans travel. It just makes each environment very bowl-like and very tournament-like. It’s not all just the place is full, and we have 20 people sitting behind our bench and that’s it. That doesn't make for as competitive of an environment.”
This fan bus idea is a dream that Pearl has always wanted for the Tigers, who are ranked for the first time in a decade and a half. Auburn is a projected single-digit seed in every bracket NCAA Tournament projection and considered a contender to win the conference for just the third time overall and first time since 1999.
“We’re just putting our legacy down. Bryce (Brown) and I are just laying our legacy down. We’re paving the road for the guys coming after us,” Auburn junior forward Horace Spencer said. “We’re not trying to get to the NBA. We’re not just trying to get to the next level. We’re trying to pave the road so that people like Davion (Mitchell) — who are freshmen — won’t have it easier, but will have a coattail to follow.”
Auburn, one of two teams unbeaten in SEC play, will see a completely different style of play Saturday with the league’s best offensive team (Auburn at 87.2 points per game) against the league’s best defensive team (Mississippi State at allowing 64 points per game).
Auburn forwards Desean Murray and Anfernee McLemore after 85-70 win over Ole Miss Matthew Stevens
Auburn will need to overcome a significant size advantage as Mississippi State trots out 6-foot-11, 250-pound Abdul Ado. The Nigerian native recorded his second double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds in a 71-54 loss at Florida on Wednesday night.
“I’d say forget about the pressure, if we don’t play up to our ability we won’t win. We won’t have a chance to because there is just no margin for error. We’re undersized. If we don’t shoot it, we won’t win it. That’s the reality,” Pearl said. “To go down to Mississippi State, we’re going to have to play great to have a chance to win. We’ve played a lot of great basketball, we’re capable of it, but I don’t mind putting that pressure on them. I want to put that pressure on them, because that’s the reality of it.”