Auburn men’s basketball assistant coach Steven Pearl, son of head coach Bruce Pearl, recently stated during a radio appearance that Alabama would not have hired Nate Oats as their head coach in 2019 if not for the success of Auburn’s program under Bruce Pearl. This comes ahead of a highly anticipated matchup between top-ranked Auburn and No. 2 Alabama this weekend, with both teams vying for a crucial win in the SEC.
During the interview, Pearl praised Oats for his coaching abilities and the level of competition that has risen between the two schools since their respective coaches took over. Oats has brought success to Alabama, leading them to their first-ever Final Four appearance and multiple Sweet 16 appearances, as well as setting school records for wins in a season.
Before Oats took over at Alabama, the program had experienced a lackluster performance in the NCAA Tournament and had not won a regular-season conference title in over a decade. In contrast, Bruce Pearl had led Auburn to a Final Four appearance and a strong record against Alabama prior to Oats’ arrival.
The upcoming game between Auburn and Alabama is expected to be a high-stakes showdown as both teams are on track for top seeds in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. The game will tip off at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN, with fans eagerly anticipating the outcome of this intense rivalry.
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