Bruce Pearl sets unique coaching record with Auburn’s win over Alabama

Bruce Pearl has his Auburn team rolling right along as the No. 1 team in the nation, including Saturday’s win against No. 2 Alabama.

As a rivalry game, nothing is ever easy between the Tigers and the Crimson Tide. But Auburn strolled into Tuscaloosa this weekend and came away with a 94-85 win, answering every run and challenge by Alabama down the stretch for a 2nd straight win in the rivalry series.

This one, however, took on an entirely different life of its own as a matchup between AP No. 1 and No. 2 teams. The win by the Tigers actually makes Auburn the 2nd program Pearl has ever led to a win in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 game, becoming the first head coach to lead multiple programs to a win in that scenario.

Fans of SEC basketball will remember the first program Pearl led to a victory in a 1 vs. 2 matchup was Tennessee during the 2007-08 season. That game featured Pearl’s No. 2 Vols facing off against John Calipari’s No. 1 ranked Memphis team.

That game featured Tyler Smith, Wayne Chism and JP Prince leading Tennessee to a 66-62 win over a talent-rich Memphis team. Calipari’s team that season featured NBA talent with players like Derrick Rose, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Joey Dorsey and Antonio Anderson. The win by the Vols was 1 of just 2 losses Memphis suffered that season, including the national final in a matchup vs. Kansas.

Now, Pearl will try to lead Auburn to an SEC title and a deep March Madness run.

Paul Harvey

Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.