"It’s just about taking it one game at a time": Bruce Pearl shuts down ‘wake-up call’ talk After Florida loss as team eyes Alabama showdown 

There may be coaches who endorse the idea of an occasional loss, but don't count Auburn's Bruce Pearl among that list. Florida's upset win last Saturday knocked the Tigers from the No. 1 spot in the nation. It also ended a 14-game winning streak for the Tigers, who are 22-2 on the season. But a loss as a positive? Not according to Pearl.

Bruce Pearl weighs in on Florida loss

"It’s just about taking it one game at a time," Pearl said postgame. "So far, this team has done a pretty good job of taking it one at a time and we’ve learned a lot from our wins. Florida beat us because they were better."

Florida's 90-81 upset win over the Tigers certainly didn't seem to please Pearl anymore in retrospect than it did when the game occurred. The Gators shot 13-for-33 and held Auburn to 7-for-22 from 3-point range in the upset. The Tigers seem to have recovered, following the loss with an 80-68 win at Vanderbilt.

Auburn's 2024-25 season

Auburn had not lost a game before the Florida upset since falling to Duke 84-78 back on Dec. 4. The Tigers not only had a 14-game winning streak, but they have been atop the SEC standings throughout the season. Now, Auburn is tied with Alabama at 10-1 in league play, with both matchups of the Tide and Tigers yet to come, the first being up next on Saturday.

The Tigers have been perhaps Bruce Pearl's most dominant team. To date, Auburn's average outcome is a 17-point victory. The Tigers are ninth in the nation in scoring, putting up 84.8 points per game and lead the nation in blocked shots with 163.

Auburn super senior Johni Broome has returned well from an earlier injury. Broome averages 18.1 ppg and 10.7 rpg, leading the SEC in the latter statistic. The Tigers have six scorers averaging double-digit scoring on the season. Freshman guard Tahaad Pettiford (11.5 ppg) is the only non-senior on the list.

In terms of recent Auburn history, this team seems reminiscent of the 2019 team that reached the program's first-ever Final Four. If not for a critical missed call, Auburn would have played in the NCAA title game that season. Of course, Alabama overtook Auburn in the race for No. 1, so Saturday's showdown is another chance to set a Final Four-type course.

Bruce Pearl at Auburn

Bruce Pearl is in his 11th season at Auburn. His record with the Tigers has climbed to 232-121, and Pearl has won seven NCAA Tournament games at Auburn. Earlier this season, he passed Joel Eaves for Auburn's career coaching win record. Pearl has won two of Auburn's four all-time SEC regular season titles and two of the team's three SEC Tournament crowns.

What do you think of Pearl's comments? Share your take on Auburn and their coach in the comments section below.