When Alabama and Auburn square off for the first time this season, there will be a new face leading the Tigers-but not an unfamiliar one.
Steven Pearl, stepping into his first Iron Bowl of Basketball as Auburn’s head coach, inherits the reins from his father, Bruce Pearl, who turned the Tigers into a perennial SEC contender. While Steven is officially in his debut season as the program’s head man, he’s no stranger to the rivalry-or to Alabama head coach Nate Oats.
After years on the Auburn bench as an assistant, Steven’s been in the thick of these matchups before. Now, he gets his first crack as the guy in charge, and it comes with the added edge of playing at home.
“Steven’s done a good job,” Oats said this week. “He’s got his rotation down.”
Alabama returns to Auburn Arena for the first time since last season’s dramatic overtime finish, when Mark Sears buried a buzzer-beater to cap off the regular season in thrilling fashion. Heading into this year’s clash, both teams are neck-and-neck in the SEC standings-Alabama sitting at 15-7 overall and 5-4 in conference play, Auburn just behind at 14-8 with an identical SEC record.
When asked what’s changed with Auburn under Steven Pearl, Oats didn’t mince words.
“Obviously, they kept it in the family,” he said with a grin. “He took over for his father.
His father was extremely successful. Most successful coach in the history of Auburn basketball.
Why change a whole lot?”
That continuity has been evident. While the Tigers still run many of the same sets they did under Bruce Pearl, Oats pointed out that Steven has put his own spin on things-especially when it comes to player usage.
“It seems like Keyshawn Hall gets a lot of touches, a lot of looks, and he should be with how talented he is,” Oats said. “They run similar stuff, but a little bit different points of emphasis.”
It’s a subtle shift, but one that reflects Steven’s growing imprint on the program. Oats noted that the younger Pearl has done a solid job tailoring the offense to his personnel, a hallmark of any good coach.
The two coaches crossed paths publicly back in October during the “Ballin’ in Boutwell” exhibition event, where Oats had a chance to hear Steven speak on the state of the game.
“I enjoyed some of his comments,” Oats said. “He’s pretty well spoken, well thought out. He’s grown up in the business, obviously, with his dad coaching pretty much Steven’s entire life.”
And while he may be following in his father’s footsteps, Steven brings his own personality to the role.
“He’s younger than his dad. He’s got different viewpoints, probably a little more laidback,” Oats added. “Maybe he’s less into politics at this stage of his life, I’d say, at least from what I know of him.”
Still, the shadow of Bruce Pearl looms large. The elder Pearl, who retired ahead of this season, leaves behind a legacy as Auburn’s all-time winningest coach. He posted an 11-12 record against the Tide during his tenure but struggled a bit more in head-to-head matchups with Oats, going 5-7.
“It’s not easy to replace your dad,” Oats said. “It’s not easy coming in and taking over for the best coach in the history of the school in any sport.”
That’s the challenge Steven Pearl faces now-maintaining the standard his father set while carving out his own identity in one of college basketball’s most heated rivalries.
Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. CT on ESPN2, and with both teams jockeying for position in a crowded SEC race, this edition of the Iron Bowl of Basketball carries more than just bragging rights. It’s a measuring stick-for Steven Pearl, for Auburn, and for a Crimson Tide team looking to build momentum down the stretch.