"We’ve been one of the top 2 or 3 teams in our league": Auburn coach Steven Pearl sheds light on Tigers' accomplishment ahead of ACC-SEC Challenge
Auburn will travel to Durham next season to play Duke in the 2024 ACC/SEC Challenge. The challenge reaches its second year after ending a tie in 2023. The Tigers won the Southeastern Conference tournament last season and are expected to be back strong in the next.
Associate head coach Steve Pearl appeared on “The Next Round” to discuss the team’s trip in December to the Cameron Indoor Stadium for the challenge.
“I think the SEC is recognizing us for the fact that we’ve been one of the top 2 or 3 teams in our league pretty consistently for the past seven years, he said. "With the team we have coming back, they felt like we had earned the right and the opportunity to know in the premiere homecourt in all college basketball at the Cameron indoor stadium.”
Auburn’s consistency in the last seven years
Auburn has been among the most consistent teams in the Southeastern Conference in the last seven years. In this period, the Tigers have recorded six winning seasons and played in the NCAA Tournament five times, highlighting the high point of Bruce Pearl's era.
Speaking further in his appearance on “The Next Round,” Steve Pearl emphasized this, showcasing the program’s exploit in the SEC during this period.
“I think it speaks volumes and it shows some recognition for what we've been able to accomplish since we've been at Auburn," he said. "Specifically in the last seven years, we've won four championships, being to the Final Four. I think in those seven years, we are one win behind Tennessee in total wins.”
2024 ACC/SEC Challenge matchups
The second annual ACC/SEC Challenge matchups were announced on Wednesday. The schedule featured a host of intriguing matchups, headlined by Auburn's game against Duke and Alabama’s matchup against North Carolina.
The inaugural edition of the series between the two conferences ended in a 7-7 tie last season, and a lot is expected this season. The times and television designations of the matchup will be announced subsequently. Here’s the full list of the matchup:
Tuesday, Dec. 3
South Carolina at Boston College
Cal at Missouri
Kentucky at Clemson
Florida State at LSU
Georgia Tech at Oklahoma
Ole Miss at Louisville
Arkansas at Miami
Notre Dame at Georgia
Syracuse at Tennessee
Wake Forest at Texas A&M
Wednesday, Dec. 4
Auburn at Duke
Texas at NC State
Alabama at North Carolina
Pitt at Mississippi State
Virginia at Florida
Vanderbilt at Virginia Tech