Pearl Emphasizes Importance of Upcoming Exhibition Games

The Auburn Tigers have an upcoming exhibition game against Furman what will help iron out some issues Pearl feels the team is facing

Auburn's upcoming exhibition game will help them get in tune for regular-season play / Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Auburn Tigers will head up to Greenville, S.C. for an exhibition with Furman at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Oct. 27 at 12 p.m. CT.

This is an opportunity that head coach Bruce Pearl, and the Tigers feel they need to get a more accurate idea of where they are at as a team heading into the season.

“I have some concerns about how we’re playing right now, we absolutely need to play against somebody else, we really do,” Pearl said. “I think our guys would be excited about it because we’ve done about all we can do right now to sort of prepare.”

With the gauntlet of a schedule ahead, both in non-conference and SEC play, Auburn will need to be at its best physically. Pearl believes competition against other teams will get the Tigers where they need to be.

“I know what the schedule looks like,” Pearl said. “I know how physical it’s going to be and it’s hard for us to duplicate that kind of physicality every day in practice. The guys are tired of hitting each other.”

Furman will provide Auburn with a good challenge early like it did in a secret scrimmage between the teams last year.

“I think Furman will be great,” Pearl said. “We played them at our place last year. Now we’re going back to Greenville where they’re going to do a great fundraiser to try to develop and build some parks in a beautiful downtown area of Greenville. It’s great for the NCAA to allow us to do these charity events.”

Playing against another squad can teach a team a lot about itself, something that Pearl and the Tigers are eager for.

“Just getting exposed,” Pearl said. “I say this every year, another opponent will expose your strengths and it’ll also expose your weaknesses. There are some things defensively, or rebounding wise, or in transition or execution wise that we’re not as sharp as we need to be. I think we’re going to struggle in some areas. I think the guys need to experience that struggle. They might understand a little bit of what I’ve been trying to teach.”

In addition to the exhibition against Furman, Auburn will host FAU for an exhibition on Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. CT.