Steven Pearl reveals why the NIT was crucial for Auburn basketball

Matt Norlander sits down with Auburn's Steven Pearl at 2026 SEC Media Days.

0:00 Matt Norlander with Auburn’s Steven Pearl at SEC Media Day
0:45 Biggest lessons learned from Year 1
2:00 The “things are kinda raining down on me” moment
4:00 Why winning an NIT (and playing in it) was extremely important
5:12 Let’s talk about this season’s schedule: what tweaks did Steven make?
6:30 How much does a school make from a neutral site game?
7:00 Adjusting to the portal and being a fundraiser and a basketball coach
8:30 Does this era of hoops slow down the progression as a coach?
9:45 Who are Steven’s biggest allies and mentors in the space?
10:45 Tahaad Pettiford and Kevin Overton
12:20 Who are those two players as people? + personality test going around the sport
14:45 Keys to building a better defense in 2026-27 + exhibition approach
17:30 What’s the best quality Steven got from his mother?

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