Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl says his team is not intimidated by being the No. 1 seed, despite facing a highly experienced Michigan State squad in Sunday’s Elite Eight matchup.
Pearl defended his team’s chances, pointing out that while Auburn has one five-star player, Johni Broome, the Spartans have several McDonald’s All-Americans on their roster. However, he emphasized that most of Auburn’s players come from lower-level programs and are facing a significant challenge against a Hall of Fame coach, Tom Izzo.
When asked if he thinks Auburn is the underdog in the game, Pearl replied that it’s actually Michigan State. He noted that this is Auburn’s third Elite Eight appearance, but they’re still untested compared to the Spartans’ numerous postseason successes.
Pearl’s confident tone suggests that he believes his team can hold its own against Izzo and Michigan State. The matchup will provide an intriguing test of strength and strategy in the NCAA Tournament.
Source: https://www.mlive.com/spartans/2025/03/tom-izzo-responds-to-bruce-pearl-saying-he-wont-let-msu-play-the-underdog-card.html