Auburn Coach Previews Tough Road Test at Arkansas

Bruce Pearl discusses his team's upcoming matchup against a surging Razorbacks squad.

Feb. 13, 2026 at 4:15pm

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Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl spoke to the media about his team's upcoming road game against Arkansas. The Tigers are looking to break out of a three-game losing streak, but will face a tough challenge against an Arkansas team that has won five of its last six games and is 12-1 at home this season. Pearl acknowledged the difficulty of the task, but said his team is ready and looking forward to the opportunity to continue improving their NCAA Tournament resume.

Why it matters

This SEC matchup is an important game for both teams as they jockey for position in the conference standings and look to bolster their NCAA Tournament credentials. Auburn is hoping to get back on track after a recent skid, while Arkansas is aiming to continue its strong play at home and avenge an earlier loss to the Tigers.

The details

Pearl noted that this is a 'return game' from the first matchup between the two teams, where Auburn played very well in a win. He expects Arkansas to be 'fired up' for the rematch, but said his team had good practices leading up to the game and is ready for the challenge. The Razorbacks have been dominant at home this season, going 12-1 at Bud Walton Arena.

  • The game will take place this weekend.
  • Auburn and Arkansas previously met in January, with the Tigers winning by 22 points.

The players

Bruce Pearl

The head coach of the Auburn Tigers men's basketball team.

John Calipari

The head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks men's basketball team.

Keyshawn Hall

A player on the Auburn Tigers men's basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“Return game from the forst one, where we played really well. They're obviously going to be fired up about the game. Our guys are ready to go. We had a good practice yesterday, another good one today. Another great opportunity to continue to improve a resume that we've put a lot of really great work into.”

— Bruce Pearl, Head Coach

The takeaway

This SEC matchup between Auburn and Arkansas is a critical game for both teams as they look to bolster their NCAA Tournament resumes. Auburn is hoping to end its recent skid, while Arkansas is aiming to protect its strong home court advantage. The Tigers will need to be ready for a tough challenge against a surging Razorbacks squad.