Auburn at Arizona takes on different tenor with Bruce Pearl retirement

Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl officially announced his retirement on Monday after it had been rumored for a few weeks. The retirement by Pearl takes some of the cache away from the Auburn at Arizona game on December 6 as the first of a home-and-home with the Tigers.

Pearl will be succeeded by his son Stephen, who was on his father's staff during all 11 years he was the head coach at Auburn. Steven Pearl was signed to a five-year contract as the 22nd head coach in Auburn history. Steven Pearl also played for his father at Tennessee from 2007 through 2011.

Auburn beat Arizona 73-57 in the 2018 Maui Invitational Third Place Game in the only game Pearl coached against the Wildcats during his career. Gonzaga, with Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd as an assistant coach, beat Duke 89-87 in the 2018 Maui Invitational Championship Game.

Arizona and Pearl did intersect in the 2005 NCAA Tournament Chicago Regional. Pearl Coached Wisconsin-Milwaukee against Illinois and Arizona beat Oklahoma State in the regional semifinals. Pearl retires with 706 wins and 268 losses and a 21-13 NCAA Tournament record.

Arizona and Auburn will play for the third time this season. In addition to the 2018 game at the Maui Invitational, the Tigers eliminated the Wildcats from the 1986 NCAA Tournament, 73-63. That was the second NCAA Tournament appearance for Arizona under Lute Olson.

Auburn finished 32–6 overall and 15–3 in the Southeastern Conference to win the 2025 regular season title. Auburn lost 79-74 in the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament to eventual national champion Florida. It was the second Final Four in Auburn history after Pearl led the Tigers to the 2019 national semifinals.

Auburn is part of a gauntlet 2025 Arizona non-conference schedule. Arizona opens the 2025-26 season against Florida in Las Vegas and also has non-conference games featuring UCLA, Connecticut, Alabama and San Diego State. The full Big XII schedule is still to be announced.