A resurfaced clip from February 2015 features Auburn Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl candidly expressing doubts about defeating the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena. In the interview, Pearl stated, “With the exception of Kentucky, I’ve said that there is not a team on our schedule we can’t beat. I don’t know if we can beat Kentucky at Kentucky.”
This reflection gains significance as the top-ranked Auburn Tigers prepare to face the No. 17 Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena on Saturday, March 1, 2025. Historically, Auburn has struggled in this venue, not securing a win there since 1988. Notably, the last victory was an upset over a No. 1 ranked Kentucky team.
In the upcoming matchup, Auburn, boasting a 26-2 record and led by National Player of the Year candidate Johni Broome, is favored by 5.5 points. Broome averages 18.8 points and 11 rebounds per game. Kentucky, under first-year head coach Mark Pope, holds a 19-9 record and has secured nine Quad I wins this season. The Wildcats will aim to leverage their home-court advantage and contain Auburn’s offensive threats to improve their tournament seeding prospects.
The game is scheduled for 1:00 PM ET on March 1, 2025, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. It will be broadcast on ABC, with streaming available on ESPN+ and the ESPNapp.
