Nate Oats Says Steven Pearl Has Done 'Pretty Well' in Initial Season in Charge of Auburn

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama basketball travels to the loveliest village on the plains on Saturday as it gets set for the first of two games against the Auburn Tigers. The Crimson Tide's 2025-26 season stands at a crossroads as they look to get on track after a bumpy first half of SEC play has the program seventh in the league standings with a month to play. The Tigers are also tied for seventh in the league standings, but are enduring a season filled with transition after making the Final Four a season ago.

The Iron Bowl of basketball will be slightly different on Saturday as the Auburn Tigers roll out a new coach in the matchup for the first time since 2013. Alabama head coach Nate Oats and former Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl played to a 7-5 record over the last six years, but the slate is reset, as Steven Pearl, Bruce's son, steps into the spotlight on the Auburn sideline.

"He kept it in the family,” Oat said. "Took over for his father, his father was extremely successful, the most successful coach in the history of Auburn basketball. Why change a whole lot?

The senior Pearl took the Tigers to two Final Fours appearances, won three SEC regular season titles and two SEC tournament titles, and elevated Auburn into one of the best programs in the nation under his tenure. Despite Bruce's departure, Oats doesn't see many differences in the Tigers under Steven's direction.

“They haven’t changed much on the schematic way that they play basketball, if you will," Oats said. "I think the changes are more how he’s using the personnel he’s got. Shoot, Bruce changed that every year, to be honest with you. Bruce didn’t coach the exact same one year to the next. He did a good job understanding who his best players were, what their strengths were. Went to the Final Four with a guard-based team before I started coaching here. Then last year he had Johni Broome and based it more around Broome.

The Tigers are 14-8 overall and tied with the Crimson Tide at 5-4 in the SEC standings. Auburn lost heartbreaking games to Georgia and Texas A&M, but have signature wins in defeating Arkansas at home and Florida on the road. Oats complimented Pearl on his personnel usage as forward Keyshawn Hall and guard Tahaad Pettiford have become quite the tandem.

“I think Steven has done a good job tightening their rotation up, understanding who his best players are," Oats said. "It seems like Keyshawn Halls gets a lot of touches, a lot of looks, and he should be with how talented he is. They run similar stuff, but a little bit different points of emphasis. I think they’ve done a pretty good job understanding what their strengths are and playing to their strengths this year.”

Hall is averaging 21.9 points, 6.1 rebounds with 3.2 assists, while shooting 40-percent in SEC play. Auburn has won four of it's last five games, but lost their most recent game on the road to Tennessee. Despite the ups and downs of the season, Oats contends that the younger Pearl has done well in his first season taking over for his father.

Notebook From Charles Bediako v. NCAA Injunction Hearing

“When I first got to know him, he was an assistant under his dad,” Oats said. “He's younger than his dad. He's got some different viewpoints, probably a little more laid back, seems like he's maybe a little less into politics at this stage of his life, from what I know of him. I've enjoyed talking to him on the road and meeting with him here and there. I think he’s doing a really good job this year. Whether it was your dad or anybody, it’s not easy taking over for the best coach in the history of a school, in any sport. It’s not easy taking over for Bob Knight, it’s not easy taking over for Dean Smith, Roy Williams. These guys are not easy – Bruce Pearl is the equivalent of that to Auburn. He’s been by far the best coach in the history of their program. Whether it was his son or not, it’s not easy coming in, and I think he’s done pretty well under those circumstances.”

Nate Oats Reacts to Greg Sankey Signing Affidavit Against Charles Bediako

The Crimson Tide and Tigers tipoff at 3 p.m. CT on Saturday in Neville Arena for the first game of the season between the two rivals.