Rivalry: John Calipari at Kentucky vs. Bruce Pearl at Auburn game-by-game
Their rivalry dates back to John Calipari’s days at Memphis and Bruce Pearl’s days at Tennessee. And Calipari’s move to Kentucky in 2009 and Pearl’s to Auburn in 2014 have done little to turn down the intensity.
The two meet again Saturday when Calipari’s No. 13 Wildcats play Pearl’s No. 17 Tigers at Auburn Arena.
Calipari at Kentucky is 5-3 versus Pearl at Auburn. Kentucky has won all three of the matchups at Rupp Arena. Auburn has won two of the three at Auburn Arena. UK is 1-0 versus Pearl’s Tigers in the SEC Tournament and 0-1 versus Pearl’s Tigers in the NCAA Tournament.
Here’s the game-by-game breakdown:
Feb. 21, 2015
Kentucky 110, Auburn 75
The Calipari team that went 31-0 in the regular season and 38-0 before losing in the Final Four had no trouble with the Tigers in Pearl’s first game against UK as the Auburn coach. Kentucky led 52-26 at the half and cruised from there at Rupp Arena. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 19 point and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the way. The Wildcats shot 64.7 percent from the floor.
March 14, 2015
Kentucky 91, Auburn 67
Much as in the regular season matchup, the Cats had little trouble with Auburn in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament in Nashville. Kentucky rolled to a 47-29 halftime lead and shot 56.3 percent for the game. Willie Cauley-Stein had 18 points to top all UK scorers.
Jan. 16, 2016
Auburn 75, Kentucky 70
The host Tigers rallied from a 35-30 halftime deficit to give Pearl his first win over Calipari as the Auburn coach. Kareem Canty scored 26 points to lead the Tigers. UK shot just 34.7 percent from the field. Tyler Ulis missed 12 of 17 shots. Jamal Murray missed 14 of 22. Isaiah Briscoe missed nine of 12
Jan. 14, 2017
Kentucky 92, Auburn 72
Malik Monk scored 24 points and Kentucky shot 57.1 percent from the floor to put away the Tigers without much trouble at Rupp Arena. Up 51-39 at the half, UK made 11 of 19 three-point shots for the game. Monk was four of eight from three-point land. Briscoe was two of two and Wenyen Gabriel was two of three from behind the arc.
Feb. 14, 2018
Auburn 76, Kentucky 66
Auburn won its second straight over Kentucky at Auburn Arena, thanks in large part to the free-throw line. Pearl’s team went 24-for-28 from the foul line. Meanwhile, UK made just 13 of 20 free throws. Kevin Knox scored 19 points, but it wasn’t enough for a Kentucky team that dropped to 17-9 overall and 6-7 in the SEC.
Jan. 19, 2019
Kentucky 82, Auburn 80
Jared Harper’s final shot in the lane off the glass, hit the rim and fell off giving Kentucky its first win at Auburn Arena over Pearl. Keldon Johnson and Tyler Herro each scored 20 points fo the Cats, who shot 54.2 percent from the floor. Reid Travis, PJ Washington and Ashton Hagans each had seven rebounds in the win. Bryce Brown scored 28 points for Auburn.
Feb. 23, 2019
Kentucky 80, Auburn 53
Kentucky swept the regular-season series over Auburn with a shooting display at Rupp Arena. The Cats shot 54.5 percent overall, including an 11-for-24 showing (45.8 percent) from three-point territory. PJ Washington scored 24 points, thanks in part of making five of his eight three-point shots. Keldon Johnson grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds. Auburn shot just 32.8 percent.
March 31, 2019
Auburn 77, Kentucky 71 (OT)
Playing for a trip to the Final Four, Auburn rallied from a six-point deficit with seven minutes to go to force overtime then outscore the Cats in the extra period in the Midwest Region finals in Kansas City. Playing on an injured foot, PJ Washington’s 28 points and 13 rebounds were not enough as UK made just five of 21 three-point shots. Jared Harper scored 26 points and Bryce Brown added 24 for Auburn, who then lost by a point to Virginia in the Final Four.
This story was originally published February 1, 2020 at 8:03 AM.
