Auburn hires Bruce Pearl as basketball coach

New Auburn coach Bruce Pearl wasted no time making an impression. The former Tennessee coach sprung for pizza for several hundred students Tuesday a few hours after arriving in town, some of whom took selfies posing next to him. Then he told a couple thousand fans at Auburn Arena: “We’re fixing to get Auburn into that position where we’ll be going to the NCAA tournament.” The Tigers turned to Pearl on Tuesday to revive a struggling basketball program that hasn’t been to the NCAA tournament in more than a decade. Athletic director Jay Jacobs landed his top target with a 6-year deal worth $2.2 million annually less than a week after firing Tony Barbee. Pearl remains under a show-cause penalty from the NCAA barring him from recruiting until Aug. 23. – AP