That pregame speech meant something.
In the minutes that preceded his Auburn squad's 75-70 victory over Kentucky on Saturday -- a win that demanded an escape from a 12-point deficit -- Bruce Pearl looked at the camera and debuted his latest imitation of Al Pacino in "Scent of a Woman." He preached toughness and heart. He told his players that Kentucky would have to "run though" them to win. And he assured the Tigers that victory would await their effort.
Then, Auburn actually won the game after losing 18 in a row to the Kentucky Wildcats -- the only team not named Florida that has captured an SEC regular-season title since John Calipari's arrival in 2010 -- who now seem desperate for a midseason trade that would enliven their listless frontcourt.