advance to its first Sweet Sixteen appearance in 16 years. Auburn then beat #1 seed North Carolina 97–80 to advance to the Elite Eight, before defeating #2 seed Kentucky 77–71 in overtime to advance to Auburn's first ever Final Four. Auburn became only the second team in NCAA history to defeat the three winningest programs in college basketball history, Kansas, North Carolina, and Kentucky in the same season. Auburn lost to Virginia in the Final Four, 63–62. The 2020 season would be successful for Pearl and the Tigers with the team finishing second in the SEC with a 25-6 record prior to the cancellation of the season due to COVID-19. 2022 was a historic season for Pearl and Auburn, Pearl led the Tigers to the programs first ever #1 ranking in the AP Poll. The Tigers would win the SEC regular season championship and set a program record for regular season wins but would fall in the Round of 32 to Miami. Following the season, Pearl led the Tigers to make draft history as well. Auburn poward forward Jabari Smith Jr. was selected number three overall in the 2022 NBA draft, making him the highest draft pick in program history. Auburn center Walker Kessler was also selected in the first round at pick twenty-two, marking the first time that Auburn has had multiple players taken in the first round. Also during the 2022 season, Pearl signed an eight-year, $50.2 million contract extension. The new deal went into affect after the season and keeps Pearl at Auburn until 2030 at a $5.4 million base salary that increases by $250,000 each year. Pearl's current record at Auburn is . Head coaching record ^a Auburn was ineligible for postseason play in 2021 after imposing sanctions due to former assistant coach Chuck Person's involvement in the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball corruption scandal. Footnotes References External links Bruce Pearl's memo to the NCAA 1960 births Living people 21st-century American Jews American men's basketball coaches Auburn Tigers men's basketball coaches Basketball coaches from Massachusetts Boston College alumni Boston College Eagles men's basketball coaches College basketball announcers in the United States College basketball controversies in the United States College men's basketball head coaches in the United States Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball coaches Jewish American sportspeople Milwaukee Panthers men's basketball coaches NCAA sanctions People from Sharon, Massachusetts Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles men's basketball coaches Sportspeople from