HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — For the sixth time in Auburn's first nine games, the Tigers will play away from Neville Arena when they meet UNC Asheville in Huntsville.
"Part of our developing this program is travel," Pearl said. "You get to bring the campus to them. We've got an unbelievable fanbase in Huntsville."
Witnesses, as BP refers to Auburn fans who travel to see the Tigers, will be aplenty, with Propst Arena selling all 6,556 seats soon after they went on sale.
"That's just the way family is," Pearl said. "You understand the responsibility I feel to try to have our team be competitive because I'm so appreciative and grateful for the support we get."
A trap game, Pearl calls it, coming as it does after Auburn's rout of Indiana and ahead of Sunday's marquee matchup against Southern California.
6-foot-11 forward Drew Pember, the reigning Big South Player of the Year, averages 18.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while shooting 39.5 percent from 3-point range for the Bulldogs.
"Good player, great environment, looking forward to it," Pearl said.
Wednesday's game will be a homecoming for two Auburn newcomers. Chaney Johnson played three seasons at Alabama Huntsville, and Denver Jones grew up in nearby New Market, Alabama.
"Denver has 30 family members coming," Auburn center Dylan Cardwell said. "I hope they're excited, I hope they ball out. It's a big game for both of them."
Auburn (6-2) plays UNC Asheville (5-5) Wednesday at 7 p.m. CT in Propst Arena at Huntsville's Von Braun Center on SEC Network+. Andy Burcham and Randall Dickey will call the action on the Auburn Sports Network.
Fans will have the opportunity to purchase AUTLIVE t-shirts from the Bruce Pearl Family Foundation to join Auburn basketball's fight against cancer, with proceeds benefiting local cancer patients.
PLAYER TO WATCH: DENVER JONES
Junior guard Denver Jones returns home to the Huntsville area where he led Buckhorn High School to a 22-8 overall record as a sophomore. Jones poured in 12 points including two 3-pointers against Indiana, which was his third game in double figures of the season and the 49th of his career. He also contributed two assists and one rebound in the victory.
Jones is currently fourth on the team in minutes played (20.3), fifth in scoring (7.9 ppg) and second with a 90.5 percent accuracy from the charity stripe this season.
INSIDE THE SERIES: UNC ASHEVILLE
This is the fifth all-time meeting between Auburn and UNC Asheville. The Tigers hold a 3-1 advantage in the series. Auburn won the first two games both played at Beard-Eaves Coliseum: 91-60 on Dec. 3, 1998, and 83-38 on Dec. 20, 2001.
More recently, the Tigers and Bulldogs split a pair of games at Neville Arena. UNC Asheville won 70-69 in overtime to open the 2010-11 season, and Auburn later prevailed 67-41 on Dec. 4, 2018, in the only previous meeting since Bruce Pearl has been at Auburn.
TIGERS TIE A SCHOOL RECORD
In its win over 104-76 victory over Indiana at Holiday Hoopsgiving, Auburn tied a school record committing just three turnovers. It was the second time in three games the Tigers have had single-digit turnovers after posting just eight turnovers in their 74-57 win over Virginia Tech.
It was the 16th time this season a NCAA Division I team has committed no more than three turnovers in a game this season and just the second time against a Power Five opponent. The other to do it was Northwestern who committed just three turnovers against Purdue. Auburn is averaging 10.8 turnovers for the season.