Bruce Pearl and Rick Barnes exchange final messages before Tennessee-Auburn

Auburn basketball hosts its biggest SEC test of the season on Saturday when the Tigers host Tennessee at the Neville Arena. Before the No. 1 overall team in the country takes on No. 6, Bruce Pearl and Rick Barnes shared effusive praise of one another.

Pearl specifically shouted out Barnes’ Vols’ 3-and-D ability.

“I have so much respect for Coach Barnes and that coaching staff,” Pearl said Thursday, per the Montgomery Advertiser. “He’s done an amazing job with that Tennessee team. They play as good a defense as anybody in the country, with their field goal percentage defense and their 3-point defense.”

Barnes returned the favor, focusing on Pearl’s ability go find personnel that fits his system on the recruiting trail.

Barnes also professed confidence Pearl can coach Auburn out of any deficit related to Johni Broome’s potential injury-related absence.

“He’s been around the game a long time, understands how he wants his teams to play, recruits that type of system; just extremely sound,” Barnes said. “You look at his record. Everywhere he’s been, he’s been successful. (I have) Just the utmost respect for Bruce and the fact that he — again, I think the key to coaching is knowing how you want to play and recruiting guys and getting them to play that way, and he does that as well as anyone.

When you’re the No. 1-ranked team — and they’ve been right there all year long. You look at growing (from) losses at Duke, early in the year, and you’re not going to get to be at No. 1, No. 2, No. 5, any of those teams, ranked by one guy alone. You can certainly have a guy that can anchor you down, but you’ve got to be able to withstand some of these type situations through injuries.

“When he (Pearl) started the season, I would think that, if you ask him, he may be thinking this might have been one of the deepest teams he’s ever had. Early in the year, I’ve played ten guys. I mean, you’re prepared for something when you lose someone like Johni.”

Clearly, both coaches respect each other. But the stakes Saturday dictate a likely emotional clash that could see both sides show fire and emotion.

AU could further silence anyone who believes the Tigers aren’t worthy of their No. 1 ranking. At this point, your eyes are lying if you feel that way, but an Auburn loss, coupled with a Duke win at Wake Forest, could mean falling from that top spot.

Stay tuned. Saturday will provide fireworks in the college hoops world.