Pearl’s Defense Overhaul Begins | Arkansas Razorbacks Basketball News

Auburn basketball’s defense was a disaster last season, surrendering nearly 80 points per game at one point — but new head coach Steven Pearl is flipping the script. Focused on individual defensive grit from day one, he’s designing brutal practices to force players to react under pressure. Adding two towering seven-footers — including French shot-blocker Narcisse Ngoy — gives them the size to build smarter, more complex schemes. With key newcomers like Lithuanian guard Mantas Rubštavičius already in camp, the team’s heading to Greece this August for a critical foreign tour to install new defensive systems and test communication. Pearl’s goal? A smarter, more reactive defense that’s not just tough — but intelligent — ready to dominate when the season starts. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/6db9e08f2ef53a9e