Auburn working on multi-year contract with UAB

AUBURN -- Bruce Pearl wants to play the best non-conference schedule possible and he doesn't need to go far to add an opponent - if they're able to reach a deal.

Auburn and UAB are in talks for a multi-year deal for basketball with games played at both schools and possibly a neutral site location in Birmingham, Pearl said. However, those negotiations are on hold as UAB awaits word from Conference USA on its affiliation status after terminating its football program.

"I think they'd like to play us and we'd like to play them," Pearl said. "I'd like to combine some dates in Auburn and a date at a neutral site in Birmingham and perhaps play it on their own campus and try to mix together a contract over several years. We're in the process of talking about it. They've put the situation on hold but it's something that we both have interest in."

Auburn's non-conference strength of schedule was 54th last season, with UAB's ranking 57th, according to ESPN. The Tigers went 5-7 against teams in this year's NCAA Tournament and 8-14 against postseason teams.

Pearl wants to add to next year's schedule, which already has games with Colorado, Middle Tennessee, Coastal Carolina, Xavier and three games at the Diamond Head Classic in Hawai'i, plus the possibly of a game as part of the SEC/Big XII Challenge.

UAB, which upset No. 3 seed Iowa State to open the NCAA Tournament Thursday, could be another postseason team on Auburn's slate.

"(Conference USA is) a really good league and it's great that we get a team from the state of Alabama in the NCAA Tournament," Pearl said. "I think I was on record at one point during my time when I stated UAB's program was probably the strongest, in the best, strongest, position in the state at what point. I like their roster and Jarred (Haase) does a great job coaching them and the league that they were in was a league that they could win. I knew they were hosting the (Conference USA) Tournament so it's a lot of real positive things for UAB."