'Possible' rules violation by Cinmeon Bowers won't jeopardize Auburn's SEC Tournament run, Bruce Pearl says

BIRMINGHAM -- Auburn's best SEC Tournament performance in 30 years will live forever in the record books no matter what the outcome is of the school's investigation into a "possible" rules violation by center Cinmeon Bowers, according to coach Bruce Pearl.

Bowers was suspended hours before Saturday's SEC Tournament semifinal with Kentucky due to the potential indiscretion, the nature of which was not specified though is believed to be compliance related in matter.

Pearl has not shed much light on what Bowers did for the school to feel it was necessary to suspend him, at least as a precaution, but did say it will have no impact on the team's three wins in as many days.

"No, it won't jeopardize what we did at all," Pearl said prior to a meeting of the Birmingham Tip Off Club on Monday. "That's a real positive."

No. 13 seed Auburn knocked off Mississippi State, Texas A&M and LSU en route to the program's best performance in the SEC Tournament since winning the event in 1985.

According to a release, Pearl was made aware of Bowers' misstep following Friday's 73-70 overtime win over LSU. Bowers, who averaged 12.1 points and 9.6 rebounds while starting all 34 games prior to his suspenion, sat on the bench Saturday but was not available for interviews.

"I'm just hopeful that when we complete the investigation into the possible rules violation that some will look back and understand what we did we had to do," Pearl said, "without even really knowing if we have a rules violation."