“I’ve talked to both of the young men and I’ve talked to their families. They understand that they’re role models and they understand that they’ve let their Auburn family down, they’ve let their own families down. They feel really badly about it.”

Auburn has employed a 10-deep rotation throughout the season, but will be down at least two of those players against the Chanticleers. Guards T.J. Dunans (who missed Monday’s loss against Boston College due to illness) and TJ Lang (who left that game in the second half due to a knee injury) should both be back, but Pearl admitted Wednesday that the latter is “not at 100 percent.”

Dunans started for the Tigers in their exhibition game before Brown slid into that role for the opener, so he appears the likeliest candidate to open Thursday’s game with the first unit. If Lang plays, he, along with backup point guard Ronnie Johnson and starters Heron and Jared Harper, will be called on to fill most of Brown’s 21 minutes per game.

“Dunans is our best rebounding guard,” Pearl said. “He's also probably my best play-making guard, so getting him back is significant.”