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When Pearl came to Division II University of Southern Indiana, in Evansville Indiana, they were nothing. He came with an infectious enthusiasm that soon had people excited about a lowly basketball program that had never amounted to anything ever before. He was leading the pep rallies, running up and down the floor getting the crowds roaring and enjoying the atmosphere. He coupled that with a hard-nosed relentless style of basketball that people enjoyed watching and players wanted to come play in. Two years later they were in the championship game, and won it the next year. They remained a division II power for the whole time he was there. He then went to Milwaukee-Wisconsin and had that mediocre program rolling to the top of the conference and a party crasher at the big dance. They would have beat Notre Dame had a player not missed a layup at the end of the game. Now, what he has done at Tennessee is not a fluke, it's his M.O.!!!!! He is one of those special coaches who can recruit, coach, and razz up the community to a fever pitch. He's an athletic director's dream. Just be thankful for the time you have him, and if you are smart, do everything in your power to keep him leading your basketball program. He is destined to move to the top of the coaching ranks and will always have a team to be reckoned with. Don't be surprised if he soon has the best players in the nation playing for him. He has only gotten 2 recruiting classes so far to run his playing style, and look what he has done with that group of players to date.
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