Auburn coach Bruce Pearl says he wasn’t mixing politics with sports last week when he called for the release of an American hostage in Gaza.

For Auburn’s Sweet 16 game against Michigan, Pearl invited Alexander’s family to the game. Roy and Adi Alexander were also pictured with Michigan center Danny Wolf, an Israeli American who represented the Israeli national team at the 2023 FIBA Under-20 European Championships.

Auburn head coach, Bruce Pearl, invited the family members of the hostage held in Gaza, the American Edan Alexander, to come visit the game and also get a photo with their favorite player, which is Danny Wolf, from Michigan Wolverines.