The race for a no. 1 seed in the men’s NCAA Tournament just got a whole lot tighter on Saturday, as Auburn is in a bit of a free fall at the worst possible time. The Tigers, who had only lost twice all season, suddenly dropped three games in just over a week, all against SEC rivals. Yikes. And when you go from cruising through the season to taking Ls left and right, well, you can imagine the vibes in that locker room. Bruce Pearl is feeling it, and he’s keeping it real.
Look, Auburn’s losses this year have mostly been tight, down-to-the-wire battles, except for the loss in College Station. The Tigers got outworked, plain and simple. But don’t get it twisted. This is still a squad built for a deep March run. That No. 1 seed, though…let’s just say, it’s looking shaky.
Auburn’s latest heartbreak came in the SEC semifinals, where No. 4 seed Tennessee knocked off Tigers, 70-65. It was a back-and-forth slugfest for most of the night. Auburn went into halftime with a 33-32 lead, but then the Vols turned it up, going up by 12 with just over six minutes left.
Auburn punched back with a furious 10-0 run, but when Chad Baker-Mazara’s potential game-tying three-pointer clanked off the rim in the final seconds, that was all he wrote. And then, postgame, a reporter went right for the jugular, asking, “Three losses in four games—do you just flush it and move forward, or is there a bit of panic setting in?”
Mar 21, 2024; Spokane, WA, USA; Auburn Tigers coach Bruce Pearl at a press conference at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Coach Pearl had time. “Man, I’m really glad you asked me that question. We lost to Alabama, Tennessee, and at Texas A&M. Yeah, we’re panicked. That’s a real softball. We lost to some great teams. Yeah, we’re panicked,” he said with a heavy voice.
And they must be.
It all started with Texas A&M. Auburn rolled into that game fresh off a big win against Kentucky, while the Aggies had been spiraling on a four-game SEC losing streak. But, as it turns out, nothing wakes up a struggling team quite like a chance to take down the conference’s best.
The Aggies dominated from start to finish, never trailing once in an 83-72 win. Auburn hadn’t lost in nearly a month, and suddenly, the wheels started wobbling. Then came Alabama. That one stung. The Tide controlled most of the first half, but the game turned into a heavyweight fight in the second. And then, overtime.
With the clock ticking down, Bama’s star Mark Sears floated in a game-winner at the buzzer to stun Auburn, 93-91. The crowd…Silent. The Tigers…Gutted. And finally, the Tennessee thriller. A game that felt like it belonged in the Final Four. Auburn battled, but the Vols just made more plays when it mattered.
But don’t think for a second that the HC is waving the white flag.
Bruce Pearl can’t wait for the postseason to begin
Yes, Auburn has lost three of its last four, but Pearl isn’t letting that shake his confidence. In fact, he’s still making the case that his team deserves the No. 1 overall seed. Why? Because, in his words, Auburn has a “historically strong” resume. Five losses, sure. But three of them just came against elite teams.
“We lost at the buzzer against Alabama,” Pearl said. “We had possessions here. I can hardly wait till next weekend to start playing again. Let’s get to Sunday, find out where we’re going, find out who we’re playing, and let’s get back to work. I’m looking forward, not back.”
And he’s not wrong to fight for it. Last year, Auburn won this very tournament only to get slapped with a No. 4 seed when the NCAA bracket was announced. They ended up losing to Yale in the first round. This year is a different story. The SEC is stacked, possibly getting 14 teams into the tournament, and Auburn has some serious receipts.
NCAA, College League, USA Basketball: Auburn at Kentucky Mar 1, 2025 Lexington, Kentucky, USA Auburn Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl claps during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Lexington Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center Kentucky USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJordanxPratherx 20250301_cec_li0_083
The Tigers set a school record with eight SEC road wins—the most in the conference. They beat four ranked teams on the road. They sit at No. 2 in the NET Rankings. And they lead the entire country with 16 Quad 1 wins. For comparison, Michigan State has 12.
So, does losing to Tennessee knock Auburn out of the No. 1 conversation? Pearl says absolutely not as per him the Tigers lost to a team that’s fighting for a 1 seed. So, who gets that No. 1 seed that we’ll find out soon enough. But one thing’s for sure—this postseason is going to be full of everything. Fire, revenge, and some names we didn’t even have on the radar when the season started.
So, are you all pumped up? The Mad March is here.
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