The Hornets will keep on dancing! But before we get to their postseason heroics, let’s take a second to appreciate the fact that this has been the greatest basketball season in this once football-only state. And Alabama State just made sure we won’t forget it. With their first-ever NCAA Tournament win, they’ve locked in a historic milestone. Now, they’re riding this wave straight into a matchup with Auburn. A No. 1 vs. No. 16 seed? On paper, that’s supposed to be a blowout. But after what we just witnessed, fans aren’t buying that narrative one bit.
This trust comes after the Hornets 70-68 thriller. They entered the SWAC tournament as a No. 5 seed, went on a streak, and punched their ticket to March Madness for the first time since 2011. And when the big moment arrived, they delivered.
In the first game of the tournament, Amarr Knox made sure everyone would remember his name. With just a second left on the clock, he took a wild full-court heave from Micah Simpson and turned it into a game-winning layup. It was chaos. It was perfect. It was March.
And now, it’s official, Alabama State vs. Bruce Pearl’s Auburn is happening. Two programs separated by just 55 miles are set to face off at Rupp Arena on Thursday. Auburn fans might be looking at last time’s 82-62 win over the Hornets and feeling confident. But Alabama State fans are sure things will be different this time.
THIS IS ONLY THE FIRST GAME OF THE MADNESS LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!!!
ALABAMA STATE HAS EARNED THE RIGHT TO FACE AUBURN IN ABSOLUTE CINEMATIC FASHION
WHAT A WAY TO SECURE YOUR FIRST EVER NCAA TOURNEY WIN pic.twitter.com/JMKtyntDBP
— The Full Court Trap Podcast (@thefullcttrap) March 19, 2025
“Imma pick Alabama State over Auburn,” one fan declared. After that last-second finish, who could blame them? Another fan kept it real, writing, “Not your fault you’re next on Alabama State’s schedule, @AuburnMBB.” Basically trying to warn Tigers that the Hornets are coming, and they don’t care about their seeding.
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