March Madness has officially arrived, and with it comes the excitement of the NCAA Tournament bracket reveal. The Auburn Tigers have been named the No. 1 overall seed and will compete in the South region as they set their sights on a deep tournament run. They join fellow No. 1 seeds Duke, Houston, and Florida at the top of the field, solidifying their position as one of the strongest teams in the nation heading into the tournament.
Auburn’s first matchup is set for Thursday at 1:50 p.m. CT in Lexington, Kentucky, where they will take on either Alabama State or St. Francis. While their opponent has yet to be determined, the Tigers will be looking to make a statement in their opening game and build momentum for the rest of the tournament.
Despite a few tough losses toward the end of the regular season and in the SEC Tournament, head coach Bruce Pearl remains unfazed. He has made it clear that his team is not in panic mode and is instead focused on locking in and making history. Auburn narrowly lost to Alabama at the buzzer and had a hard-fought battle against Tennessee, but Pearl sees those experiences as opportunities for growth rather than setbacks.
“We lost to some great teams. We lost at the buzzer against Alabama. We had possessions here and there against Tennessee in the SEC Tournament,” Pearl said on Saturday, per Auburn Undercover. Then, with a hint of sarcasm, he continued, “Yeah, we’re panicked. 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.”
Even with his confidence in the team, Pearl acknowledges that there are areas where the Tigers can improve. One key adjustment he mentioned is the need to distribute the scoring more evenly among players.
“We probably offensively need to think about sharing it a little bit more,” Pearl said after Auburn’s loss to Tennessee. “We run through Johni pretty consistently. We may step back and see if we can spread out our scoring a little bit. That might make us even more dangerous and an even better team.”
If Auburn secures a win in their first game, they will face the winner of the No. 8 vs. No. 9 matchup between Louisville and Creighton. A victory in the second round would advance them to Atlanta, where they would compete in the Sweet 16, a stage they haven’t reached in several years.
In recent seasons, Auburn has faced early exits from the tournament, falling short of expectations with three consecutive first-weekend eliminations. However, this year’s team has all the tools necessary to break that trend. With their No. 1 overall seed, experienced leadership, and hunger for success, the Tigers are in prime position to make a deep run in March Madness.
Auburn fans have high hopes that this will be the year their team goes the distance, and with the talent, coaching, and determination they possess, the Tigers have a real shot at making history. All eyes will be on them as they take the floor in Lexington, ready to prove why they are the top seed in the tournament.
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