The Auburn Tigers head into the SEC Tournament sitting squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble, with their postseason chances uncertain after a difficult finish to the regular season.
Auburn ended the regular season with a 16–14 overall record and went 7–10 in SEC play. The team struggled late, losing seven of its final nine games, which dropped the Tigers from a relatively safe tournament position into a much more precarious spot on the selection committee’s radar.
Despite the rough stretch, Auburn showed some positive moments toward the end of the season. The Tigers picked up a convincing 14-point win over LSU on senior night. However, inconsistency continued to be a problem, highlighted by their final regular-season game—a 96–84 loss to Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
Even with that defeat, Auburn still appears to be barely holding onto a projected spot in the NCAA Tournament field according to several bracket forecasts.
ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi currently lists the Tigers as the final team included in the 68-team tournament bracket. In his latest projection, Auburn is slotted as a No. 11 seed and would face VCU in a First Four play-in matchup. Lunardi noted that Auburn still sits on the at-large board despite the loss, ranking 37th among teams competing for the 37 available at-large bids.
Not all projections are as favorable. CBS Sports currently places Auburn just outside the tournament field, listing the Tigers as the first team out along with New Mexico, Seton Hall, and Indiana.
With their position still uncertain, Auburn now shifts its focus to the SEC Tournament, where the Tigers are set to open play Wednesday against Mississippi State. A strong performance in Nashville could be crucial if Auburn hopes to secure its place in the NCAA Tournament and eliminate any remaining doubt about its postseason chances.
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