Over the past few seasons, Bruce Pearl has built Auburn basketball into an SEC powerhouse. The Tigers have had some incredible talent run through the program and that is no different this year. They bring in a solid recruiting class and bring back some key contributors from last season. With the talent on the roster, Auburn basketball is a favorite to win the SEC this season.
Three Reasons Why Auburn Basketball Will Win the SEC
Tough Non-Conference Schedule
In March, Pearl said that the Tigers were going to play “the toughest non-conference schedule they’ve ever had” and he may be correct. Auburn plays in the Maui Invitational which is widely considered to be the premier multi-team event in college basketball. The best teams participating this season include Iowa State (who Auburn plays first), Michigan State, North Carolina, and UConn. In addition to its games in Maui, Auburn plays Houston, Duke, Ohio State, and Purdue. It also starts the season with Vermont, the perennial March Madness representative from the America East Conference.
Having such a difficult non-conference schedule can help Auburn prepare itself for the SEC and for March Madness. The SEC will be an incredibly difficult conference, especially with the addition of Texas this offseason. Allowing your young pieces to grow against difficult opponents before heading into conference play is a great strategy from Pearl. In the long run, this should allow them to be more successful.
The Metrics Love Them
While most fans are not that high on Auburn right now, the advanced metrics love the Tigers. According to Bart Torvik, Auburn is the 7th best team in the country. Torvik is usually very accurate when it comes to predicting team talent and overall ranking. To be this high on Auburn is a good sign for them.
Strong Recruiting Class
Auburn basketball has become a recruiting powerhouse under Pearl and this year is no different. This year’s recruiting class focused much more on quality and not quantity. The Tigers bring in two top-100 recruits including a top-30 recruit in Tahaad Pettiford. His athleticism should allow him to be a factor in the SEC this year, but he will need to improve his shooting. In addition to high school recruits, Auburn brings in a few transfers. Most notably Miles Kelly from Georgia Tech. Kelly averaged 14 points per game his last two seasons at Georgia Tech and should be a strong contributor at Auburn. If Pearl can maximize the talent he brought in with the returning players, Auburn should be a factor in the SEC race this season.
How Will Auburn Do?
Auburn fans should have high expectations coming into this season. The team has been very good the past few seasons and that should be no different this year. The SEC will be very strong, particularly with schools like Alabama and Arkansas dominating the transfer portal. But, Auburn is just as strong as them.
The Tigers might not have an incredible record at the end of the season, but that does not mean they won’t be a good team. The difficult schedule could make them a lower seed in March Madness that ends up going on a run. The Tigers likely won’t win the SEC, but they are certainly a dark horse this season.
