Auburn basketball is gearing up for what could be their biggest season yet. After a disappointing 2020 season that was full of injuries, eligibility issues, and the glaring lack of a post-season, Bruce Pearl’s Tigers are coming for the crown of college basketball.
Though Auburn basketball lost Sharife Cooper and J.T. Thor to the NBA, Pearl quickly reloaded the roster with multiple big-time transfers and 2021 signee Jabari Smith Jr., who was named to the SEC’s preseason second-team.
As the season draws ever closer, preseason polls are being released, showing a formidable Southeastern Conference. Auburn basketball is ranked #22 in the preseason AP Poll and has been placed at fifth overall in the SEC:
PRESEASON SEC MEN'S 🏀 MEDIA POLL IS HERE‼️‼️ pic.twitter.com/nn6L5i9zYf
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) October 19, 2021
The Tigers fall behind Kentucky, Alabama, Arkansas, and Tennessee in the preseason, which was surprising to many fans. After all, Pearl’s squad is locked and loaded in terms of talent from big man Walker Kessler to SEC veteran K.D. Johnson to freshman superstar Jabari Smith. Is it too soon to be so sure that Auburn basketball is going to dominate in 2021? Fans don’t think so:
— Bad Freeze Puns (@Jonny_Dent) October 19, 2021
Wait, 5th in the SOUTHEASTERN Conference?!? https://t.co/RVz0xmSHxC pic.twitter.com/t6AenTQyIA
— ED KING FOREVER (@LonelyTalegater) October 19, 2021
so Auburn is fifth among SEC teams in the AP poll, fifth in this media vote and sixth in KenPom heading into the season
— Justin Ferguson (@JFergusonAU) October 19, 2021
the conference is going to be a basketball bloodbath, cannot wait to see it unfold
Bruce has never talked about a basketball team like he's talking about this one. Y'all we're in for a hell of a season. Enjoy every second of it.
— joshdub (@joshdub_) October 19, 2021
Bruce Pearl and the Tigers are gearing up to do big things on the Plains. In fact, Pearl is sure that this team will end up back in the Final Four. The preseason rankings are careful, but there’s no doubt that we will see impressive basketball from the orange and blue this year.