Tally the fourth mark in the Auburn basketball loss column for the 2021-22 season after Tennessee knocked off the Tigers 67-62.
AU didn’t cover the spread and didn’t overcome their biggest challenge left on the schedule after a loss in Gainesville last Saturday, blowing a first-half lead that had swollen to double digits in the final frame.
The loss was detrimental to the team’s chances of winning the regular-season SEC championship outright, even if Kentucky did lose to Arkansas, creating a more crowded huddle at the top of the conference.
Could it have had more dire consequences re: March Madness?
Auburn basketball should still be a #1 seed in one of the March Madness bracket’s regions.
It could, but it shouldn’t.
Losing on the road in conference play is a fairly regular occurrence whether you are in a mid-major or in the Power Five. Auburn did so three times in the last three weeks, to the Volunteers, last week to Florida, and a week and a half prior to that in Fayetteville.
With all of that said, shouldn’t cost them a #1 seed considering the other results of Saturday afternoon.
Kentucky went down to Arkansas and Purdue lost to Michigan State. Only Arizona and Gonzaga–who as Auburn Twitter likes to point out, plays in arenas that don’t hold a candle to most other conference’s–have less losses than the Tigers.
The strength of AU’s schedule should be considered. A thorough domination of Alabama, coupled with another win on the road against the Tide (who of course, Gonzaga lost to) and a spread covering win against Kentucky (not to mention non-con Quad 1 wins against Murray State, Saint Louis, and Loyola Chicago) keeps them afloat in a just world.
But we know how reporters with agendas target Bruce Pearl when coming out with rankings, so there is no guarantee in a just world come March Madness Selection Sunday.