As March Madness officially begins, Auburn basketball fans, current and former players, and even head coach Bruce Pearl are no doubt thinking back to the last time the Tigers participated in the post-season tournament.
The 2018-19 Auburn basketball team was the stuff of legends, blazing their way through the tournament and taking down blue-bloods left and right. And then the unthinkable. After a ridiculously questionable call that sent UVA’s Kyle Guy to the free-throw line, the Tigers’ run came to an end in the Final Four.
The next year, the season would be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the following year the Tigers would self-impose a postseason ban to stay on the NCAA’s good side. Now, it’s 2022, and Auburn basketball is headed to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed in the midwest region.
Despite the time that has passed since the Tigers were cheated out of playing for a national title, not a day goes by that members of the Auburn basketball community don’t think about it. And according to Justin Ferguson, head coach Bruce Pearl isn’t quite over it, either:
Auburn HC Bruce Pearl asked if he still thinks about the loss to Virginia in the Final Four: "It doesn't flash in my mind, just every morning when I wake up. And then a couple times throughout the day, then before I go to bed. Other than that, I'm over it."
— Justin Ferguson (@JFergusonAU) March 17, 2022
While so many great things have happened in the world of Auburn basketball since that fateful day in March–including the first #1 AP Poll ranking in program history, several players leaving the Plains and heading to the NBA, winning the conference, and taking over the SEC individual awards this season–this is just another example of how Bruce Pearl relates to his fanbase.
Virginia double-dribbled, and we haven’t forgotten. Now, we’re ready to finally face the NCAA Tournament again and go for another deep run in March Madness.