Auburn picked sixth in preseason poll, Tahaad Pettiford named First Team All-SEC

Mar 28, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Auburn Tigers guard Tahaad Pettiford (0) drives past Michigan Wolverines center Vladislav Goldin (50) in the first half of a South Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Mar 28, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Auburn Tigers guard Tahaad Pettiford (0) drives past Michigan Wolverines center Vladislav Goldin (50) in the first half of a South Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Auburn will try to defend its SEC title with a new coach, a majority of a new roster and with almost no preseason belief that the Tigers can repeat as conference champions.

On Monday, the SEC preseason poll was released, with Steven Pearl's Tigers coming in sixth, behind defending national champion Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Arkansas.

After running through the SEC regular season schedule last season with a 15-3 record, clinching the program's sixth SEC title, including its third in the previous seven seasons. 

Tahaad Pettiford, the only key returnee from the team that made the Final Four last season, was voted First-Team All-SEC. As a freshman coming off the bench, the New Jersey native posted 11.6 points, 3.0 assists and 2.2 rebounds per game.

The Tigers open their exhibition season on Wednesday against Oklahoma State in Birmingham before battling Memphis on Oct. 30 in Atlanta. Auburn has its season opener against Bethune-Cookman in Neville Arena on Monday, Nov. 3.

Here is the complete preseason poll from SEC Tipoff.

First Team All-SEC

Alex Condon – Florida

Josh Hubbard – Mississippi State

Otega Oweh – Kentucky

Tahaad Pettiford – Auburn

Labaron Philon Jr. – Alabama

Second Team All-SEC

Nate Ament – Tennessee

Boogie Fland – Florida

Ja’Kobi Gillespie – Tennessee

Thomas Haugh – Florida

Mark Mitchell – Missouri

Third Team All-SEC

Malik Dia – Ole Miss

Aden Holloway – Alabama

Karter Knox – Arkansas

Jaland Lowe – Kentucky

D.J. Wagner – Arkansas

SEC Player of the Year

Otega Oweh – Kentucky

Predicted Order Of Finish

1.      Florida

2.      Kentucky

3.      Tennessee

4.      Alabama

5.      Arkansas

6.      Auburn

7.      Missouri

8.      Ole Miss

9.      Texas

10.    Mississippi State

11.    Vanderbilt

12.    Oklahoma

13.    Texas A&M

14.    Georgia

15.    LSU

16.    South Carolina

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