"Do it for Chuma" became the unofficial motto of the Auburn basketball team that advanced to the Final Four in 2019.
The Tigers' star player Chuma Okeke was peaking at the perfect time after the team had gone 11-0 in March, and then in a heartbreaking turn of events, Okeke tore his ACL in the second half of Auburn's Sweet Sixteen win over North Carolina.
Of course, the team was just seconds away from playing for a national championship in 2019 before Kyle Guy was allegedly fouled and a Virginia double-dribble went uncalled and you know the rest. The 5-seed Auburn Tigers ended their Cinderella run in the Final Four.
Now, for the first time since, an Auburn basketball team is returning to the Final Four, this time as the No. 1 overall seed and with a historic season under their belts. National Player of the Year candidate Johni Broome is leading the squad, which remained at No. 1 in the AP poll for eight weeks straight.
The Tigers are once again just two games short of winning a title for the first time in program history, and Chuma Okeke reacted to the team's success.
"It's mixed emotions," Okeke told Auburn Undercover this week. "We made it far but I wasn't really able to enjoy the whole thing — Elite Eight and the Final Four — when I was hurt. At the end of the day, we made history. And I'm still blessed to have been a part of it.
"Records are meant to be broken," Okeke said. "And this is a great one to break. Being back in the Final Four and having a chance to win the whole thing? That would be amazing."
Auburn basketball will tipoff against the Florida Gators on Saturday at 5:09 p.m. from San Antonio in the Final Four.