Auburn Misses NCAA Tournament, Focuses on Rebuilding

0:00On March 15th, Auburn Tigers are sitting out the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2020. They wrapped up the season with a 17 and 16 overall record and seven wins, 11 losses in the SEC. First year head coach Steven Pearl couldn't get them over the line, despite some strong victories along the way. Earlier this week, the selection committee picked Missouri, Miami of Ohio, Southern Methodist and Texas as the last four teams in ahead of Auburn. Texas edged them out with a couple more wins, even though Auburn beat the Longhorns during the year. Oklahoma made a late push too, grabbing the top spot among teams left out after strong finishes against South Carolina and Texas A&M. Coach Pearl pushed hard for a spot after losses, pointing to their best wins as proof they belonged. Fans and analysts were stunned by the narrow miss, given how the team blew late leads and dropped nine of their final 12 games, including a tough. Second round exit to Tennessee in the SEC Tournament.

1:00Last year, set a high bar with a program best, 32 and 6 record, a number one overall seed and a final four run. This season flipped that script with 16 losses, more than the prior two years combined. It all started rough, when Bruce Pearl stepped down as coach the day before official practice, paving the way for Steven Pearl's five-year deal. Now the focus shifts to rebuilding for next season, with questions about roster changes and how the new coach adapts. Keep an eye on Auburn as they aim to bounce back strong.