South Region of the NCAA Tournament: Top-ranked Overall Seed Auburn Boasts Impressive Resume
The Auburn Tigers, top dogs in the NCAA tournament, land in a familiar battleground for the South Regional opener. With a record of 29-5, they'll be facing their usual SEC rival, Kentucky, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky. Although it's a venue that typically isn't welcoming, Auburn secured a decisive 94-78 victory at Rupp in their previous meeting on March 1.
"We kinda feel like that (No.1 overall seed) makes us the regular-season national champ," Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. "But it's a tournament sport ... if we don't win the national championship, we'll be disappointed."
The Tigers' second-round game could also be a reunion with their arch-nemesis. If they beat Alcorn State/Saint Francis (Pa.) in their opener, they could be up against No. 8 seed Louisville in the second round. Lou's game against No. 9 seed Creighton will happen earlier on the same day in Rupp.
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As a powerhouse team led by unanimous All-American forward Johni (jon-EYE) Broome, Auburn boasts the strongest resume_ among all tournament No. 1 seeds. Broome, a 6-10 senior, leads the team in scoring (18.9 points per game), rebounding (10.6), and assists (3.1). He and Duke forward Cooper Flagg are the only real contenders for college player of the year.
Auburn tackled the second most challenging schedule in Division I, according to KenPom. They're ranked fourth in adjusted efficiency margin and are 16-5 in Quad 1 games. Their losses are to Duke, Florida, Texas A&M, Alabama, and Tennessee, all seeded fourth or better in the tournament.
Despite their impressive record, Auburn enters the tournament with a warning. No team has ever won the NCAA championship while having three losses in their last four games, and the Tigers have suffered three losses in their last four. "We're gonna take it one game at a time," Pearl said. "But these would be the highest goals I've ever had heading into the NCAA Tournament."
Other Top Seeds in the SouthNo. 2 Michigan State, No. 3 Iowa State, and No. 4 Texas A&M are the top seeds in the South. If form holds, this could set up a rematch between Auburn and A&M in the Sweet Sixteen in Atlanta on March 28. The Tigers lost their only regular-season meeting with A&M 83-72 on March 4, part of their late-season slump.
The SEC tournament was a success for the conference, with an unprecedented 14 teams earning berths. Ole Miss is the No. 6 seed in the South, on the other side of the bracket, and would not meet either Auburn or Texas A&M until the regional final.
Players to watch
Johni Broome, 6-10, AuburnBroome, SEC player of the year in his third season at Auburn, has 16 double-doubles, sixth in Division I. Only Baylor transfer Norchad Omier (21) has recorded more among tournament teams.
Ryan Kalkbrenner, 7-1, CreightonKalkbrenner was named the Big East defensive player of the year for the fourth consecutive season, joining Georgetown's Patrick Ewing as the only players to accomplish that feat. Kalkbrenner has 89 blocked shots this season, third in the nation.
Chucky Hepburn, 6-2, LouisvilleHepburn blossomed in his first season with the all-portal Cardinals after transferring from Wisconsin, almost doubling his scoring average to 16.2 points with a career-high shooting percentage. He leads the ACC with 2.5 steals per game.
Jase Richardson, 6-3, Michigan StateFreshman Richardson, son of former Michigan State and NBA star Jason Richardson, scored a season-high 29 points in his first career start against Oregon on Feb. 8, sparking the Spartans' current 9-2 run. He averaged 17.3 points and 4.8 rebounds and made 14 of 29 three-point attempts in those last 11 games.
South Regional Schedule
First/second round (all times ET)
March 20
No. 8 Louisville vs No. 9 Creighton, Lexington, 12:15, CBS
No. 1 Auburn vs. No. 16 Alabama State, Lexington, 2:50, CBS
No. 4 Texas A&M vs. No. 13 Yale, Denver, 7:25, TBS
No. 5 Michigan vs. No. 12 UC-San Diego, Denver, 10, TBS
March 21
No. 3 Iowa State vs No. 14 Lipscomb, Milwaukee, 1:30, TNT
No. 6 Ole Miss vs No. 11 North Carolina, Milwaukee, 4:05, TNT
No. 7 Marquette vs No. 10 New Mexico, Cleveland, 7:25, TBS
No. 2 Michigan State vs No. 15 Bryant, Cleveland, 10 pm, TBS
March 22
Auburn/Alabama State winner vs Louisville/Creighton winner
Texas A&M/Yale winner vs Michigan/UC-San Diego winner
March 23
Michigan State/Bryant winner vs Marquette/New Mexico winner
Iowa State/Lipscomb winner vs Ole Miss/North Carolina winner
Sweet Sixteen
March 28
Regional Finals
March 30
"In the South Regional, Auburn Tigers, top seeds, are set to face Kentucky, their SEC rival, again at Rupp Arena. Despite a potential welcoming atmosphere for AU, they are confident from their previous win there."
"Though the Auburn Tigers boast a strong resume, they enter the tournament with a warning - no team has ever won the NCAA championship while having three losses in their last four games, a challenge the Tigers are currently facing."
"In the NCAA South Regional, Johni Broome, Auburn's powerhouse forward, has recorded the sixth-most double-doubles in Division I, showcasing his pivotal role in the Tigers' tournament run."
