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The Auburn Tigers men's basketball team has reached the Final Four twice, in 2019 and 2025. In 2019, the Tigers were seeded fifth and defeated Kansas, North Carolina, and Kentucky before losing to Virginia in a controversial finish. In 2025, the Tigers were seeded first and defeated Michigan State to reach the Final Four. Auburn has never won a national championship and has only played in the NCAA Tournament 14 times.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of times Auburn has been to the Final Four | Twice (2019, 2025) |
| Number of NCAA Tournament appearances | 14 |
| Number of National Championship wins | 0 |
| Number of SEC Tournament wins | 3 (1985, 2019, 2024) |
| Number of SEC regular season championships | 6 |
| Number of All-Americans | 14 |
| Number of All-SEC selections | 102 |
| Number of NBA draft picks | 36 |
| Highest NBA draft pick | Jabari Smith (3rd overall, 2022) |
| Number of SEC Players of the Year | 3 |
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What You'll Learn
Auburn Tigers men's basketball history
The Auburn Tigers men's basketball team has represented Auburn University in the Southeastern Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I since 1906.
Mike "Iron Mike" Donahue served as the Auburn Tigers' first head coach from 1906 to 1921, coaching the team for 16 seasons—the longest tenure in the team's history. The Tigers won their first and only Southern Conference championship in 1928.
Sonny Smith took over as head coach in 1984, leading the Tigers to their first-ever NCAA tournament and their first Southeastern Conference (SEC) tournament championship in 1985. Smith was the first Auburn coach to lead the team to three consecutive 20-win seasons, doing so from 1984 to 1986. Cliff Ellis, the Tigers' 17th head coach, led the team from 1994 to 2004. During his tenure, Auburn reached the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) three times in his first four seasons and won the SEC regular-season championship in the 1998–99 season.
Bruce Pearl became the Tigers' 20th head coach in 2014. Under Pearl, Auburn has won four SEC regular-season championships (2018, 2021–22, and 2025) and three SEC tournament championships (2019, 2024, and 2025). Pearl was named SEC Coach of the Year in 2022 and 2025. In 2019 and 2025, Pearl led the Tigers to their first and second appearances in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament, respectively.
In total, Auburn has won six conference regular-season championships and three SEC tournament championships. The team has appeared in the NCAA tournament 14 times and the NIT six times. Fourteen Auburn players have been named All-Americans, and the team has had 102 All-SEC selections. Thirty-six Auburn players have been picked in the NBA draft, including Jabari Smith, who was selected third overall in 2022—the highest pick in the team's history. Three Auburn players have been named SEC Player of the Year: Charles Barkley in 1984, Chris Porter in 1999, and Johni Broome in 2025.
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Auburn's first Final Four appearance in 2019
Auburn Tigers men's basketball team made its first-ever Final Four appearance in 2019. The team was led by head coach Bruce Pearl, who was in his fifth season with the Tigers.
The Tigers defeated Alabama State in the opening round and fended off potential upsets from Creighton and Michigan. They then played a complete game against the Spartans, winning the South Regional and setting up an all No. 1 seed Final Four. This was the Tigers' 14th appearance in the NCAA tournament.
Auburn won four games in four days, defeating Missouri, South Carolina, Florida, and No. 8 Tennessee in a rematch from the regular-season finale. They received an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, being awarded a No. 5 seed. Despite a close game, they managed to beat New Mexico State, with the Aggies missing late free throws and a shot at the buzzer.
In the Final Four, Auburn faced the No. 1 Virginia Cavaliers. With 9.4 seconds left in the game, the Tigers were up by four points, and victory seemed certain. However, with 0.6 seconds remaining, Virginia's Kyle Guy made a three-pointer, and the Cavaliers trailed by two. A shooting foul was called on Auburn guard Samir Doughty, and Virginia made three free throws to win the game 63-62. It was a heart-breaking loss for the Tigers, but their journey to the Final Four was nonetheless an incredible achievement.
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Auburn's second Final Four appearance in 2025
Auburn Tigers men's basketball team has reached the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament twice. Their first appearance was in 2019, and their second in 2025.
In 2019, Auburn was seeded fifth and beat Kansas, North Carolina, and Kentucky in the tournament to secure its first Final Four appearance. They faced the No. 1 seed Virginia in the Final Four, losing 63-62 in a controversial finish. With 9.4 seconds left, Auburn was up by four points, but a foul was called on Auburn guard Samir Doughty with 0.6 seconds remaining. Virginia's Kyle Guy made three free throws to win the game for the Cavaliers.
In 2025, Auburn, once again a No. 1 seed, defeated Alabama State in the opening round and fended off Creighton and Michigan before beating Michigan State 70-64 in the Elite Eight to advance to their second Final Four. Auburn's head coach, Bruce Pearl, led the team to their first Final Four in 2019 and was named SEC Coach of the Year in 2025 after winning his third SEC regular-season championship.
Auburn has a rich history in basketball, with 14 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, six conference regular-season championships, and three SEC tournament championships. They have produced 36 NBA draft picks, including the highest-drafted player in Auburn history, Jabari Smith, who was selected third overall in 2022. Despite their success, Auburn has never won a national championship and has never played in an NCAA Tournament Final.
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Auburn's NCAA tournament appearances
The Auburn Tigers men's basketball team has made 14 appearances in the NCAA tournament. The team first appeared in the NCAA tournament in 1984, and has since made it to the tournament 13 other times, including in 2025.
Auburn has had a varied record in its NCAA tournament appearances. In 1986, the team made it to the Elite Eight, but lost to the eventual national champion, Louisville. In 1988, Auburn earned a place in the tournament as an eighth seed, and won a close game against San Diego State, 62-61, before losing to the eventual national champion, Indiana, in the second round. In 1999, Auburn reached the Sweet Sixteen, and in 2000, they reached the Second Round. In 2019, Auburn made it to the Final Four for the first time, losing to Virginia in a controversial finish. In 2022, the Tigers suffered a second-round exit, losing to Miami. In 2023, they were knocked out in the second round by Houston. In 2025, Auburn made it to the Final Four for the second time.
Auburn has had success in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) tournaments. They have won the SEC tournament three times: in 1985, 2019, and 2024. They have also reached the SEC Tournament final two other times: in 1984 and 2000. The Tigers play their home games at Neville Arena in Auburn, Alabama, and their current coach is Bruce Pearl, who became Auburn's 20th head men's basketball coach in 2014.
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Auburn's SEC Tournament MVPs
Auburn Tigers, the intercollegiate men's basketball team representing Auburn University, has had four SEC Tournament MVPs to date. The team plays in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and competes in the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
The Auburn Tigers' first SEC Tournament MVP was Charles Barkley in 1984. Barkley also became the first Auburn player to be named SEC Player of the Year in 1984. The Tigers won their first SEC Tournament Championship the following year in 1985, under coach Sonny Smith. Chuck Person was named the SEC Tournament MVP that year.
Auburn Tigers won their second SEC Tournament Championship in 2019, under coach Bruce Pearl. The team's star player, Bryce Brown, was named the SEC Tournament MVP. In the same year, the Tigers made it to their first-ever Final Four in the NCAA Tournament.
In 2024, the Auburn Tigers won their third SEC Tournament Championship, once again under Bruce Pearl. Johni Broome was named the SEC Tournament MVP and also became the SEC Player of the Year in 2024. The Tigers made it to the Final Four in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, their second appearance in the Final Four.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Auburn made its first Final Four appearance in 2019. They made their second appearance in 2025.
Auburn basketball has been to the Final Four twice.
No, Auburn has never won the Final Four.
Bruce Pearl was the coach when Auburn first went to the Final Four in 2019.
Auburn played Virginia in 2019 and lost by a single point.
