Andrew Pace
Auburn Tigers is the intercollegiate men's basketball team representing Auburn University. The Auburn men's basketball team has never won the National Championship, although it has reached the Final Four twice in 2019 and 2025. Auburn has won six conference regular season championships and three SEC tournament championships. The team has appeared in the NCAA Tournament 14 times, with their first appearance in 1984. The Tigers have also produced 35 NBA draft picks, including 10 first-round selections. Auburn's women's basketball team has had more success in the NCAA Tournament, with 21 appearances and three Final Four runs from 1988 to 1990.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of national championships won | 0 |
| Number of conference regular season championships won | 6 |
| Number of SEC tournament championships won | 3 |
| Number of SEC West Division championships won | 1 |
| Number of appearances in the NCAA Tournament | 14 |
| Number of appearances in the Final Four | 2 |
| Number of appearances in the Elite Eight | 2 |
| Number of appearances in the Sweet 16 | 6 |
| Number of NBA draft picks | 35 |
| Number of first-round NBA draft picks | 10 |
| Number of All-Americans | 14 |
| Number of All-SEC selections | 102 |
| 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 represents Auburn University in the Southeastern Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The team's first head coach, Mike "Iron Mike" Donahue, started the program in 1906 and coached for 16 seasons—the longest tenure in the team's history.
The Tigers have reached the NCAA Tournament 14 times, making it to the Final Four in 2019 and 2025. They have won six conference regular season championships and three SEC tournament championships. Auburn has a rich history of producing NBA draft picks, with 35 players making it to the professional league, including 10 first-round picks. The Tigers have also had 14 players named All-Americans and 102 All-SEC selections.
Auburn's first SEC championship came in 1960 under head coach Joel Eaves, who was a former Auburn football and basketball player. The team has had notable success in the 1980s, reaching the NCAA Tournament from 1985 to 1988. In 1985, the Tigers won the SEC Tournament, beating Alabama 53-49 in overtime. In 1986, they advanced to the Elite Eight but lost to Louisville.
The Tigers have a fierce rivalry with the Alabama basketball team, dating back to their first meeting in 1924. Auburn's first win against Alabama came in their sixth meeting in 1949. The two teams have met regularly since 1948, playing at least twice every season.
While the Auburn Tigers men's basketball team has yet to win a national championship, they reached No. 1 in the AP poll for the first time in 2022, indicating a promising future for the program.
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Auburn's NCAA Tournament history
Auburn Tigers men's basketball has had moderate success in the NCAA Tournament, reaching the Final Four twice, in 2019 and 2025. The team has reached the Sweet 16 six times, in 1985, 1986, 1999, 2003, 2019, and 2025. In 1986, they lost in the Elite 8 to Louisville, who went on to become the national champion.
Auburn has reached the NCAA Tournament 14 times in school history, with their first appearance in 1984. They have had a more successful run in recent years, reaching the tournament six times since 2018 and each season since 2022. In the 1980s, Auburn reached the tournament from 1985 to 1988.
Auburn has won six conference regular-season championships and three SEC tournament championships. They won the SEC tournament in 1985, 2019, and 2024. The 1985 team was the first to win four games in four days to secure the championship. In 2019, they earned a bye in the regular season and defeated Missouri, South Carolina, and Florida before beating Tennessee in the final. In 2024, they defeated South Carolina, Mississippi State, and Florida en route to their second tournament title under Bruce Pearl.
Auburn has produced 35 NBA draft picks, including 10 first-round selections. Notable alumni include Charles Barkley, Chuck Person, Chris Porter, and Jabari Smith, selected third overall in 2022, the highest in Auburn history.
While Auburn's men's basketball team has never won a national championship, the women's program has had more success, reaching the Final Four three years in a row from 1988 to 1990 and making 21 appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
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Auburn's SEC Tournament history
Auburn Tigers men's basketball team has had its fair share of successes in the SEC Tournament. The team first appeared in the Southern Conference Tournament in 1924, losing to Alabama. Since then, Auburn and Alabama have become arch-rivals, with Alabama leading the series 103–69.
Auburn Tigers have won the SEC Tournament three times. Their first SEC Tournament victory came in 1985 under coach Sonny Smith. The 1985 team was the first to win four games in four days to win the tournament, beating Alabama 53–49 in overtime. Auburn's second and third SEC Tournament wins came in 2019 and 2024, respectively, under Bruce Pearl. In 2019, the Tigers earned a bye in the regular season and went on to defeat Missouri, South Carolina, and Florida before beating Tennessee in the final. In 2024, the team defeated South Carolina, Mississippi State, and Florida en route to their second tournament title under Pearl.
In addition to their three SEC Tournament championships, Auburn has also won six conference regular-season championships and the SEC West Division championship in 1999. The Tigers have reached the NCAA Tournament 14 times, with their most successful period being the late 1980s. They have reached the Sweet 16 six times and the Elite Eight twice. In 2019 and 2025, Auburn reached the Final Four for the first and second time, respectively, but they have never won the National Championship.
Auburn's women's basketball team has had more success in the NCAA Tournament, with 21 appearances and three Final Four runs. The men's golf team has also been very successful, winning five SEC Championships and the 2024 NCAA Championship.
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Auburn's most successful basketball players
Auburn University's men's basketball team has never won the National Championship. The Tigers have reached the Final Four twice in 2019 and 2025, and the Elite Eight four times. They have won six regular-season conference championships and three SEC tournament championships. Auburn has appeared in the NCAA tournament 14 times, with 35 players drafted into the NBA.
Chuck Person
A prolific scorer and versatile forward, Chuck Person is considered one of Auburn's greatest players. He was a three-time All-SEC selection and a two-time Second Team All-American. He led Auburn's first three NCAA Tournament teams in scoring and holds the school's all-time scoring record with 2,311 career points. Person went on to have a successful NBA career, further showcasing his talent.
Charles Barkley
Barkley earned All-American honours during his time at Auburn and is known as the "Round Mound of Rebound". He led Auburn to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1983-84 and was named SEC Player of the Year in 1984. After Auburn, Barkley played 16 seasons in the NBA and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Wesley Person
The younger brother of Chuck Person, Wesley joined Auburn in the early 1990s and made an immediate impact as a shooting guard. He was a two-time All-SEC selection and was named to the SEC All-Tournament Team. Wesley's sharpshooting ability and competitive spirit firmly placed him among Auburn's elite players.
Marquis Daniels
Marquis Daniels joined Auburn in the late 1990s and was known for his versatility and relentless defence. He was a two-time All-SEC player and the Birmingham News' SEC Player of the Year as a senior. Daniels played a part in two trips to the NCAA Tournament in the early 2000s and ranked 10th on Auburn's all-time scoring list.
Chris Morris
A two-time All-SEC pick, Chris Morris excelled during an unprecedented era of frontcourt success at Auburn. He ranks seventh on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,717 points and sixth in rebounding with 860 rebounds. Morris played in the NCAA Tournament four years in a row and was drafted fourth overall by the New Jersey Nets in the 1988 NBA Draft, playing 12 seasons in the NBA.
Doc Robinson
Doc Robinson was one of only two Auburn players to be named a first-team All-American. He was also a two-time All-SEC selection during his illustrious four-year career. Robinson ranks 15th on the all-time scoring list and is in the top 10 in assists and steals.
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Auburn's basketball coaches
Auburn Tigers men's basketball team has had several notable coaches throughout its history, which began in 1906. The team has never won the National Championship, but they have had some successful seasons and reached the Final Four twice, in 2019 and 2025.
Joel Eaves was Auburn's 12th head coach, serving from 1949 to 1963. Eaves was a former Auburn football and basketball player, and he led the team to its first SEC championship in 1960, finishing with a 12-2 conference record and a 19-3 overall record. Eaves was named SEC Coach of the Year in 1960 and was later inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1978.
Sonny Smith was the 15th head coach of the Auburn Tigers, coaching for 11 seasons from 1978 to 1989. Smith led the team to the NCAA tournament in five consecutive seasons, from 1984 to 1988, including a run to the Elite Eight in 1986, where they lost to the eventual national champion, Louisville.
Bruce Pearl is the current head coach of the Auburn Tigers and has been since 2014. Pearl has led the team to some of its most successful seasons in recent years. In the 2017-18 season, Pearl won his second SEC regular-season championship and his first SEC tournament championship in 2019, taking Auburn to its first-ever Final Four in the NCAA tournament. Pearl was named SEC Coach of the Year in 2022 and again in 2025 after leading the team to its third SEC regular-season championship and second SEC tournament championship. In 2025, Pearl surpassed Joel Eaves as the winningest coach in Auburn basketball history, with a record of 232-124.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Auburn basketball has never won the National Championship. They have, however, reached the Final Four twice, in 2019 and 2025.
Auburn has reached the NCAA Tournament 14 times in school history.
The Tigers made their first appearance in 1984.
Auburn has won six conference regular season championships.
Auburn has won the SEC tournament three times: in 1985, 2019, and 2024.
