Andrew Pace
The Auburn Tigers men's basketball team has had a rich history since its inception in 1906. The team has won six conference regular-season championships and three SEC tournament championships. Auburn has also produced 35 NBA draft picks, including Jabari Smith, who was selected third overall in 2022, the highest in the university's history. The Tigers have appeared in the NCAA tournament 14 times, making it to the Final Four in 2019 and 2025. Despite a recent losing streak, Auburn is still considered a top-tier team, with a strong resume and a talented roster. Will Auburn be able to overcome their recent struggles and reclaim their former glory?
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What You'll Learn
Auburn Tigers men's basketball history
The Auburn Tigers men's basketball team represents Auburn University and competes in the Southeastern Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The team's first head coach was Mike "Iron Mike" Donahue, who started the program in 1906 and coached for 16 seasons, the longest tenure in the team's history.
Joel Eaves, Auburn's 12th head coach, led the team to its first SEC championship in 1960, finishing with a record of 12-2 in the conference and 19-3 overall. Sonny Smith, the 15th head coach, took the Tigers to their first NCAA tournament in 1984 and their first SEC tournament championship in 1985. Smith also coached Auburn to the NCAA tournament in five consecutive seasons from 1984 to 1988, including a run to the Elite Eight in 1986.
Cliff Ellis, the 17th head coach, led the Tigers to their first-ever #1 seed in the NCAA tournament in the 1998-99 season. In that season, they reached the Sweet Sixteen. Ellis was named both SEC and National Coach of the Year.
The Tigers played their final season in Beard–Eaves–Memorial Coliseum in 2009-10 and moved to Neville Arena (then Auburn Arena) for the 2010-11 season. They hold a 175-64 record in Neville Arena. Auburn has won six conference regular-season championships and three SEC tournament championships. The team has appeared in the NCAA tournament 14 times, reaching the Final Four in 2019 and 2025.
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Auburn Tigers' head coaches
The Auburn Tigers men's basketball programme has had many head coaches over the years, with the current coach being Bruce Pearl. Here is a look at some of the notable head coaches in the history of Auburn Tigers men's basketball:
Shug Jordan
Jordan played football and basketball for Auburn from 1929 to 1932 before becoming the head men's basketball coach in 1933. He coached until 1942 when he was called to serve in World War II. After the war, Jordan returned to coach the 1945–46 team before leaving to become the head coach at the University of Georgia. Jordan finished with a 95–77 record at Auburn.
Joel Eaves
A former Auburn football and basketball player himself, Eaves was Auburn's 12th head men's basketball coach, coaching from 1949 to 1963. Under Eaves, Auburn won its first-ever SEC championship in 1960, finishing 12–2 in the conference and 19–3 overall. Eaves was named SEC Coach of the Year following the successful 1960 season and finished with a 213–100 record at Auburn. Auburn's Memorial Coliseum was renamed after Eaves in 1987.
Sonny Smith
Sonny Smith was the 15th head men's basketball coach at Auburn, coaching for 11 seasons from 1978 to 1989. Smith led Auburn to the NCAA tournament in five consecutive seasons, from 1984 to 1988, including a run to the Elite Eight in 1986. In 1984, he coached Auburn to its first-ever NCAA tournament and its first SEC tournament championship in 1985. Smith was named SEC Coach of the Year in 1984 and 1988.
Cliff Ellis
Cliff Ellis coached Auburn for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004. His most successful season was the 1998–99 season, where he led the Tigers to an SEC regular-season championship and the program's first-ever #1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Ellis was named SEC and National Coach of the Year in 1999. He took Auburn to the NCAA tournament two more times, reaching the Second Round in 2000 and the Sweet Sixteen in 2003.
Hugh Freeze
Hugh Freeze is the current head coach of the Auburn Tigers college football team, which competes in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) as part of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. Freeze has led the Tigers to postseason bowl games, continuing the team's legacy of success in the sport.
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Auburn Tigers' players drafted into the NBA
The Auburn Tigers men's basketball team has a long history, with the program beginning in 1906. The team has had some notable successes, including winning six conference regular-season championships and three SEC tournament championships. They have appeared in the NCAA tournament 14 times, reaching the Final Four in 2019 and 2025. Auburn has produced 35 NBA draft picks, including Jabari Smith, who was selected third overall in 2022, the highest pick in the team's history.
Some of the Auburn Tigers players who have been drafted into the NBA include Joel Eaves, who played for Auburn from 1934 to 1937 and later became the team's head coach from 1949 to 1963. Eaves led Auburn to its first-ever SEC championship in 1960 and was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1978. Auburn's Memorial Coliseum was renamed after him in 1987.
Sonny Smith, the head coach from 1978 to 1989, also led Auburn to its first-ever NCAA tournament in 1984 and its first SEC tournament championship in 1985. Smith was the first head coach to lead Auburn to three consecutive 20-win seasons.
Cliff Ellis, the head coach from 1994 to 2004, had a successful tenure, leading Auburn to the NIT three times in his first four seasons and being named SEC Coach of the Year in 1995. In the 1998-99 season, he guided the Tigers to an SEC regular-season championship and the program's first-ever #1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
More recently, players like Cardwell, Wendell, Johni, Dylan, and Jaylin have been early entrants in the NBA Draft, going through the pre-draft evaluation process and working towards improving their prospects.
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Auburn Tigers' rivalry with Alabama
The Auburn Tigers and the Alabama Crimson Tide have a historic rivalry in American college sports, particularly in football and basketball. The rivalry in football is known as the Iron Bowl.
The two universities are among the largest public universities in Alabama and are both charter members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The football rivalry began in 1893 and has been renewed annually since 1948. The game has traditionally been played in Birmingham, Alabama, a former leading industrial city in the South, which is how the rivalry came to be known as the Iron Bowl. The football teams have played 89 times, with Alabama leading the series 51-37-1.
The basketball rivalry is also intense, with Alabama leading the all-time series 103-69. The teams first played each other in 1924 and have since played 172 times. On February 15, 2025, the No. 1 Auburn Tigers travelled to No. 2 Alabama for a game that was the first meeting between the top two teams in the AP poll in SEC history. Auburn won 94-85. Alabama avenged this loss later that month, defeating Auburn 93-91 in overtime.
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Auburn Tigers' 2024-25 season performance
The Auburn Tigers' 2024-25 season performance in men's basketball has been impressive so far. The team has a record of 32-6 (15-3 in the SEC MBB) and is ranked 4th in the Final AP Poll. They had a strong showing in the NCAA Tournament, seeded #1 in the South region, and made it to the National Semifinal, where they lost to #1 Florida by a narrow margin of 79-73.
The Tigers' starting five is led by coach Bruce Pearl. The team boasts a high-scoring offense with a PS/G of 83.0 (13th in the nation) and a solid defense allowing only 69.4 points against per game (88th in the nation). Their SRS rating of 28.68 is 2nd in the country, indicating a very strong overall team performance.
Looking at the season's schedule and results, the Auburn Tigers have had a successful run in the NCAA Tournament. They comfortably won their first three games, beating Alabama State 83-63, Creighton 82-70, and Michigan 78-65. They then faced a tougher challenge against #2 seed Michigan State in the South Regional Final but prevailed 70-64 to advance to the National Semifinals.
The Tigers' performance in the 2024-25 season has been a significant improvement over their previous year's record. In 2023, the Auburn Tigers finished with a 6-7 record, marking their third consecutive losing season. However, with an impressive collection of offensive talent and key returning defenders, there was optimism for the Tigers to turn their fortunes around in 2024. While their starting quarterback, Payton Thorne, is an efficient runner, his passing abilities are well below average, which could potentially limit the team's success.
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Frequently asked questions
Auburn basketball has had a successful history, making it to the NCAA tournament 14 times and winning six conference regular season championships and three SEC tournament championships. They have had a strong season in 2025 and are predicted to be the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. However, their recent performance has been mixed, with a loss to Tennessee, and they have lost three of their past four games.
Auburn's basketball team is currently ranked No. 1 in the CBS Sports Top 25 college basketball rankings.
Yes, Auburn basketball has previously been ranked No. 1. In the 1998-99 season, Cliff Ellis coached the team to its first-ever No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, reaching the Sweet Sixteen.
