Steven Pearl is making a compelling case for why his Auburn Tigers deserve a spot in the NCAA Tournament, despite a challenging 17-16 record and a recent SEC Tournament loss to Tennessee. As a first-year head coach, Pearl passionately highlighted the team's strength of schedule, quality wins, and metrics from KenPom and NET, hoping to hear Auburn's name called on Selection Sunday.
Pearl pointed out, "We scheduled a really hard out-of-conference schedule," emphasizing the quality wins they achieved during that stretch. Auburn's non-conference lineup featured powerhouses like Arizona, Michigan, and Purdue. However, the Tigers struggled against these top teams, losing by an average of 29 points, which complicates their case for an at-large bid.
Pearl remains adamant, saying, "Our guys have some of the best wins in college basketball. This team deserves to be in the tournament."
Auburn's notable victories include a neutral-site win against St. John's, a road victory over SEC regular-season champion Florida, and a home triumph against Arkansas.
These wins were impressive, but Auburn's recent form has been less convincing, with nine losses in their last 12 games, including tough defeats to Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Oklahoma.
Pearl understands the stakes and passionately advocates for his team, stating, "It's my job to fight for my team. It's my job to be my team's advocate." Despite their recent struggles, he believes in the team's achievements and potential.
As the tournament selection approaches, Auburn's fate hangs in the balance. They might just sneak into the last four in and find themselves in Dayton next week. Pearl's debut season as head coach has been a rollercoaster, and he remains hopeful for a shot at the NCAA Tournament.