Auburn's February struggles ultimately proved too much to overcome.
Despite a promising start, the Tigers found themselves on the outside looking in as the 2026 NCAA Tournament field was announced. Auburn missed out on an at-large bid, finishing just behind Oklahoma. The last spots went to Miami-Ohio, SMU, NC State, and Texas.
Exiting the SEC tournament with a 17-16 record, Auburn hoped their top-5 strength of schedule and a slate of quality wins would be enough to counterbalance their numerous losses. However, a critical Quad 3 home loss to Ole Miss seemed to seal their fate, keeping them out of the final 68.
Under the guidance of Steven Pearl in his first year, Auburn showed early promise in SEC play. A notable road victory over eventual SEC regular-season champions Florida had them poised for a fifth consecutive NCAA tournament appearance. Yet, after standing at 5-3 in SEC play by the end of January, the Tigers hit a rough patch, dropping seven of their next eight games.
As the NIT bracket announcement approaches, Auburn is expected to be a top seed if they choose to participate, likely hosting games.
Looking ahead, defense will be a key focus for Pearl as he heads into the offseason. Auburn's defensive struggles were evident, ranking No. 287 in effective field-goal defense by Selection Sunday.
Pearl had set a target of being in the top 60 for defensive efficiency to secure a tournament spot, but the team finished at No. 107 according to KenPom. Addressing these defensive issues will be crucial for Auburn's future success.