Did the Auburn Tigers lock up a spot in the NCAA Tournament with the win over the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday afternoon?
The Tigers (20-11) have had some blips along the way through SEC play, including when they were blown out by the Kentucky Wildcats last Saturday, but it was a different story altogether against the 12th-ranked Volunteers on their home court this weekend. The latest Auburn NCAA Tournament odds show that the Tigers have now cemented their spot in the Big Dance after beating Tennessee 79-70.
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Auburn NCAA Tournament Odds Spike After Beating Tennessee
Per DraftKings Sportsbook, Auburn is now at ++9000 to win the NCAA Tournament. That puts them right around the likes of Michigan State (+9000), Maryland (+9000), Iowa (+9000), West Virginia (+9000), USC (+1200) and Boise State. All aforementioned teams are projected within the bubble of the NCAA Tournament.
Before Saturday, ESPN’s Bracketology projected Auburn as one of the last teams in with a bye as an 11 seed. Now, Auburn will likely move off the bubble and should be considered a higher seed.
It was junior guard Wendell Grenn who led the way with 24 points in the win over the Volunteers Saturday, with Johni Broome adding 17 points and Allen Flanigan with 16 points.
Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl did not mince words when talking about his team’s failures to beat top teams in the SEC before the Tennessee game, admitting that this was the most important matchup to date.
“We just haven’t been able to beat the best teams on our schedule,” Pearl said, per 247 Sports. “That is what it has come down to. Tennessee wins at home by a margin of 20. We lost by three on the last possession.
With the win, Pearl and the Tigers now have the signature win they desperately craved, and will likely not have to worry about securing a spot in the NCAA Tournament regardless of what happens in the SEC Conference Tournament.
Auburn earned a #2 seed in last year’s March Madness Tournament but would be bounced by the Miami Hurricanes in the second round. Perhaps they can go on a bit of a deeper run this time around despite lacking the same prowess during the regular season. As we’ve seen year after year, any team can become a threat in the tournament, and Auburn showed a level of play on Saturday that proves they are capable of being dangerous.
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