Auburn basketball ready to turn Atlanta regional into Neville Arena East in Sweet 16

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Chris Moore and Dylan Cardwell are no strangers to playing in the NCAA Tournament for Auburn basketball.

On Saturday, each played in their seventh March Madness contest as Tigers. They've been part of some wins, four each now, but despite seeing the court in four consecutive NCAA Tournaments, an 82-70 victory over 9-seed Creighton at Rupp Arena marked a first for each: a trip to the Sweet 16, where they'll face 5-seed Michigan.

Since 2022, Auburn has won four NCAA Tournament games. It has appeared in seven. But, as Cardwell and Moore could attest, that hasn't resulted in much substance.

A team led by Jabari Smith and Walker Kessler was upset by 10-seed Miami in the Round of 32 three years ago. The year after, then-9-seed Auburn came close to upsetting 1-seed Houston. Then a dominant second half from the Cougars bounced it in the second round once again. And last season's postseason appearance carried a mighty sting as 13-seed Yale duped the Tigers in the round of 64.

For 20 minutes Saturday, Auburn — the field's top overall seed — looked bound for a similar fate. The Bluejays took a two-point lead into the half, backed by a first-half effort that saw nine triples sunk. But the Tigers overcame it, thanks in large part to a 17-4 second-half run that lasted more than seven minutes.

"It just shows that the character in this locker room matters," Moore told the Montgomery Advertiser. "It shows that our strength's in numbers; that we're not better than the last person in our rotation."

Cardwell, Moore and teammates can now put do something none with the program have since its Final Four run in 2019. They live to see another week, and they'll do so not to far from home. Games in both the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight will be played in Atlanta — hardly an hour from Auburn's campus.

"I'm super grateful for the opportunity," Cardwell said. "Very grateful for the opportunity to be in Atlanta, be in Auburn's backyard. I'm excited to see how the Auburn fans travel and how loud it's going to be. It's going to be electric."

State Farm Arena, let alone Atlanta, is a place with which the program is quite familiar. It has played a neutral-site game there in each of the past five seasons, including this year, when it beat Ohio State 91-53.

It's 4-1 in those games. Its only loss was to Memphis during the 2022-23 season. The Tigers' four latest wins at State Farm Arena have been by an average of 25 points. That includes a 28-point win over Indiana two seasons ago and a 31-point win over Nebraska during the 2021-22 campaign.

Auburn basketball's latest games at State Farm Arena
- Dec. 14, 2024: Auburn 91, Ohio State 53
- Dec. 9, 2023: Auburn 104, Indiana 76
- Dec. 10, 2022: Memphis 82, Auburn 73
- Dec. 11, 2021: Auburn 99, Nebraska 68
- Dec. 12, 2020: Auburn 74, Memphis 71

"I'm excited, I think the whole team is," Johni Broome said. "When we chose to be in the South (regional), I think everybody was anticipating to be in Atlanta. It was very important for us to get to Atlanta in order to have these next two games to go to the Final Four. And basically, it's a home-court advantage."

With Saturday's win, there's much for Auburn to celebrate. It busted a postseason slump that was bound to feel insurmountable otherwise. Its reward not only continues a successful season, but does so close to home. However, four games stand in the way of raising the ultimate banner, and that puts this week's success into perspective.

"It's special, it's incredible," Chad Baker-Mazara said. "But at the same time, it's just the first weekend. The job ain't done, so there ain't really nothing much to be hyped about."

Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at acole@gannett.com or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn basketball in Atlanta for Sweet 16 will be almost like home court

Topics

Michigan basketball set to face 1-seed Auburn in Sweet 16 of NCAA Tournament in Atlanta

The Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament has set the Michigan Wolverines against the Auburn Tigers in Atlanta.
Yahoo Sports - 1d
Auburn basketball runs away from Creighton in March Madness, advances to NCAA Sweet 16

Pettiford scored 23 points as Auburn basketball beat Creighton in second round of March Madness bracket. The Tigers face Michigan next in the Sweet 16
Yahoo Sports - 1d
Michigan basketball vs. Auburn Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament game tipoff time and channel set

We now know what time, channel, day, and the announcers for the Wolverines vs. Tigers game in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
Yahoo Sports - 10h
KHSAA Sweet 16 girls basketball tournament results, highlights from semis at Rupp Arena

Here are the results and highlights from Saturday's semifinals of the KHSAA Sweet 16 girls basketball tournament at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 15
Who does Michigan play next in March Madness? Auburn or Creighton await in Sweet 16

Michigan basketball will play next weekend in the Sweet 16, with a matchup against either Auburn or Creighton.
Yahoo Sports - 1d
Who does Auburn basketball play next in the 2025 NCAA Tournament? Sweet 16 bracket update

No. 1 Auburn smashed No. 9 Creighton on Saturday to advance to the Sweet 16. Who will they play?
Yahoo Sports - 1d
KHSAA Sweet 16 girls basketball tournament results, highlights from 2nd day at Rupp Arena

Here are results and highlights from Thursday's first round of the KHSAA Sweet 16 girls basketball tournament at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 14
Can Vanderbilt basketball reach Sweet 16 in March Madness bracket? Our prediction

Can Vanderbilt basketball reach NCAA bracket’s Sweet 16? Our 2025 March Madness predictions show how Commodores can make run in tournament.
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 17
Who will Tennessee basketball play in 2025 March Madness Sweet 16?

Tennessee's Sweet 16 opponent announced in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Yahoo Sports - 14h

Auburn basketball ready to turn Atlanta regional into Neville Arena East in Sweet 16

Topics

Related

Michigan basketball set to face 1-seed Auburn in Sweet 16 of NCAA Tournament in Atlanta

Auburn basketball runs away from Creighton in March Madness, advances to NCAA Sweet 16

Michigan basketball vs. Auburn Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament game tipoff time and channel set

KHSAA Sweet 16 girls basketball tournament results, highlights from semis at Rupp Arena

Who does Michigan play next in March Madness? Auburn or Creighton await in Sweet 16

Who does Auburn basketball play next in the 2025 NCAA Tournament? Sweet 16 bracket update

KHSAA Sweet 16 girls basketball tournament results, highlights from 2nd day at Rupp Arena

Can Vanderbilt basketball reach Sweet 16 in March Madness bracket? Our prediction

Who will Tennessee basketball play in 2025 March Madness Sweet 16?

More from Yahoo Sports

FSU moves up to 4th in D1baseball rankings

Vikings trade back and get an answer at quarterback in latest mock draft

Mavericks vs. Nets Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for March 24

Report: Giants view Jameis Winston as a better locker room guy than Russell Wilson

Who stands between Northern Ireland and the 2026 World Cup?

More in Sports

2025 NCAA Tournament scores, schedule: March Madness bracket, Sweet 16, game dates, tip times, TV channels

FSU moves up to 4th in D1baseball rankings

Fantasy Baseball Today: 11 takeaways from Spring Training, including Kristian Campbell's Fantasy outlook, more

Vikings trade back and get an answer at quarterback in latest mock draft

Is it crisis time for Mauricio Pochettino and USMNT after Nations League loss to Canada in third-place match?