Bruce Pearl points to No. 3 Auburn's resume in saying Tigers deserve NCAA's No. 1 overall seed
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Auburn Tigers go into the NCAA Tournament having lost three of their final four games.
Coach Bruce Pearl isn't worried. That didn't stop him from making his case that Auburn deserves not just a No. 1 seed in the tournament but the overall No. 1 seed.
Why? Because of his Tigers' “historically strong” resume. So no, he has no panic at the prospect of losing that top spot.
“We lost to Alabama, Tennessee and at Texas A&M,” Pearl said Saturday after his No. 3 Tigers lost 70-65 to No. 8 Tennessee in the Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinals.
“Yeah, we’re panicked," he said sarcastically. "That’s a real softball.”
Pearl kept rolling to make his case for an Auburn team with five losses. Yes, three in the past four but all to great teams.
“We lost at the buzzer against Alabama,” Pearl said. “We had possessions here. Yeah, we’re panicked. I can hardly wait till next weekend to start playing again. Let’s get to Sunday, find out where we’re going, find out who we’re playing and let’s get back to work. I’m looking forward, not back.”
Pearl came out of the gate with his opening statement defending his Tigers. They won this tournament last year only to wind up a No. 4 seed when the selection committee announced the NCAA Tournament bracket. Auburn lost to Yale in the first round.
That was then, this is now and the SEC is trying to get an unprecedented 14 members into the bracket on Selection Sunday.
In a season when the conference has never been stronger, Auburn won a school-record eight SEC road games — the most in the league. Four of those were to ranked opponents. The Tigers came in No. 2 in NET Rankings and lead the country with 16 Quad 1 wins — four more than Michigan State (12).
Pearl argued that a loss to Tennessee shouldn't keep Auburn from the top spot.
“We lost to a team that’s fighting for a 1 seed,” Pearl said.
___
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Topics
-
Bruce Pearl points to No. 3 Auburn’s resume in saying Tigers deserve NCAA’s No. 1 overall seed
Auburn won this tournament last year only to wind up a No. 4 seed when the selection committee announced the NCAA Tournament bracket. Auburn lost to Yale in the first round.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Auburn's Bruce Pearl states case for No. 1 overall seed in NCAA Tournament
Pearl cites Auburn's 'historic' resume as the sole reason for Auburn's top overall seed case.Yahoo Sports - 21h -
Auburn is the No. 1 seed in the South Region; Tigers seek redress after first-round ouster last year
Auburn is the No. 1 overall seed for the NCAA Tournament and is headed to the South Region, where coach Bruce Pearl and the Tigers will be trying to seek a little bit of retribution after a ...Yahoo Sports - 15h -
Naismith Award finalists include Auburn's Johni Broome, Bruce Pearl
Auburn's head coach and star forward are up for national honors after leading the Tigers to the SEC regular season championship.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
NCAA Tournament South Region predictions: Auburn is No. 1 seed but are vulnerable
Auburn leads the NCAA men's tournament South Region but the Tigers lost three of four entering March Madness. Are they vulnerable in strong region?Yahoo Sports - 13h -
College basketball rankings: Auburn remains on top ahead of Duke despite two-game losing streak
The Tigers' body of work speaks for itself despite Bruce Pearl's team falling down the stretchCBS Sports - Mar. 9 -
Tennessee basketball blunts Texas momentum, sets up Rick Barnes-Bruce Pearl rematch | Adams
The Tennessee defense that suffocated Texas will now face the challenge of containing Auburn All-American Johni Broome.Yahoo Sports - 2d -
College basketball rankings: Auburn a lock for No. 1 overall seed, but history says losing skid bodes poorly
There's no debating the Tigers' superior résumé, but they don't enter the NCAA Tournament on a hot streakCBS Sports - 20h -
NCAA Tournament: Auburn, Duke, Houston, Florida awarded top seeds in men’s bracket
The Auburn Tigers, Duke Blue Devils, Houston Cougars and Florida Gators were selected as No. 1 seeds in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.NBC News - 14h
More from Yahoo Sports
-
Change is in the air as Ohio State opens spring practice
Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes opened spring practice on Monday.Yahoo Sports - 5m -
Change is in the air as Ohio State opens spring practice
Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes opened spring practice on Monday.Yahoo Sports - 5m -
'Fantastic motivation' - Maresca on Club World Cup
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca says the Club World Cup is a "fantastic motivation" as his side look to win the newly-expanded competition. The competition has been expanded to 32 teams, including 12 ...Yahoo Sports - 7m -
'Fantastic motivation' - Maresca on Club World Cup
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca says the Club World Cup is a "fantastic motivation" as his side look to win the newly-expanded competition. The competition has been expanded to 32 teams, including 12 ...Yahoo Sports - 7m -
NJCAA Region 20 Semis Report
Truth Norton of Howard CC is but one standout reviewed plus more, relative to the Region 20 semifinals.Yahoo Sports - 7m
More in Sports
-
Tee Higgins extension: A look at highest-paid No. 2 WRs in NFL after Bengals star lands record-setting deal
Higgins is becoming the highest paid No. 2 wide receiver in footballCBS Sports - 5m -
Change is in the air as Ohio State opens spring practice
Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes opened spring practice on Monday.Yahoo Sports - 5m -
Change is in the air as Ohio State opens spring practice
Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes opened spring practice on Monday.Yahoo Sports - 5m -
'Fantastic motivation' - Maresca on Club World Cup
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca says the Club World Cup is a "fantastic motivation" as his side look to win the newly-expanded competition. The competition has been expanded to 32 teams, including 12 ...Yahoo Sports - 7m -
'Fantastic motivation' - Maresca on Club World Cup
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca says the Club World Cup is a "fantastic motivation" as his side look to win the newly-expanded competition. The competition has been expanded to 32 teams, including 12 ...Yahoo Sports - 7m