AUBURN WINS THE SEC TOURNAMENT; Thoughts on NCAAT Draw

This season has had its up's and down's. We've had some unfortunate losses, some big time wins, and some unforgettable moments. March has arrived, and so have the Auburn Tigers. The Tigers capped off the regular season with three straight dominant wins, and they have followed that up by picking up three more to win the SEC conference tournament. This team has fought through some rough stretches and is getting hot at the perfect time.

I will say this. We were granted a very favorable draw for our run through the conference tournament. Auburn was the only top-4 seed remaining after Friday, so we played the number five, number nine, and number six overall seeds on our way to the title. On paper, this looks like a pretty easy run, and maybe it was. However, for those of you that want to say that Auburn was "gifted" an SEC tournament title, I must ask... who is responsible for gifting us this "easy" run? It most certainly was not us. Maybe, just maybe, it was the top-3 seeds that failed to handle business on Friday. We ultimately cleaned up their scraps, and Bruce Pearl has added yet another championship to his resume.

So, how did we do it? How has a team that was ridiculed in the offseason for adding a mid-major guy, a JUCO guy, and even a D2 guy, come out on top of the SEC? Here's how...

-The quickest and easiest answer is... Johni Broome. He was DOMINANT during this tournament run. He is shining when the lights are the brightest, and I fully expect him to continue this dominance in the NCAA tournament. He is undeniably playing the best basketball of his career right now on both ends of the floor. In my opinion, he has cemented himself onto the "Mount Rushmore" of Auburn players.

-Those mid-major, JUCO, and D2 guys have met and exceeded expectations. Denver Jones is as pure of a shooter that we've had since Bryce Brown. Chad Baker-Mazara has been one of our most consistent guys on the offensive end night-in and night-out. Chaney Johnson has loosened up and is showing flashes of GREATNESS in my opinion. These additions have been such an important part of this team. Hats of Bruce and this staff for going out and finding this talent. Classification, division, ranking, all of that doesn't matter. If you're a hooper, you're a hooper.

-Our guards stepped up when it mattered most. Aden Holloway has had his up's and down's this year, but I thought he handled his business in the championship game. Tre Donaldson thrives in March. I expect him to play a big part in whatever run we make during the tournament.

-Our vets have played their roles so well as of late. Dylan Cardwell has been a demon on the defensive end. Chris Moore didn't miss a shot the entire SEC tournament (!!!) and rebounded the ball very well. Jaylin Williams has been so consistent this entire season. KD Johnson struggled offensively during the tournament, but he made some big-time plays on defense to make up for his sub-par offense. There wasn't a guy on this roster that hasn't done his job. Our success has truly been a team effort.

Before I get to our NCAAT seeding, I want to express the empathy I feel for Micah Handlogten, Florida's big man that got hurt yesterday. It looked like a pretty severe injury. You never want to see anyone have to experience anything like that. I hope that he's okay, and I hope that he's able to make a full recovery and get back to playing the sport he loves.

Now, let's talk about our NCAAT draw. Auburn was given a 4 seed and will play Yale in the Round of 64 on Friday. I think Auburn probably deserved a 3 seed, but honestly, who cares? If you're gonna win a championship, you're eventually going to meet the best teams, regardless of seeding. Us being a 4 seed just means that we will meet the best a little bit earlier. Also, might I remind you that the year we went to the Final Four, we beat Kansas, UNC, and Kentucky back to back to back. Bruce Pearl knows how to get his guys to rise to the occasion, and I am fully confident that he can do it again.

Yale has a good team. They gave Kansas a pretty good game earlier in the season. They are VERY reliant on their starting 5 though. Yale's national rank for bench minutes is 322nd. Auburn's is 8th. Look for Auburn to pull away late in the second half.

Auburn will then play either San Diego State or UAB. San Diego State made it to the national championship last year, but do not be mistaken, this is not the same San Diego State team. They lost production, and they have struggled here as of late, finishing 2-3 in their last 5 games. They are athletic, and if you let them get hot from 3, they can be dangerous. UAB is a similar team. Athletic and streaky. I think Auburn can beat both of these teams.

We would then probably meet UConn, the number one overall seed, in the Sweet 16. If both teams make it there, I will write a little bit more about that. For now, let's just focus on handling business in the first two rounds.

I love this Auburn team. I think that they are peaking at the right time, and personally, I like our chances against anyone. Tis' the season, folks. March is upon us.