AUBURN, Ala. – It has been a historic two seasons for Auburn basketball. The last time the Tigers posted back-to-back 20-win seasons was in 1998-99 and 1999-2000. That was also the last time they made back-to-back trips to the NCAA tournament … until this year.
The full 68-team field will be announced Sunday, and Auburn is a lock to make it.
But first, before the brackets come out, Auburn will take part in the SEC tournament this week in Nashville. Even with all the recent success, this is an event hasn't been kind to the Tigers over the years.
"We've been one-and-done three straight years," Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said. "It's not good. That's not the kind of history I want to make. So we've got to beat Missouri or Georgia to break that. And we've got to pack enough clothes to stay there for the weekend and see what happens."
The good news for Auburn is that the team is relatively healthy going in. That wasn't the case a year ago. The Tigers are also currently riding a wave of momentum with four straight wins, including a win over No. 5 Tennessee on Saturday.
Unfinished business has been the motto all season. This week is no different.
"I think we're more focused now than ever before," junior Anfernee McLemore said. "We've got a drive to be playing the best basketball that we can and be as good as we can in March. It's now or never. You either win or go home. Now is the time to really lock in for the seniors, the guys in our program and Coach Pearl and put together the pieces we need to make a run."
Auburn will open the SEC tournament on Thursday against the winner of Georgia and Missouri. The game will tip off 30 minutes following the conclusion of the first game, which starts at noon CT, from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
Rod Bramblett and Sonny Smith will have the radio call throughout the tournament on 93.9 Tiger FM, online at AuburnTigers.com and on the TuneIn app. The first game will also be televised on SEC Network with Karl Ravech, Jimmy Dykes and Laura Rutledge on the call.
Player to watch: Chuma Okeke
Chuma Okeke has elevated his game another level since SEC play began. The Atlanta, Ga. native has scored in double figures in 15 of the last 16 games, during which he is averaging 13.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. Okeke has made a 3-pointer in 14 of the last 15 games, including 12 straight from Jan. 19-Feb. 27. In those 15 games, he is 25-of-58 (43.1 percent) from long range.
All-time at the SEC Tournament
Auburn is 30-55 (.353) all-time in the SEC Tournament, including a 26-38 (.406) mark since the renewal of the tournament in 1979. The Tigers have won one SEC Tournament title (1985) when they became the first team to win four games in four days to win the championship. The feat was later matched by Arkansas (2000), Georgia (2008) and Mississippi State (2009). The Tigers have twice been the SEC Tournament runner-up (1984, 2000).
2015 tourney run
In Bruce Pearl's first season at Auburn in 2015, the 13th-seeded Tigers won three games in three days to advance to the SEC Tournament semifinals in Nashville's Bridge¬stone Arena, defeating No. 12 seeded Mis¬sissippi State in the first round, No. 5 seeded Texas A&M in the second round and No. 4 seeded LSU in overtime in the quarterfinals. Auburn eventually fell to No. 1 ranked and then-undefeated Kentucky in the semifinals.
Greg Ostendorf is a Senior Writer for AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @greg_ostendorf