Editor's Update: The 2020 basketball season was canceled due to the spread of COVID-19 and coronavirus outbreak. Auburn finished the shortened season with a 25-6 record.
They say history repeats itself, or so hopes the Auburn Tigers men's basketball team. The defending SEC Champions are coming off their first Final Four appearance in program history, and under the charismatic leadership of head coach Bruce Pearl, the Tigers are looking to repeat history, while also taking it a step further to the NCAA National Championship.
The 2018-19 season was one for the ages. Pearl's squad won its first SEC Championship since 1985 by winning four games in as many days, and that momentum was carried to the big dance. Auburn beat New Mexico State in a first-round nail-biter before pulling a string of upsets against blue-bloods Kansas, North Carolina, and Kentucky. Their remarkable play was rewarded with a date in Minneapolis against Virginia. Auburn fans would like to forget how that one turned out, but it shouldn't take away from the greatest season in school history.
Coming into this year, Auburn lost key contributors Bryce Brown, Malik Dunbar, and Horace Spencer to graduation, while stars Jared Harper and Chuma Okeke left early for the pros. Seniors Samir Doughty (7.3 ppg) and Austin Wiley (6.9 ppg) return and offer plenty of big-game experience.
The schedule brings matchups against noted SEC foes Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, and Florida. Non-conference wise, Auburn travels to Annapolis for the Veterans Classic against Davidson and Brooklyn, NY for the Legends Classic. The toughest non-SEC matchup comes against Iowa State at home as part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge on January 25th.
Auburn University look to build off last season's historic run, and with a wide-open field, they just may find themselves in college basketball's Final Four once again.
Auburn Men's Basketball Schedule 2019-20
Nov. 1: ECKERD (exhibition)
Nov. 5: GEORGIA SOUTHERN
Nov 8: Davidson — Veteran's Classic (Annapolis, MD)
Nov 12: at South Alabama
Legends Classic (Auburn, AL/Brooklyn, NY)
Nov 15: CSUN
Nov. 18: Colgate
Nov. 25: New Mexico
Nov. 26: Richmond
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Dec 5: FURMAN
Dec. 14: St. Louis — Mike Slive Invitational (Birmingham, AL)
Dec. 19: NC STATE
Dec. 21: LEHIGH
Dec. 29: LIPSCOMB
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Jan. 4: at Mississippi State*
Jan. 8: VANDERBILT*
Jan. 11: GEORGIA*
Jan. 15: at Alabama*
Jan. 18: at Florida*
Jan. 22: SOUTH CAROLINA*
Jan. 25: IOWA STATE — Big 12/SEC Challenge (Auburn Arena)
Jan 28: at Ole Miss*
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Feb. 1: KENTUCKY*
Feb. 4: at Arkansas*
Feb. 8: LSU*
Feb. 12: ALABAMA*
Feb. 15: at Missouri*
Feb 19: at Georgia*
Feb. 22: TENNESSEE*
Feb 25: OLE MISS*
Feb 29: at Kentucky*
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Mar. 4: TEXAS A&M*
Mar. 7: at Tennessee*
SEC Men's Basketball Tournament: Begins March 11 in Nashville, TN
* — Denotes Southeastern Conference Game
**— Games will be televised on either CBS Sports, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU or SEC Network
