The 2025 NCAA Tournament kicked off on Thursday, with college basketball fans preparing for what should be an unpredictable month. The field appears to be somewhat wide open, but one team a lot of people like to make a run during March Madness is Auburn basketball.
The Tigers earned the overall #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and for good reason. They held the top spot in college basketball rankings for a large portion of the regular season. But gone are the days when top seeds in March Madness are guaranteed to go deep into the tournament.
A lot of people have been fading Auburn in their bracket. That is likely due to their recent struggles finishing off games.
Auburn lost three of their last four games, with losses to Texas A&M, Alabama, and Tennessee. But prior to that stretch, the Tigers were 27-2 with several Quad 1 wins under their belt.
So, that leads us to why Auburn basketball will cut down the nets and win the NCAA Tournament.
Auburn is Battle Tested
Despite losing three of their final four games, including a loss in the SEC Tournament, the Auburn Tigers are as battle-tested as any team in the field.
They finished 15-3 in the SEC in 2025, winning the conference regular season title. That, on its face, is impressive. But when you take into account that the SEC this year set an NCAA record for most teams in the NCAA Tournament with 14, it makes winning the conference that much more impressive.
Among their wins, Auburn defeated Houston (another 1-seed), Iowa State, North Carolina, Tennessee, Purdue, Alabama, and Kentucky. That is a murderer’s row of opponents and Auburn basketball showed they can beat anyone in the country.
Johni Broome Can Take Over any Game
One of the key elements that makes this Auburn basketball team so good is Johni Broome.
Broome, alongside Duke’s Cooper Flagg, is the frontrunner for the 2025 Naismith Player of the Year award. Broome is dominant on both ends of the floor.
During the regular season, the 22-year-old center averaged 18.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game while shooting 50.6% from the field. He even added more than three assists per game this season, an impressive number for any big man.
Those are NBA All-Star-level numbers from a college player.
More importantly, he steps up his game further against the stiffest of competition.
Broome posted a 20 and 12 line against Duke, 20 and 9 with five blocks against Houston, and 34 against Alabama. That might be the three best teams he faced all season. Although, the Florida Gators might have something to say about that.
For good measure, he went for 18, 11, and 6 against the Gators.
Auburn Basketball is Very Deep
Yes, the Tigers are led by Broome. But that does not mean they are a one-man show. Quite the contrary.
Maybe the team’s biggest strength is their depth. They finished the regular season with five players scoring in double figures. Their first man off the bench, Chaney Johnson, averaged over nine points per game as well.
In addition to the balanced scoring, Auburn possesses incredible length and athleticism.
The Tigers are second in the nation in blocks per game with 6.2. Only the two-time defending champion UConn Huskies have more. They make life very difficult for teams on the inside. Considering how offensively gifted Auburn is, if teams are not draining shots from deep, they have almost no chance.
Bruce Pearl Provides a Veteran Presence
Auburn basketball head coach Bruce Pearl has seen it all. He has been coaching at this level for decades and led multiple teams deep into March.
Pearl, fresh off winning SEC Coach of the Year for the fourth time, provides a steady hand for a team that can go into lulls from time to time. But that is not to say that the Boston native isn’t fiery, it is quite the opposite.
His animated behavior on the bench sometimes can get them in trouble. But most of the time, he knows how to play to the officials to earn a needed call.
He is still in search of his first NCAA Tournament title. This Auburn squad is likely the best he has ever coached. The time is now.
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