Tennessee could have a chance to deliver the coup de grace to Steven Pearl and the Auburn Tigers in 2026
The Vols could dish out a bit of payback two years later to Pearl.
The Auburn Tigers, for a reason that defies logic, are still on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament with a record of 16-15 as we head into conference tournament play. It’s been a rough stretch for Steven Pearl’s team in his first season as Auburn head coach, but they still have hope.
Tennessee could perhaps deal a final blow to the former Vol’s chances of making the big dance in a few days.
The SEC Tournament bracket is out, and the Vols are slotted as the five seed. They will play the winner of the 12/13 seed matchup on Thursday around 3:00 pm ET. And that 12/13 matchup will take place between Auburn and Mississippi State.
Tennessee could have the chance to face NCAA Tournament bubble team Auburn in the second round of the SEC Tournament
Tennessee fans don’t have to think back too far to remember Pearl, Tennessee, and the SEC Tournament. And Mississippi State, for that matter. Two years ago, the Bulldogs throttled the Vols in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals 73-56. And afterwards, Pearl had some fun at the Vols’ expense.
“I was walking to the game today and some Tennessee fans asked me if I was going to a barbecue, trying to throw a little shade,” Pearl said on the Auburn Sports Network. “And that’s what we watched, Mississippi State barbecued Tennessee. I mean, a bunch of grown men went out there and just punked Tennessee, and Tennessee is a hard team to punk.”
Well, now Tennessee could end up having the chance to barbecue Auburn’s remaining NCAA Tournament chances if Auburn advances on Wednesday. Joe Lunardi, somehow, someway, has the almost .500 Tigers as the last team in the field in his latest projections, which, to this writer, is completely baffling. Losing just about half your games should be an automatic disqualifier from being in regardless of RPI, NET rankings, quad 1 wins, and so on.
But if Auburn gets by Mississippi State and loses to Tennessee, then it’s really hard to see Auburn getting in a 17-16 no matter what any prognosticator thinks.
And that would be some an amusing turnabout from two years ago for Vol fans.
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