Auburn Coach Hopes to Face Miami (Ohio) in NCAA Tournament

Steven Pearl makes case for Auburn's tournament inclusion despite 17-16 record

Mar. 13, 2026 at 3:25am

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After Auburn's loss to Tennessee in the SEC tournament, head coach Steven Pearl argued that the Tigers deserve an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, citing their strong wins. Pearl said he hopes Auburn faces Miami (Ohio) in the First Four, as Miami's first loss of the season to UMass could impact the tournament field.

Why it matters

Auburn's tournament chances are uncertain, as no team with more than 15 losses has ever received an at-large bid. Meanwhile, Miami (Ohio)'s surprising loss could impact the overall tournament field, potentially taking a spot away from a bubble team like Auburn.

The details

Pearl told ESPN that Auburn 'deserves to be in the tournament' despite their 17-16 record, arguing the team has some of the best wins in college basketball and can win games in the tournament. When asked about potentially facing Miami in the First Four, Pearl said he hopes that happens, as it would mean two deserving teams made the field.

  • On Thursday, Auburn lost to Tennessee in the SEC tournament.
  • Earlier on Thursday, previously undefeated Miami (Ohio) suffered its first loss of the season to UMass.

The players

Steven Pearl

The head coach of the Auburn men's basketball team.

Bruce Pearl

Steven Pearl's father and the former decorated head coach of the Auburn men's basketball team, who is now a college basketball analyst for TNT and CBS.

Miami (Ohio)

The men's basketball team from Miami University in Ohio, which was previously undefeated before losing to UMass.

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What they’re saying

“Our guys have some of the best wins in college basketball, and this team deserves to be in the tournament. It's a team that can win games in the tournament, and I think they've done enough, ultimately, to have their name called on selection Sunday.”

— Steven Pearl, Head Coach, Auburn Men's Basketball (ESPN)

“I hope we do. It would mean that two very deserving teams made the tournament because they went 31-0, which is hard to do regardless of the schedule you play. Even only playing two Quad 2 games and no Quad 1s, but the fact of the matter is they lost to a Quad 4 team today.”

— Steven Pearl, Head Coach, Auburn Men's Basketball (ESPN)

What’s next

Auburn will learn its fate when the NCAA tournament bracket is announced on Sunday during CBS' annual selection show.

The takeaway

This case highlights the difficult decisions the NCAA tournament selection committee faces, as they must balance teams' overall records, quality of wins, and other factors to determine the at-large bids. Auburn's strong case for inclusion could come down to the committee's assessment of their overall resume versus other bubble teams.