Why Auburn basketball will − or won't − win the 2023 SEC Tournament
AUBURN — Auburn basketball's previous 12 games haven't gone as planned, but the Tigers capped the regular season with a nine-point victory over Tennessee on Saturday, a win that likely pushed them into March Madness.
But before the teams that made the NCAA Tournament are announced on Selection Sunday, Auburn (20-11) still has the SEC Tournament to play. The Tigers go into the event as the No. 7 seed, set to play No. 10-seeded Arkansas (19-12) on Thursday (6 p.m. CT, SEC Network) in Nashville's Bridgestone Arena.
Here are a couple reasons why Auburn has a chance to leave town with a tournament title, and why it could also come up short.
MARCH MADNESS:Unpacking Auburn basketball March Madness projections after beating Tennessee
BEATING TENNESSEE:How Auburn basketball defense, Wendell Green Jr. helped beat Tennessee for much-needed win
Why Auburn will win the SEC Tournament
Getting hot from 3-point range
Despite going 3-5 over their last eight games, the Tigers are shooting 38.8% from 3-point range since falling to Tennessee on Feb. 4. In that time, only Vanderbilt (39.4%) is shooting it better from beyond the arc in the SEC.
Specifically, K.D. Johnson has gone from being a 25.7% shooter over his first 22 games to a 52% shooter. He's made 13 of the 25 triples he's attempted since losing to the Vols.
The Tigers proved capable of closing
Auburn began the season 3-1 in games decided by five or fewer points, but followed that up by losing five of its next six contests within that margin. Whether it was their poor start against West Virginia on Jan. 28 or their inability to finish vs. Alabama last Wednesday, the Tigers couldn't seem to put it all together in tight games, especially against highly touted opponents.
But they finally secured that elusive victory against Tennessee on Saturday. Wendell Green Jr. scored seven points in the last two minutes, and the Vols didn't make a field goal in the game's final six minutes.
Why Auburn won't win the SEC Tournament
Record against the SEC's best
The Tigers went 0-5 against the three top teams in the conference − No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Texas A&M and No. 3 Kentucky. Many of those games were close, but Auburn never pulled out a victory.
If the Tigers were to go all the way, they'd have to play the Aggies in the quarterfinals, likely Kentucky in the semifinals and potentially the Crimson Tide in the title game.
Nick Smith Jr.
Auburn topped Arkansas on Jan. 7 to earn one of its best wins of the season, but that was without freshman guard Nick Smith Jr. on the other side.
The former five-star recruit out of North Little Rock has only played in 12 games this season, but he's made them count for the Razorbacks. Smith is averaging 13.8 points per game and knocking down 34% of his 3-pointers. Over his last four games, the 6-foot-5 freshman has dropped 21.8 points per and hit 44% of his triples.
JOHN COHEN:Exclusive John Cohen Q&A: Auburn AD discusses Hugh Freeze, Butch Thompson, facilities upgrades
FOOTBALL:Offensive line groupings and other observations from Auburn football's first spring practice
Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on Twitter @rich_silva18.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Why Auburn basketball will − or won't − win the 2023 SEC Tournament
