"Auburn's my favorite right now": NCAAB analyst makes an unpopular pick to win SEC tournament over Tennessee and Kentucky
NCAAB analyst Dane Bradshaw kindled conversation on "The Next Round" podcast by picking Auburn Tigers as his favorite for the upcoming Southeastern Conference tournament.
The SEC tournament is set to kick off with five teams vying closely for the top spot in the league standings. Tennessee is a formidable force, aiming for a No. 1 seed and boasting recent tournament success.
However, Bradshaw's unconventional pick adds intrigue to the tournament's narrative.
"But for some reason in this SEC tournament," Bradshaw said, "Auburn's my favorite right now. And I just, I think they're the team that not enough people are talking about. It's the Kentucky show. It's Tennessee. And I think Auburn plays best with that chip on their shoulder."
"I could see them cutting down the nets here in Nashville."
Bradshaw highlighted Auburn's notable strengths, emphasizing its front-line prowess and defensive capabilities. He acknowledged the Tigers' consistency in securing double-digit wins, attributing their success to coach Bruce Pearl.
"I'm accustomed to seeing great guard play tons of three point shooting, but the front line for Auburn has been incredible in the defense, the depth. And it was a great story, the non-conference," Bradshaw said.
"Bruce said it himself, like, hey, I think our ceiling is about where we are right now and can we continue to compete at a high level as other teams start to get better throughout the season?"
The SEC tournament features high-scoring teams like Alabama, Kentucky, Florida, Tigers and Tennessee, with Alabama leading the nation in scoring. This depth at the top of the standings will likely influence the NCAA tournament seedings.
Auburn Tigers' NCAA tournament projection and team performance
According to the Bracket Matrix, Auburn is widely projected as a No. 4 seed for the upcoming NCAA tournament, with an average seed projection of 4.11. The team is in all 114 brackets used in projections. However, it's noted that the Tigers' highest projection is as a No. 3 seed, and its lowest is a No. 5 seed.
The Tigers boast a 24-7 overall record and a 13-5 mark in SEC play. This marks the fifth most regular-season victories in program history. However, their Achilles heel remains their performance against Quad 1 teams, with a 1-7 record in such games.
The excellent play of notable members has brought victory to Auburn. With 16.3 average points each match, Johni Broome is at the forefront. Jaylin Williams is next with 12.9, followed by Chad Baker-Mazara's 10.3, Denver Jones' 8.7 and Aden Holloway's 7.8.
The Tigers could improve their seeding by securing Quad 1 wins in upcoming games in the SEC tournament.