Auburn receives No. 4 seed in NCAA Tournament: Fans, media blast selection committee

Auburn was named a No. 4 seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament on Selection Sunday, and it did not sit well with fans, to say the least.

The Tigers will be in the East Region which contains UConn, Iowa State, Illinois, and San Diego State to name a few. It could be very tough for the Tigers to go far in the NCAA Tournament with the level of competition in that region.

Travel is also going to be interesting for Bruce Pearl and the team. Auburn must play in Spokane, Washington in its 1st game against Yale.

Some fans thought that Auburn deserved to at least be a 3-seed after winning the SEC Tournament with how deep the conference was this season. The Tigers took down the nets at Bridgestone Arena after beating Florida 86-67 on Sunday. Johni Broome (19 points), Chad Baker-Mazara (10), and Denver Jones (11) all finished with double digits in scoring.

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Some fans questioned the point of conference tournaments if Auburn isn’t rewarded for picking up wins over NCAA Tournament teams South Carolina, Mississippi State and Florida to win the SEC crown. The SEC Tournament claimed many of the top-seeded teams early as Tennessee, Alabama, and Kentucky all lost in their 1st games.

Fans and media alike vented their frustrations on social media after the committee made its decision on Auburn’s March Madness fate. Here are some of the reactions to the move as Selection Sunday unfolded:

Auburn finishes fourth in the nation in the Ken Pomeroy rankings, wins the SEC tourney and gets a four seed against the number one overall one seed, UConn? That’s impossible to justify, Bruce Pearl and Tigers got screwed with this seeding.

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) March 17, 2024

A 4 SEED ARE WE SERIOUS?????!!!!!

— Auburn Barstool (@WarDamnStool) March 17, 2024

Auburn seed not reflective of NET rating.

— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) March 17, 2024

Auburn took Kentucky’s place as the SEC team to get royally F’d.

— Jason Marcum (@marcum89) March 17, 2024

Auburn gets Spokane?

Woof.

— Wes Rucker (@wesrucker247) March 17, 2024

Auburn is also the KenPom 5 team, is top 10 in both offense and defense, and all of their wins but one have been by double digits. They’re the 4 seed in that region. lol

— Micah Grove (@micah10193) March 17, 2024

A BRUTAL, BRUTAL draw for Auburn…how they are the #16 seed in this tournament is beyond comprehension. Same bracket as UConn.
If UAB wins Friday, someone may need to call EMS for me on Sunday.

— Jeff Hunter (@jdh4999) March 17, 2024

FAU is going to end auburn’s season @Lane_Kiffin

— Jamie “Buckshot” Brock (@CaptainSardis99) March 17, 2024

Auburn got absolutely hosed as well. Just further proves the point of the conference tournaments being pointless. Rewarded with the hardest side of the bracket by a mile.

— James Ryan Bradford II (@Bradford_James_) March 17, 2024

@MitchMossRadio How is Kentucky a 3 and Auburn a 4?? Uconn being the top overall seed the rest of that draw doesn’t seem to reflect that at all. Then they also get Illinois in there. They are still the best team and Boston will be 95% Husky fans but think they deserved better.

— Brian W (@BrianWi30230721) March 17, 2024