Auburn Tigers men's basketball

Infobox CBB Team
name = Auburn Tigers basketball

logo_size = 150px
university = Auburn University
conference = Southeastern Conference
conference_short = SEC
division =
city = Auburn
stateabb = AL
state = Alabama
coach = Jeff Lebo
tenure =
arena = Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum
capacity = 10,500
nickname = Tigers
color1= Navy blue
color2= Burnt Orange
color3=
hex1=000066
hex2=FE8835
hex3=
NCAAchampion =
NCAAfinalfour =
conference_tournament = 1985
conference_season = 1960, 1999

The Auburn Tigers men's basketball program has often taken second place to the gridiron due to the immense popularity of the Tigers Football program in the state and the SEC. Still, Auburn Tiger basketball has had flashes of brilliance under coaches Joel Eaves (.681), Sonny Smith (.529) and Cliff Ellis (.598).

In recent years, the Tigers have been making steady progress under the leadership of head coach Jeff Lebo. After a couple of rebuilding seasons, Lebo appears to have turned the corner and even swept arch-rival Alabama in the 2006-2007 season.

Jeff Lebo Era

From 1982-1984 "Sir Charles" dominated the courts in the SEC. The former 1984 NCAA player of the year was a member of the "Dream Team" that captured the Olympic gold medal in 1992 and 1996. He was also the 1993 NBA league MVP and a member of 11 All-Star teams.

Other famous Auburn hoopsters include current NBA hoopsters Marquis Daniels of the Indiana Pacers, Moochie Norris of the Houston Rockets and Wesley Person of the Denver Nuggets. cite web|title="Auburn Tradtion"|work=AuburnTigers.cstv.com|url=http://auburntigers.cstv.com/trads/aub-trads.html|accessdate=2007-04-06] Former Auburn stars such as Jamison Brewer, Bobby Cattage, Marquis Daniels, Matt Geiger, Adam Harrington, Cedrick Hordges, Eddie Johnson, Darrell Lockhart, John Mengelt, Mike Mitchell, Chris Morris, Moochie Norris, Mamadou Ndiaye, Myles Patrick, Chuck Person, Wesley Person, Stan Pietkiewicz, Chris Porter and Aaron Swinson have gone on to play professional basketball after leaving "The Plains". cite web|title="NBA/ABA Players who attended Auburn University"|work=databasebasketball.com|url=http://www.databasebasketball.com/players/bycollege.htm?sch=Auburn+University|accessdate=2007-04-06]

EC Conference

Auburn joined the SEC as a charter member, when the league was established in December 1932, after the 13 members of the Southern Conference located west and south of the Appalachian Mountains left to form their own conference. Ten of the thirteen charter members have remained in the conference since its inception: the Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, Auburn, LSU, Mississippi State, and Vanderbilt. Arkansas and South Carolina later joined in the early 1990s.

Teams play a 16-game conference schedule, facing each team from its own division twice and each team from the opposite division once. Prior to expansion, teams played a double round-robin, leading to an exhausting 18-game conference schedule. Since the league slate was trimmed to 16 games, only Kentucky has gone undefeated in SEC play in 1996 and 2003.

NCAA Tournament

Auburn has participated in the NCAA basketball tournament eight times with an overall record of 12-8 (.600).

In 1985, Auburn reached the Southeast Regional at Birmingham Coliseum in Birmingham, losing to North Carolina 62-56.

In 1986, they made the West Regional Semifinals and Finals at The Summit in Houston. They defeated UNLV 70-63, but lost to Louisville, 84-76.

In 1999, Auburn reached the South Regional Semifinals at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, losing to Ohio State, 72-64.

In 2003, they made the East Regional Semifinals at Pepsi Arena in Albany, losing to eventual champion Syracuse 79-78.

EC Tournament

The SEC Men's Basketball Tournament (often simply the SEC Tournament) is the conference championship tournament in basketball for the Southeastern Conference (SEC). It is a single-elimination tournament and seeding is based on regular season records. The winner receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA basketball tournament.

Auburn has won the SEC Tournament only once, in 1985 under coach Sonny Smith.

NIT Tournament

Auburn has participated in the NIT Tournament five times, with a record of 2-5 (.286) and to date, have never made it past the second round.

Mascot

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References

External links

* [http://www.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/aub/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/0607-guide8 Auburn Hoop History, Year-by-Year Scores]

ee also

*Auburn Tigers football