WATCH: Tennessee fans boo Auburn players as they dance on mid-court logo
It’s a tradition for Auburn to dance at mid-court before games. But Tennessee fans didn’t seem to care on Saturday and made their thoughts known before the big SEC showdown.
The boos rained down at Thompson-Boling Arena as the Tigers performed their usual pregame routine. The stands didn’t appear to be too full, but the fans who were already there didn’t take too kindly to it.
Auburn doesn’t just dance when it’s on the road. The Tigers do the same thing every game, including a Feb. 12 win over Texas A&M. It seems to provide some good vibes, though. Auburn is 25-3 overall and 13-2 in SEC play this season to come in as the No. 3 team in the latest AP Top 25.
Tip-off between Auburn and Tennessee is coming up at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Bruce Pearl responds to criticism of Auburn mid-court dance routine
Prior to Auburn’s loss against Arkansas on Feb. 8, the Tigers came under criticism for dancing on the mid-court logo in Bud Walton Arena. However, head coach Bruce Pearl defended the season-long tradition of mid-court dance routines despite the ire of Eric Musselman and Arkansas fans alike.
On ESPN’s College GameDay Feb. 12, which was hosted live from Auburn, Pearl joined the panel to defend his players as they continued the tradition on their own floor Saturday.
“Look at our guys dancing,” Bruce Pearl said as the broadcast showed his players dancing at mid-court. “Oh, by the way, at Auburn, we dance. We do. I want the kids to have fun, and I want our student body to have fun. We’ve got a tough game tonight. We’re taking Texas A&M very seriously.”
After the Arkansas game, Musselman made a point to call out the perceived pregame disrespect that motivated the Razorbacks. Arkansas ultimately topped the Tigers 80-76 in an overtime finish that set arena attendance and television viewership records.