Battle 4 Atlantis headlines non-conference slate for Auburn men's basketball
AUBURN | Auburn men’s basketball released the non-conference schedule for the 2021-22 season on Wednesday, with the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas headlining the slate.
“This is the most ambitious non-conference schedule in the history of Auburn men’s basketball and in my career,” Pearl said. “There are nine high-major conference schools on the schedule outside of league play.”
Auburn faces Connecticut in the opening round of the nationally-televised tournament on Nov. 24, with Arizona State, Baylor, Michigan State, Syracuse, Loyola-Chicago and VCU rounding out the field. The event concludes on Nov. 26.
With non-conference road games in Atlanta and Tampa, in addition to the regular season SEC slate, head coach Bruce Pearl is hoping the next step in the evolution of Auburn men’s basketball involves fans traveling to road games.
“We get a rep for home games and being the toughest place to play in the league, and maybe college basketball, which I love, but we also have one of the best road records in the SEC over the last four years,” Pearl told Auburn Live. “We’ve got the best non-conference record of anyone in the SEC over the last four years.
“Now we have to start traveling. We have to go to the Bahamas. We have to start getting like our football team where people travel with us. I love road wins, almost more than at home. I love sending those people home miserable.”
[Don’t miss our 1-on-1 with Bruce Pearl: Part one of a three-part series exclusive to Auburn Live.]
Auburn officially opens its eighth season under Pearl when it plays host to Morehead State, Nov. 9. The Tigers then welcome ULM to Auburn Arena Nov. 12 for their final home game of the month.
Auburn travels to Atlanta again this year, this time to face Nebraska in the Holiday Hoopsgiving on Dec. 11. Auburn defeated Memphis in the same event last season.
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“We have to get thousands of fans that love Auburn basketball, that’s a great trip,” Pearl said. “Go spend the weekend, go to the aquarium, go do some Christmas shopping.”
One interesting road game will have Auburn traveling to Tampa, Florida to face South Florida inside Amalie Arena. That may seem odd at first glance, but remember, the SEC Tournament is in Tampa next spring. The Tigers will face USF in the same arena that the conference tournament will be played in. The game should count as a road game as it relates to Auburn’s NCAA Tournament resume.
“That’s right there in Tampa,” Pearl said. “It’ll be easier to get tickets there than in Auburn.”
Central Florida will play their return game in Auburn on Dec. 1. UCF beat Auburn last season 63-55 in Orlando.
Auburn will also face North Alabama at home on Dec. 14, at Saint Louis on Dec. 18 and Murray State on Dec. 22 at home before conference play begins.
Oklahoma travels to Auburn for the Big 12-SEC Challenge on Jan. 29. Auburn is 2-4 in past challenge games, but has won two of their last three, with wins over TCU and Iowa State. Auburn defeated Oklahoma 74-70 in a neutral site game in 2016.
Pearl’s squad went 6-3 in non-conference play last season, falling to national title game participants Baylor and Gonzaga, plus UCF.
Follow Justin Hokanson on Twitter at @_JHokanson, and follow Auburn Live on Twitter at @auburnliveon3.
