Resume building: Auburn barely hanging on to NCAA Tournament hopes, opportunities remain

If Auburn is finding itself still in NCAA Tournament projections after a 32-point loss at Kentucky, it's barely. Everything went wrong on Saturday as the Tigers lost their seventh game in their last 10, falling to 19-10 overall and 9-7 in SEC play. Losing to Kentucky team on the road that's now No. 20 in the NET and No. 22 in KenPom isn't the biggest issue, it's losing by 30-plus points and being down by 40 at one point that's the issue. The entire college basketball-watching world had access to flip on CBS on Saturday afternoon and watch that unfold, including members of the NCAA Tournament selection committee. Auburn has two more Quad I opportunities in the regular season and we all know what they are: at Alabama and at home against Tennessee. The Tigers have to win at least one to feel halfway decent about their NCAA Tournament chances heading into the SEC Tournament in Nashville. As we always do, let’s take a look at Auburn’s resume as Pearl’s squad fights for their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in the last six seasons, and would be fifth appearance in the last six years, if not for the COVID-shortened season.