Auburn Tigers: A Legacy of Basketball Excellence
The Auburn Tigers men's basketball program stands as a testament to the rich history and tradition of college basketball at Auburn University. Representing the university in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I, the Tigers have carved a prominent place in the annals of collegiate sports. Playing their home games at Neville Arena on the university campus in Auburn, Alabama, the team has garnered a dedicated fanbase and achieved significant milestones throughout its history.
Early Years and Coaching Tenures
The Auburn men's basketball program was inaugurated in 1906 by Mike Donahue. Donahue coached the program for 16 seasons, the longest tenure of any men's basketball coach in Auburn history, finishing with a record of 74-80-1 (.481). Ralph "Shug" Jordan, prior to his tenure as Auburn's head football coach, coached the Auburn men's basketball program for 10 seasons. After playing football and basketball for Auburn from 1929 to 1932, Jordan became the head men's basketball coach in 1933. He coached until 1942, when he was called overseas to fight as an officer in World War II. Following his service, Jordan returned to Auburn to coach the 1945-46 team. He left Auburn to become the head men's basketball coach at Georgia after the season. Joel Eaves was Auburn's 12th head men's basketball coach, coaching from 1949 to 1963. Auburn won its first ever SEC championship under Eaves in 1960, finishing 12-2 in the conference and 19-3 overall. Eaves was named SEC Coach of the Year following the 1960 season. Joel Eaves was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1978. Auburn's Memorial Coliseum was renamed after Eaves to Joel H.
Conference Championships and NCAA Tournament Appearances
Auburn has secured six regular season conference championships, showcasing their dominance within their respective leagues. These include one Southern Conference championship in 1928 and four Southeastern Conference championships in 1960, 1999, 2018, 2022, and 2025. In addition to regular season success, the Tigers have clinched the SEC tournament title three times: in 1985 under coach Sonny Smith and in 2019 and 2024 under Bruce Pearl. In 2019, the Tigers earned a bye in the Tournament during the regular season and won games against Missouri, South Carolina, and Florida before crushing Tennessee in the final game 84-64. In 2024, Auburn defeated South Carolina, Mississippi State, and Florida en route to their second tournament title under Bruce Pearl. Auburn has reached the SEC Tournament final two other times: in 1984, where they lost to Kentucky 51-49, and in 2000, where they lost to Arkansas 75-67.
The program has made 14 appearances in the NCAA tournament. The Tigers reached the Final Four in 2019 and 2025. Auburn has appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 6 times.
Notable Players and Coaches
The Auburn Tigers have a decorated history of individual achievements, with 14 players earning All-American honors and 102 players receiving All-SEC selections. The program has produced 36 NBA draft picks, including 10 first round picks. The most players selected from Auburn in a single draft was 3 in the 1988 draft. Jabari Smith (2022) was selected with the third overall pick, the highest in Auburn history. Three Auburn players have been named SEC Player of the Year: Charles Barkley in 1984, Chris Porter in 1999, and Johni Broome in 2025.
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Auburn has had six head coaches selected as SEC Coach of the Year a total of nine times, and Auburn head coaches Cliff Ellis and Bruce Pearl were named National Coach of the Year by multiple outlets in 1999 and 2025, respectively. Auburn has had 20 head men's basketball coaches since the program was started in 1906 by Mike Donahue.
Smith coached Auburn to the NCAA tournament in 5 consecutive seasons, 1984 to 1988, including a run to the Elite Eight in 1986 before losing to eventual national champion Louisville. In addition to leading Auburn to its first ever NCAA tournament in 1984, he also coached Auburn to its first SEC tournament championship in 1985. Smith was the first head men's basketball coach in Auburn history to coach three consecutive 20-win seasons, doing so from 1984 to 1986. Smith coached his final season at Auburn in 1989, leaving to become the head men's basketball coach at VCU. Smith finished with a record of 173-154 (.529). Cliff Ellis was the 17th head men's basketball coach at Auburn. Ellis had some success early in his career, leading Auburn to the NIT three times in his first four seasons and being named SEC Coach of the Year in 1995. His most successful season at Auburn was the 1998-99 season, where he led the Tigers to an SEC regular season championship and the program's first ever #1 seed in the NCAA tournament, in which they reached the Sweet Sixteen. Ellis was released following the 2003-04 season after finishing the season with a 14-14 record.
Arenas and Fan Support
Auburn Sports Arena was a 2,500 seat multi-purpose arena. Nicknamed "The Barn," it opened in 1946. It was replaced when Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum opened in 1969. Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum is a 10,500-seat multipurpose arena that opened in 1969 under the name Memorial Coliseum. It was renamed after former player and coach Joel Eaves to Joel H. Eaves Memorial Coliseum in 1987. Auburn boasted a 393-182 (.683) overall record at Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum. Auburn had a winning record at home in 37 of the 42 seasons Auburn played in the Coliseum. Auburn's 30-game home winning streak from the 1997-98 season to the final game of the 1999-2000 season was the longest in Coliseum history. Auburn played its final season in Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum in the 2009-10 season. On June 29, 2007, Auburn announced plans to build a new $92.5 million basketball arena and practice facilities that would eventually be completed for the 2010-11 season. The arena was initially named Auburn Arena, but later renamed to Neville Arena in 2022. With a seating capacity of 9,121, Neville Arena is the smallest men's basketball arena in the SEC. Auburn's student section is known as The Jungle. Auburn held a vote to name their student section at the start of the 2011-12 season, and The Jungle was chosen from several options.
Rivalries
Sometimes referred to as the "Iron Bowl of Basketball," Auburn and Alabama have a fierce rivalry that dates back to 1924. Auburn and Alabama first met in the Southern Conference Tournament on March 1, 1924, and Auburn lost 19-40. The two programs did not meet again until 1941 in the SEC tournament, a matchup that Auburn lost again 16-38. The programs have played regularly since 1948, meeting at least twice every season starting in 1949. Auburn and Alabama have met in the SEC Tournament 9 times, including Auburn's 53-49 overtime victory over Alabama in the 1985 SEC Tournament championship game. Georgia is Auburn's oldest rival, first meeting in 1908 in Columbus, GA. Auburn won that game 34-20. Auburn and Georgia have played at least once every year since 1945. Though Auburn and UAB have met just 21 times, the two programs have a strong history. The first game between the two schools was played on November 26, 1982, a matchup won by Auburn, 63-61. The programs met 16 more times over the next two decades until the series was discontinued after the 1999-2000 season.
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