Auburn fans will be thrilled with their team’s next stop.
The South region’s No. 1 seed, the Tigers are among four teams heading to Atlanta next weekend for the Sweet 16 and subsequent Elite Eight in the men’s college basketball tournament. Auburn is joined in Atlanta by No. 5 Michigan, No. 6 Ole Miss and No. 2 Michigan State. The four teams will compete at State Farm Arena to determine the region’s winner, who will advance to the Final Four in San Antonio.
Auburn earned the No. 1 overall seed despite losing in the semifinals of the SEC tournament. It defeated Alabama State and Creighton to reach this stage. Auburn would earn its third Elite Eight appearance with a win. Coach Bruce Pearl’s program is seeking its first national title (it came closest with a Final Four berth in 2019). It’s a safe bet that Atlanta will feature a pro-Auburn crowd with plenty of fans making the two-hour drive.
Michigan rolled through the Big Ten tournament for a surprising crown. It survived an upset bid from UC San Diego and toppled Texas A&M to secure a spot here. The Wolverines are seeking their first championship since 1989. They last made the Elite Eight in 2021. This isn’t new ground for coach Dusty May, who oversaw Florida Atlantic’s shocking Final Four run two years ago.
In the other matchup, Ole Miss will face Michigan State to advance. The Rebels stunned Iowa State with a resounding 91-78 victory Sunday evening after squashing North Carolina in the opening round. They’ve never advanced past the Sweet 16. Coach Chris Beard has this program reaching levels its rarely experienced before. Ole Miss has made it this far only once before (2001). Such success isn’t foreign to the Rebels’ opponent.
The Spartans defeated Bryant and withstood a push from New Mexico to earn coach Tom Izzo’s 16th Sweet 16 appearance in his 30 seasons at Michigan State. Izzo’s program hasn’t reached the Elite Eight since 2019. The seeding also presents the possibility of a Michigan vs. Michigan State battle for a spot in the Final Four. The rivals have never faced off in the NCAA tournament, though they’ve met additional times in Big Ten tournaments. The Spartans defeated Michigan twice in the regular season.
Auburn and Ole Miss comprising half the teams in Atlanta is a microcosm of the tournament. Seven of the remaining 16 are SEC teams: Auburn, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ole Miss and Arkansas are all still pursuing a championship, another testament to the conference that’s produced one of the best overall seasons in decades.
The Sweet 16 in Atlanta will take place Friday. The Elite Eight will be played Sunday. The Final Four will be hosted in San Antonio with the championship set for April 7.
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