As the end of the college basketball season approaches, the Auburn Tigers are leading the show as they sit in first place in the Southern Eastern Conference (SEC) and in the top 25 rankings. The team has players like Wendell Green Jr., a crafty 5’11” guard who is a transfer from Eastern Kentucky, and K.D. Johnson, a lockdown defender and vocal leader on defense. Another member, Jabari Smith, is a versatile forward out of Fayetteville, Georgia. Smith is a projected top-three pick in this year’s NBA draft. With the pieces they have, the Auburn Tigers have the talent and depth to win a National Championship this month. 

Coming into the season, the Tigers were ranked as the 22nd best team in college basketball. Their upset win against the number five ranked Kentucky Wildcats on January 22 put them on the map as a contender. February was rough for the Tigers, as they won only three of their last six games dropping in the SEC conference and the AP poll rankings. Even through all of this, ESPN’s Bracketology projects the Tigers as a two seed with a seven percent chance to win March Madness. 

The Auburn Tigers are a very talented team, but struggle with defense and late-game decision-making. This can be changed with more effort and communication late game. Overall, the Tigers have the talent and team discipline to make a run this March and the potential to win it all.