Auburn has a chance to make history at the SEC Tournament this weekend by becoming just the fourth program to win back-to-back titles. The SEC Tournament has traditionally been dominated by Kentucky, which has won 32 championships—equal to the total won by the rest of the conference combined. Alabama (eight) and Tennessee (five) are the only other schools with more than four titles.
Only three programs have managed to repeat as SEC Tournament champions: Kentucky (multiple times, including streaks of seven straight from 1944-50 and four straight from 2015-18), Alabama (1989-91), and Florida (2005-07). Auburn could now join that elite list after winning the tournament in 2024.
Last year, Auburn claimed the SEC title as a No. 4 seed after an upset-filled bracket opened the door for them. The Tigers defeated No. 6 seed Florida in the championship after the Gators knocked out higher-seeded teams. Auburn also won the title in 2019 as a No. 5 seed, taking advantage of another chaotic tournament.
However, Auburn has struggled as a No. 1 seed in past SEC Tournaments. In 2018, Collin Sexton led No. 8 seed Alabama to a dominant win over the Tigers. In 2022, No. 8 seed Texas A&M built a big lead and held on for the upset. Auburn is 0-2 when entering the tournament as the top seed.
This weekend in Nashville, Bruce Pearl’s team aims to break that trend and solidify its place in SEC history. To do so, Auburn must prove it can handle the pressure of being at the top of the bracket and avoid the fate that has tripped them up in past years.
