Auburn Basketball: What is the ceiling for Tigers in 2021-22?

Can Auburn Basketball compete for a national title?

While conference championships are great and bring bragging rights for a year and much more, the ultimate goal for any college basketball team comes in March.

The Tigers and head coach Bruce Pearl know what it takes to get to a Final Four to compete for a national championship having done it once in recent years, but can they do it again?

When answering that question, you could certainly argue that no single team can definitively say 100% yes, solely due to how unpredictable The Big Dance can be. A road full of upsets, buzzer-beaters, and more, the NCAA Tournament provides a challenge for any team of any seed, whether you’re ranked as a 1-seed or 16-seed.

Back to Auburn, the Tigers have the pieces needed as mentioned previously to make some noise in March, led by one of the best overall players in the country, as well as a coach who has been there before. Many people mentioned the Tigers entering the year as a sleeper team capable of making a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, and Auburn has done nothing so far this season to doubt that statement.

Not only would you have to deal with the previously mentioned Smith and Kessler, but Auburn’s backcourt is deep with talented defenders such as KD Johnson, Zep Jasper, and Devan Cambridge, as well as point guard Wendell Green Jr who is excelling in the role once filled by guard Jared Harper.

Don’t forget about who the Tigers will add to this group in the coming weeks as well – Preseason First-Team All-SEC guard Allen Flanigan.

So, what is Auburn Basketball’s ceiling for the 2021-22 season? It’s simple, the Tigers are a legit SEC title contender, and are a team will all the pieces needed to get back to the Final Four once again in 2021-22.