Dick Vitale Makes Bold Auburn Prediction Ahead of NCAA Tournament

The Auburn Tigers were predicted by a basketball broadcasting legend to be the top team in the tournament

ESPN analyst Dick Vitale has Auburn as the top team no matter what / Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

The Auburn Tigers have seen a major prediction come in their favor. Legendary college basketball broadcaster Dick Vitale has the Tigers as the top team in the tournament. The conference tournaments can play out however it does, and they'll hang on.

"Looking at these numbers, no matter what happens this weekend or during Championship Week, Auburn on Selection Sunday will be No. 1 on the 1st line," Vitale said. "Can't deny these numbers."

For Vitale, those numbers are the strengh of schedule. He knew the rankings wouldn't go in Auburn's favor, but they'll still prevail.

"In the new AP Top 25 most likely Duke will be the new No. 1 at 28 -3 but I believe due to the strength of the SEC & 15 Quad wins the Selection Committee will haveas the overall No. 1 seed. How does Joe Lunardi Mr Bracketology feel?" Vitale wrote.

He was correct that Duke would move up. The latest AP Poll on Monday has the Blue Devils at No. 1 and Auburn at No. 3. They received four first-place votes. Auburn is coming off a tight loss in the rematch with rival Alabama.

As of Sunday night, ESPN's Bracketology still had Auburn as the top seed in the country. For several weeks now, they are projected to start off in Lexington, Ky. in the South Region (Atlanta). They would take on the winner of the First Four game between American and SIU Edwardsville.

Duke currently starts in Raleigh, NC, as the top seed in the East Region (Newark) and would take on the winner of Quinnipiac and Southern.

The consensus at this point is that it is one of those two programs that will be the top seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The regular season is now in the review mirror for Auburn. They now await their first opponent in the SEC Tournament.

More From Auburn Tigers on SI

feed