Mid-Major Takes Shot at Auburn, Steven Pearl Ahead of Selection Sunday

With Selection Sunday on the horizon, the Auburn Tigers are currently set to miss the NCAA Tournament, currently sitting in the first ‘first four out’ spot in ESPN’s latest bracketology projection.

However, this is not going without shots being fired from an unexpected foe, with the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) throwing shots at Auburn as the Tigers plead their case to make the tournament.

“Just realized the best part of having an auto-bid is that we don’t need a relative going on TV to explain why we deserve to be in over a 30-win @MiamiRedHawks,” the X post from UMBC Athletics wrote.

Just realized the best part of having an autobid is that we don’t need a relative going on tv to explain why we deserve to be in over a 30-win @MiamiRedHawks https://t.co/yhzvNg66BP
— UMBC Athletics (@UMBCAthletics) March 15, 2026

The relative UMBC is referring to is former Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl, who currently covers college basketball for CBS. Pearl argued that Auburn played difficult teams, while Miami-Ohio played zero Quad-One opponents. UMBC won the American East conference, which granted them an auto-bid.

"Here's the deal. Are we going to select the 68 most deserving teams? Or are we going to select the 68 best teams?" Pearl said on TNT on Feb 28. "If we're selecting the 68 best teams, then Miami (Ohio) is going to have to win their tournament to qualify as a champion, because as an at-large, they are not one of the best teams in the country, and that's going to be a difficult choice for the committee."

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Auburn, who sits at 17-16, is not currently set to make the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers had plenty of chances to prove that they belonged, but may have fumbled their chances away with tough losses to Quad-Two and even a Quad-Three opponent.

Auburn was able to avenge a loss from the regular season during the first round of the SEC Tournament, where they defeated the Mississippi State Bulldogs, 79-61. However, they blew a double-digit second-half lead to the Tennessee Volunteers and lost by 10 points, where even Pearl and a notable Auburn alumni, slammed the team for collapsing in that game.

Steven Pearl, meanwhile, pleaded his team's case for the NCAA Tournament after the loss, arguing that Auburn's tough non-conference schedule and its ratings in relevant sources such as the KenPom and NET should be enough of an argument for the Tigers to get in over other bubble teams.

"If you look at our resume, if you compare us to the rest of the teams on the bubble, which I’m happy to go over all these notes with you, we deserve to be in the tournament. I’ll just go on a rant then,” Pearl said. “Here's the thing. What people have to understand is, like, it's my job to fight for my team. It's my job to be my team's advocate. It's my job to speak about all the things that this group's done.

"Some of the biggest things that we're told to do in scheduling, especially during football season, is to get some of these prime time matchups for TV ratings, to compete with football. That's why we play teams like Houston and Purdue and Arizona, we go to the Players Era. We do all those things."

Since that loss to the Vols, the Auburn social media team has also been pleading its case to the NCAA Committee as to why they should make the tournament. They often gloated that they (Auburn) have the best win in all of college basketball, a road win against last season’s national champion, the Florida Gators.

To add to that, Auburn also argues that they had the 3rd-ranked stretch of schedule on the season, and played the second-most Quad-one games out of any team in college basketball.

Never ran from a fight 💪#WarEagle pic.twitter.com/3aIGBv9Bgz
— Auburn Basketball (@AuburnMBB) March 13, 2026

Unfortunately for Auburn, it is rare for a team to make the tournament with more than 15 losses. Auburn had a 4-13 overall Quad-One record, 3-2 Quad-Two record, 4-1 Quad-Three record and 6-0 Quad-Four record.

Auburn put themselves in this position, losing games that they were well in control of. Now, their fate is no longer in their hands. Auburn hopes to hear its name called in the field of play on Sunday evening, when the selection show begins. The selection show is set to begin at 5 p.m. CST and will be televised on CBS. If Auburn were to make the tournament, there would likely be controversy to follow.