Two years ago, as March Madness fever gripped the nation, Charles Barkley found himself in a tough spot. As part of CBS and Turner’s tournament coverage, he had to make a choice—his pick for the national champion. Most expected him to back his beloved Auburn Tigers. Instead, he shocked everyone. “I’m picking, and this is painful for me to say, Roll Tide, National Champions,” Barkley admitted on The Next Round.
Auburn’s most famous alum siding with Alabama? That was unheard of. Fast forward to today, and here we are again. The calendar has flipped to March, and Chuck is back in the hot seat. But this time? Auburn has put in some hard work, and the choice now doesn’t seem so hard for Sir Charles.
From finishing seventh in the SEC with a 21-12 overall record and a 10-8 conference finish last season to sitting at No. 1 with a near-perfect 27-3, Auburn’s rise feels almost unreal. And for Charles Barkley, that’s all the reason he needs to back the Tigers this time around. So when someone asked Barkley, “Why is Auburn who they are?”-the man who gets paid to give his takes, had a lot to say.
“Well, number one, they take the personality of the coach. Bruce is amazing. They have taken his personality. Oh, they’re crazy. They’re terrific defensively… I think they’re, you know, obviously Duke is terrific. Florida’s terrific. Houston is terrific,” Barkley explained. “But I think Auburn has the best combination inside, outside, in my opinion. We can beat you inside or outside. Agree?”
And honestly? He’s not wrong. Auburn’s offense this season is the perfect balance of interior and perimeter scoring, echoing Barkley’s claim that they can win inside or outside. On the inside, Johni Broome dominates the paint, averaging 18.8 points and an 11% rebounding rate. His efficiency is a major factor in Auburn’s 47.8% field goal percentage, making them a nightmare matchup for any opponent.
NCAA, College League, USA Basketball: Auburn at Texas A&M Mar 4, 2025 College Station, Texas, USA Texas A&M Aggies guard Wade Taylor IV 4 drives against Auburn Tigers guard Tahaad Pettiford 0 during the first half at Reed Arena. College Station Reed Arena Texas USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xMariaxLysakerx 20250304_mcl_la6_034
Meanwhile, their perimeter game is just as deadly. Chad Baker-Mazara’s sharpshooting spaces the floor, forcing defenders to respect Auburn’s deep threat. Just ask Ole Miss, who watched helplessly as the Tigers drained 52.4% of their threes (11-of-21) in a dominant win.
But what truly separates Auburn isn’t just offense—it’s their defensive intensity. With five double-digit scorers and a top-50 three-point attack, the Tigers don’t just outscore teams; they shut them down. Their ability to limit opponents’ three-point efficiency is a major weapon. When their defense is clicking—especially in what’s now being called the “Denver Jones Torture Chamber”—they turn tight games into blowouts.
When Auburn locks down the perimeter, they’re nearly unbeatable. Their biggest wins—Alabama, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Missouri—all share a common theme: suffocating defense paired with the efficient offense. But the best wins aren’t the goal. Instead, it’s something even a legend like Barkley never achieved.
After 41 years of drought, Charles Barkley’s Auburn is finally on the path to his ultimate goal
Charles Barkley directed Auburn toward their first national championship appearance, but he never made it to win the national championship title. Even after 41 years of Tigers to their first-ever NCAA tournament appearance in 1984, that ultimate goal remains unfulfilled.
Could this be the year they finally finish the job? Maybe. As March arrives, only a handful of teams have a legitimate shot at a No. 1 seed, and Auburn is one of them. Despite their 72-83 loss to Texas, they’re still sitting at 27-3 overall and 15-2 in the SEC, with Sporting News’ Bill Bender still projecting them as a top seed in the tournament.
But they’re not alone in the race. The SEC is stacked. Michigan State, St. John’s, and Arizona are all contenders in their respective conferences. Auburn has the tools to make a deep run, but the concern? Momentum. With just one regular-season game left—a showdown against No. 7 Alabama on March 9th—everything hangs in the balance.
It’s the same time of year. Same teams. Same stakes. But this time? Auburn fans aren’t hoping for a win. They’re expecting one. After their latest loss, though, can they back up the hype?
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