Auburn Tigers men's basketball
Encyclopedia
The Auburn Tigers men's basketball program is the college basketball
program that represents Auburn University
, competing in the Southeastern Conference
. The program began in 1905. Though they generally play under the shadow of the football
program, the Tigers have had successes on the hardwood. Notably, the program is known for alumni such as Charles Barkley
and Chuck Person
.
. Donahue roamed the Tigers' sidelines for the next 16 years and also served as Athletic Director, football coach, baseball coach, and track coach while at Auburn.http://auburntigers.cstv.com/trads/aub-trads-uniquely.html
The school's all-time winningest coach was Joel H. Eaves, who was also a former Tiger basketball player and part-time football coach while leading the basketball program. Assisted by later-head coach Bill Lynn, he guided the Tigers to their first SEC title in 1960 and coached for 14 seasons at The Plains.
Ralph "Shug" Jordan
was the winningest football
coach at Auburn and also coached the basketball team for 10 seasons, compiling a record of 95-77 (.552). The university's Jordan-Hare Stadium
is named in his honor.
was head coach at Auburn for 11 seasons and compiled an overall record of 173-154 (.529) and was named Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year in 1984 and 1989. He also coached the Auburn Tigers to their first SEC Tournament Championship
, in 1985. During his years at Auburn, he coached NBA Hall of Fame player Charles Barkley
and was the only coach in school history to have three consecutive twenty win seasons, from 1984-86. On January 3, 2007, he was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
.
coached at Auburn for 10 seasons while compiling a record of 186-125 (.598). Ellis brought a sense of excitement to the program, seen most notably through the "Cliff Dwellers," the student section at Beard-Eaves. He took Auburn to the NIT in 1994 and 1998, building up the program at the time
His most successful season was the 1998-99 season, when the team won their first 18 games and finished the season with a 29-4 record, setting a state of Alabama record for the most wins. This team, led by transfer Chris Porter and Doc Robinson, won the SEC regular season title and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen
. The next season, the team had even higher aspirations, predicted by Sports Illustrated to win the national title. Auburn finished with a 24-10 record and reached the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive year, advancing to the second round. Ellis also reached the NCAA Tournament in 2003 as the last at-large team admitted. Under much scrutiny, the team advanced to the Sweet 16 before losing to eventual national champion Syracuse. After the 2004 season, Ellis was fired. At the same time, Auburn faced NCAA sanctions for recruiting violations against assistant coaches, which resulted in scholarship restrictions. Ellis was not named in any NCAA investigation.
was named the Tigers' 19th head basketball coach on April 8, 2004, moving to Auburn from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
. Lebo worked to rebuild the program, facing issues of probation and players leaving the program (Brandon Robinson, Marco Killingsworth, DeWayne Curtis). Despite the depth issues, continued attrition (Toney Douglas transferred to Florida State after a being named to the ALL-SEC Freshman team), and having undersized big men, Lebo steadily improved, having his first winning season in 2006-07. Lebo enjoyed the most success at Auburn in the 2008-09 season, leading the team to a 2nd place divisional finish and a top seed in the NIT. The team finished with a 21-10 regular season record and a 10-6 conference record. Auburn began the conference season with a 1-3 mark, but caught fire at the end of the season, winning 9 of their last 10 games. This team was led by seniors Korvotney Barber, Quantez Robinson and Rasheed Barrett. In the NIT they defeated UT Martin in the first round 87-82 after holding a 19 point lead. Then in the second round blew out Tulsa 74-55. Baylor
defeated them 74-72 in the third round. Lebo was fired with two years remaining on his contract after the 2009-10 season. His cumulative Auburn record was 96-93 over his six-year tenure.
was named the head coach of the men's basketball team on March 24, 2010. He was formally introduced the following day in Auburn Arena. Barbee previously coached at the University of Texas at El Paso
, and he also served as an assistant at the University of Memphis
under Kentucky head coach John Calipari
. He led the Miners to the 2010 Conference USA
championship and was named the 2010 Conference USA coach of the year. His cumulative record at UTEP is 68-35.
From 1982-1984 Charles Barkley
dominated the courts in the SEC. The former 1984 NCAA player of the year was a member of the "Dream Team" that captured the Olympic gold medal in 1992 and 1996. He was also the 1993 NBA league MVP and a member of 11 All-Star teams.
Other famous Auburn hoopsters include current NBA hoopsters Marquis Daniels
of the Indiana Pacers
, Moochie Norris
of the Houston Rockets
and Wesley Person
of the Denver Nuggets
.
Former Auburn stars such as Jamison Brewer
, Bobby Cattage
, Marquis Daniels
, Matt Geiger
, Adam Harrington, Cedrick Hordges, Eddie Johnson, Darrell Lockhart, John Mengelt
, Mike Mitchell
, Chris Morris
, Moochie Norris
, Mamadou Ndiaye, Myles Patrick
, Chuck Person
, Wesley Person
, Stan Pietkiewicz
, Chris Porter, Pat Burke
and Aaron Swinson
have gone on to play professional basketball after leaving The Plains.
(SEC). It is a single-elimination tournament and seeding is based on regular season records. The winner receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA basketball tournament
.
Auburn has won the SEC Tournament only once, in 1985 under coach Sonny Smith
.
eight times with an overall record of 12-8 (.600).
In 1985, Auburn reached the Southeast Regional at Birmingham Coliseum
in Birmingham
, losing to North Carolina
62-56.
In 1986, they made the West Regional Semifinals and Finals at The Summit
in Houston
. They defeated UNLV 70-63, but lost to Louisville
, 84-76.
In 1999, Auburn reached the South Regional Semifinals at Thompson-Boling Arena
in Knoxville
, losing to Ohio State, 72-64.
In 2000, they made it 2nd round at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
in Minneapolis, MN, losing to Iowa State, 79-60.
In 2003, they made the East Regional Semifinals at Pepsi Arena in Albany
, losing to eventual champion Syracuse
79-78.
six times, with a record of 5-5 (.500). In 2009, they received a number one seed and lost to Baylor in the third round.
Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum, a 10,500-seat multipurpose arena
, was home to the Auburn men's and women's basketball teams. The building's exterior is primarily nondescript concrete, but its entry plaza is recognizable for the large "War Eagle
" statue which also faces not only the rest of the university, but also nearby Jordan-Hare Stadium
.
Auburn boasted an impressive 198-73 record (.731) over the past 20 seasons, and a 285-135 (.679) overall record at Beard-Eaves Coliseum. Only five times in the 34-year history of the Coliseum has Auburn experienced a losing record at home. Auburn's 30-game homecourt winning streak from the 1997-98 season to the final game of the 1999-2000 season is the longest in Coliseum history. It was the nation's second longest current winning streak at the time and the second longest home winning streak in Auburn history.
On June 29, 2007, Auburn announced plans to build a new basketball arena and practice facilities that will be completed by the 2010-11 season. The new arena, officially known as Auburn Arena, will offer a state of the art, intimate environment for the Auburn team, with a seating capacity of 9,600. http://auburntigers.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/062907aab.html
Bench
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
program that represents Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
, competing in the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
. The program began in 1905. Though they generally play under the shadow of the football
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
program, the Tigers have had successes on the hardwood. Notably, the program is known for alumni such as Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley
Charles Wade Barkley is a former American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's most dominating power forwards...
and Chuck Person
Chuck Person
Chuck Connors Person is a retired American National Basketball Association player and current assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers.-High school and college:...
.
Coaches
There have been 19 Auburn Basketball coaches since the program was started in 1905 by Mike DonahueMike Donahue
Michael Joseph "Iron Mike" Donahue was an American football player, coach of football, basketball, baseball, tennis, track, soccer, and golf, and a college athletics administrator...
. Donahue roamed the Tigers' sidelines for the next 16 years and also served as Athletic Director, football coach, baseball coach, and track coach while at Auburn.http://auburntigers.cstv.com/trads/aub-trads-uniquely.html
The school's all-time winningest coach was Joel H. Eaves, who was also a former Tiger basketball player and part-time football coach while leading the basketball program. Assisted by later-head coach Bill Lynn, he guided the Tigers to their first SEC title in 1960 and coached for 14 seasons at The Plains.
| Auburn Coaching History | |||||||
| Tenure | Coach | Seasons | Won | Lost | Pct. | Conf. | Conf. Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1905–1921 | Donahue Mike Donahue Michael Joseph "Iron Mike" Donahue was an American football player, coach of football, basketball, baseball, tennis, track, soccer, and golf, and a college athletics administrator... |
16 | 74 | 80 | .481 | - | - |
| 1921–1924 | Hutsell | 3 | 16 | 24 | .421 | - | - |
| 1924–1925 | Bunker | 1 | 3 | 11 | .214 | - | - |
| 1925–1928 | Papke | 3 | 38 | 18 | .679 | - | - |
| 1928–1929 | Bohler George Bohler -External links:* as College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com... |
1 | 6 | 15 | .286 | - | - |
| 1929–1930 | Lee | 1 | 1 | 10 | .091 | - | - |
| 1930–1933 | Sam J. McAllister Sam J. McAllister Sam J. McAllister was an American college basketball, baseball and football coach.- Early life and education :McAllister attended St. Viator College in Bourbonnais, Illinois, where he was standout athlete for the St. Viator Irish football, basketball and baseball teams.- Coaching career... |
3 | 25 | 18 | .581 | 4-7 | .364 |
| 1933-42, 1945-46 | Jordan Ralph Jordan James Ralph "Shug" Jordan was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach of football and basketball. He served as the head football coach at Auburn from 1951 to 1975, where he compiled a record of 176–83–6. He is the winningest coach in Auburn Tigers football... |
10 | 95 | 77 | .552 | 61-56 | .521 |
| 1942-43, 1944-45 | Evans | 2 | 4 | 28 | .125 | 3-18 | .143 |
| 1946–1947 | Edney | 1 | 3 | 18 | .143 | 1-15 | .063 |
| 1947–1949 | Doyle Danny Doyle (baseball) Howard James "Danny" Doyle was a catcher in Major League Baseball who played briefly for the Boston Red Sox during the 1943 season. Listed at 6' 1", 195 lb. Doyle was a switch-hitter and threw right-handed... |
2 | 21 | 25 | .457 | 12-18 | .400 |
| 1949–1963 | Eaves | 14 | 213 | 100 | .681 | 124-75 | .623 |
| 1963–1973 | Lynn | 10 | 130 | 124 | .512 | 84-88 | .488 |
| 1973–1978 | Davis | 5 | 70 | 61 | .534 | 42-48 | .467 |
| 1978–1989 | Smith Sonny Smith Charles H. "Sonny" Smith is a retired American men's college basketball head coach. Originally from Roan Mountain, Tennessee, Smith served as a head coach for twenty-two seasons... |
11 | 173 | 154 | .529 | 84-114 | .424 |
| 1989–1994 | Eagles Tommy Joe Eagles -External links:****... |
5 | 64 | 78 | .451 | 29-55 | .345 |
| 1994–2004 | Ellis Cliff Ellis Cliff Ellis is an American college basketball coach, currently the head coach at Coastal Carolina University. Going into the 2011–2012 season, Coach Ellis's 614 victories rank him 50th on the list of all-time career coaching victories in Division 1 basketball... |
10 | 186 | 125 | .598 | 73-87 | .456 |
| 2004–2010 | Lebo Jeff Lebo -External links:*** @ basketballreference.com... |
6 | 96 | 93 | .508 | 36-61 | .371 |
| 2010–present | Barbee Tony Barbee Tony Barbee is an American college basketball coach and the head coach of the men's basketball program at Auburn University. Barbee played college basketball for the University of Massachusetts under Coach John Calipari. Barbee later served as an assistant under Calipari at Memphis and often cited... |
2 | 13 | 20 | .393 | 4-13 | .235 |
| TOTAL | 106 | 1231 | 1079 | .532 | 557-655 | .459 | |
Ralph "Shug" Jordan
Ralph Jordan
James Ralph "Shug" Jordan was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach of football and basketball. He served as the head football coach at Auburn from 1951 to 1975, where he compiled a record of 176–83–6. He is the winningest coach in Auburn Tigers football...
was the winningest football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach at Auburn and also coached the basketball team for 10 seasons, compiling a record of 95-77 (.552). The university's Jordan-Hare Stadium
Jordan-Hare Stadium
Jordan–Hare Stadium is the playing venue for Auburn University's football team located on campus in Auburn, Alabama, USA. The stadium is named for Ralph "Shug" Jordan, the University's winningest football coach, and Cliff Hare, a member of Auburn's first football team as well as Dean of the Auburn...
is named in his honor.
Sonny Smith
Sonny SmithSonny Smith
Charles H. "Sonny" Smith is a retired American men's college basketball head coach. Originally from Roan Mountain, Tennessee, Smith served as a head coach for twenty-two seasons...
was head coach at Auburn for 11 seasons and compiled an overall record of 173-154 (.529) and was named Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year in 1984 and 1989. He also coached the Auburn Tigers to their first SEC Tournament Championship
SEC Men's Basketball Tournament
The SEC Men's Basketball Tournament is the conference tournament in basketball for the Southeastern Conference . It is a single-elimination tournament that involves all league schools . Its seeding is based on regular season records...
, in 1985. During his years at Auburn, he coached NBA Hall of Fame player Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley
Charles Wade Barkley is a former American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's most dominating power forwards...
and was the only coach in school history to have three consecutive twenty win seasons, from 1984-86. On January 3, 2007, he was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
The Alabama Sports Hall of Fame is a state museum located in Birmingham, Alabama, dedicated to communicating the state’s athletic history...
.
Cliff Ellis
Cliff EllisCliff Ellis
Cliff Ellis is an American college basketball coach, currently the head coach at Coastal Carolina University. Going into the 2011–2012 season, Coach Ellis's 614 victories rank him 50th on the list of all-time career coaching victories in Division 1 basketball...
coached at Auburn for 10 seasons while compiling a record of 186-125 (.598). Ellis brought a sense of excitement to the program, seen most notably through the "Cliff Dwellers," the student section at Beard-Eaves. He took Auburn to the NIT in 1994 and 1998, building up the program at the time
His most successful season was the 1998-99 season, when the team won their first 18 games and finished the season with a 29-4 record, setting a state of Alabama record for the most wins. This team, led by transfer Chris Porter and Doc Robinson, won the SEC regular season title and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen
1999 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1999 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 11, 1999, and ended with the championship game on March 29 at Tropicana Field in St....
. The next season, the team had even higher aspirations, predicted by Sports Illustrated to win the national title. Auburn finished with a 24-10 record and reached the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive year, advancing to the second round. Ellis also reached the NCAA Tournament in 2003 as the last at-large team admitted. Under much scrutiny, the team advanced to the Sweet 16 before losing to eventual national champion Syracuse. After the 2004 season, Ellis was fired. At the same time, Auburn faced NCAA sanctions for recruiting violations against assistant coaches, which resulted in scholarship restrictions. Ellis was not named in any NCAA investigation.
Jeff Lebo
Jeff LeboJeff Lebo
-External links:*** @ basketballreference.com...
was named the Tigers' 19th head basketball coach on April 8, 2004, moving to Auburn from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a public university located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The University, often referred to as UTC or simply "Chattanooga" , is one of three universities and two other affiliated institutions in the University of Tennessee System; the others being in...
. Lebo worked to rebuild the program, facing issues of probation and players leaving the program (Brandon Robinson, Marco Killingsworth, DeWayne Curtis). Despite the depth issues, continued attrition (Toney Douglas transferred to Florida State after a being named to the ALL-SEC Freshman team), and having undersized big men, Lebo steadily improved, having his first winning season in 2006-07. Lebo enjoyed the most success at Auburn in the 2008-09 season, leading the team to a 2nd place divisional finish and a top seed in the NIT. The team finished with a 21-10 regular season record and a 10-6 conference record. Auburn began the conference season with a 1-3 mark, but caught fire at the end of the season, winning 9 of their last 10 games. This team was led by seniors Korvotney Barber, Quantez Robinson and Rasheed Barrett. In the NIT they defeated UT Martin in the first round 87-82 after holding a 19 point lead. Then in the second round blew out Tulsa 74-55. Baylor
2008–09 Baylor Bears men's basketball team
The 2008–09 Baylor Bears men's basketball team represented Baylor University in the 2008-09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Head Coach is Scott Drew, who served his 6th year. The team played its home games in the Ferrell Center in Waco, TX...
defeated them 74-72 in the third round. Lebo was fired with two years remaining on his contract after the 2009-10 season. His cumulative Auburn record was 96-93 over his six-year tenure.
Tony Barbee
Tony BarbeeTony Barbee
Tony Barbee is an American college basketball coach and the head coach of the men's basketball program at Auburn University. Barbee played college basketball for the University of Massachusetts under Coach John Calipari. Barbee later served as an assistant under Calipari at Memphis and often cited...
was named the head coach of the men's basketball team on March 24, 2010. He was formally introduced the following day in Auburn Arena. Barbee previously coached at the University of Texas at El Paso
University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso is a four-year state university, and is a component institution of the University of Texas System. Its campus is located on the bank of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas. The school was founded in 1914 as The Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy,...
, and he also served as an assistant at the University of Memphis
University of Memphis
The University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system....
under Kentucky head coach John Calipari
John Calipari
John Calipari is an American basketball coach. Since April 2009, he has been the men's head coach at the University of Kentucky....
. He led the Miners to the 2010 Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
championship and was named the 2010 Conference USA coach of the year. His cumulative record at UTEP is 68-35.
Players
In addition to its rich tradition in team accomplishments, numerous individual athletes began their careers at Auburn and went on to achieve worldwide recognition.| Retired jerseys | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Player | Year |
| 15 | John Mengelt John Mengelt John P. Mengelt is a former professional basketball player. A 6’2” guard, Mengelt played for Auburn University, with whom he scored 60 points in a 1970 game against Alabama. Mengelt later spent ten seasons in the NBA, playing for the Cincinnati Royals, Kansas City Kings, Detroit Pistons, Chicago... |
2001 |
| 34 | Charles Barkley Charles Barkley Charles Wade Barkley is a former American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's most dominating power forwards... |
2001 |
| 23 | Rex Frederick Rex Frederick Rex Frederick is a retired American collegiate basketball player and coach. He was a star athlete in high school and led Corner High School in Jefferson County to the Alabama state championship... |
2006 |
| 45 | Chuck Person Chuck Person Chuck Connors Person is a retired American National Basketball Association player and current assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers.-High school and college:... |
2006 |
| 11 | Wesley Person Wesley Person Wesley Lavon Person is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.Selected by the Phoenix Suns 23rd overall in the 1994 NBA Draft out of Auburn University, he played three seasons for the Suns, five for the Cleveland Cavaliers, 82 games over two seasons for the Memphis Grizzlies,... |
2006 |
From 1982-1984 Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley
Charles Wade Barkley is a former American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's most dominating power forwards...
dominated the courts in the SEC. The former 1984 NCAA player of the year was a member of the "Dream Team" that captured the Olympic gold medal in 1992 and 1996. He was also the 1993 NBA league MVP and a member of 11 All-Star teams.
Other famous Auburn hoopsters include current NBA hoopsters Marquis Daniels
Marquis Daniels
Marquis Antwane Daniels is a , guard-forward who most recently was a member of the Sacramento Kings. Daniels was an undrafted guard in the 2003 NBA Draft, yet has become a regular rotation player averaging at least 17.8 minutes per game in each one of his first six seasons...
of the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, Moochie Norris
Moochie Norris
Martyn "Moochie" Norris is an American former professional basketball player.Norris, a journeyman, played collegiately at Odessa College , at Auburn University and at the University of West Florida . He was drafted with 33rd overall pick of the 1996 NBA draft by Milwaukee Bucks...
of the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
and Wesley Person
Wesley Person
Wesley Lavon Person is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.Selected by the Phoenix Suns 23rd overall in the 1994 NBA Draft out of Auburn University, he played three seasons for the Suns, five for the Cleveland Cavaliers, 82 games over two seasons for the Memphis Grizzlies,...
of the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
.
Former Auburn stars such as Jamison Brewer
Jamison Brewer
Jamison Rudy van Brewer is an American professional basketball player in the point guard position...
, Bobby Cattage
Bobby Cattage
Robert Lewis "Bobby" Cattage is a retired American basketball player.He played high school basketball for J.O...
, Marquis Daniels
Marquis Daniels
Marquis Antwane Daniels is a , guard-forward who most recently was a member of the Sacramento Kings. Daniels was an undrafted guard in the 2003 NBA Draft, yet has become a regular rotation player averaging at least 17.8 minutes per game in each one of his first six seasons...
, Matt Geiger
Matt Geiger
Matthew Allen "Matt" Geiger is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association on the center position.-Collegiate career:...
, Adam Harrington, Cedrick Hordges, Eddie Johnson, Darrell Lockhart, John Mengelt
John Mengelt
John P. Mengelt is a former professional basketball player. A 6’2” guard, Mengelt played for Auburn University, with whom he scored 60 points in a 1970 game against Alabama. Mengelt later spent ten seasons in the NBA, playing for the Cincinnati Royals, Kansas City Kings, Detroit Pistons, Chicago...
, Mike Mitchell
Mike Mitchell (NBA)
Michael Anthony Mitchell was an American professional basketball player in the NBA from 1978 to 1990.Mitchell, who was born in Atlanta, played collegiately at Auburn University. He started his NBA career with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but played most of his career for the San Antonio Spurs....
, Chris Morris
Chris Morris (basketball)
Christopher Vernard Morris is a retired American professional basketball player. In his 11 season NBA career, the 6' 8" small forward played for the New Jersey Nets, Utah Jazz, and Phoenix Suns. He is a graduate of Atlanta's Douglass High School where his jersey has been retired and played for...
, Moochie Norris
Moochie Norris
Martyn "Moochie" Norris is an American former professional basketball player.Norris, a journeyman, played collegiately at Odessa College , at Auburn University and at the University of West Florida . He was drafted with 33rd overall pick of the 1996 NBA draft by Milwaukee Bucks...
, Mamadou Ndiaye, Myles Patrick
Myles Patrick
Myles Patrick is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'8" forward from Auburn University, Patrick played one season in the NBA for the Los Angeles Lakers. He averaged 1.7 points per game. He has recently worked as a midnight basketball coordinator in his hometown of Macon.-Note:...
, Chuck Person
Chuck Person
Chuck Connors Person is a retired American National Basketball Association player and current assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers.-High school and college:...
, Wesley Person
Wesley Person
Wesley Lavon Person is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.Selected by the Phoenix Suns 23rd overall in the 1994 NBA Draft out of Auburn University, he played three seasons for the Suns, five for the Cleveland Cavaliers, 82 games over two seasons for the Memphis Grizzlies,...
, Stan Pietkiewicz
Stan Pietkiewicz
Stanley Thomas Pietkiewicz is a retired American professional basketball player. He was a 6'5" 200 lb shooting guard and played collegiately at Auburn University...
, Chris Porter, Pat Burke
Pat Burke
Patrick John Burke is a former Irish professional basketball player, who last played with the Polish club Asseco Prokom Sopot...
and Aaron Swinson
Aaron Swinson
Aaron Anthony Swinson is a retired American professional National Basketball Association player. A 6'5" forward, Swinson played college basketball at Auburn University....
have gone on to play professional basketball after leaving The Plains.
SEC Tournament
The SEC Men's Basketball Tournament (often simply the SEC Tournament) is the conference championship tournament in basketball for the Southeastern ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC). It is a single-elimination tournament and seeding is based on regular season records. The winner receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA basketball tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
.
Auburn has won the SEC Tournament only once, in 1985 under coach Sonny Smith
Sonny Smith
Charles H. "Sonny" Smith is a retired American men's college basketball head coach. Originally from Roan Mountain, Tennessee, Smith served as a head coach for twenty-two seasons...
.
NCAA Tournament
Auburn has participated in the NCAA basketball tournamentNCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
eight times with an overall record of 12-8 (.600).
In 1985, Auburn reached the Southeast Regional at Birmingham Coliseum
Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex
The Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex is a sports, convention and entertainment complex located in Birmingham, Alabama...
in Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, losing to North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
62-56.
In 1986, they made the West Regional Semifinals and Finals at The Summit
Compaq Center (Houston)
The Lakewood Church Central Campus is a house of worship in Houston, Texas, United States...
in Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. They defeated UNLV 70-63, but lost to Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
, 84-76.
In 1999, Auburn reached the South Regional Semifinals at Thompson-Boling Arena
Thompson-Boling Arena
Thompson-Boling Arena is multi-purpose arena on the campus of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. The arena opened in 1987. It is home to the Tennessee Volunteers and Lady Vols basketball teams. Since 2008, it has been home to the Lady Vol volleyball team. It is named after B....
in Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, losing to Ohio State, 72-64.
In 2000, they made it 2nd round at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University...
in Minneapolis, MN, losing to Iowa State, 79-60.
In 2003, they made the East Regional Semifinals at Pepsi Arena in Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, losing to eventual champion Syracuse
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
79-78.
NIT Tournament
Auburn has participated in the NIT TournamentNational Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
six times, with a record of 5-5 (.500). In 2009, they received a number one seed and lost to Baylor in the third round.
Arena
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
, was home to the Auburn men's and women's basketball teams. The building's exterior is primarily nondescript concrete, but its entry plaza is recognizable for the large "War Eagle
War Eagle
War Eagle is the battle cry of fans for the Auburn Tigers football team, and all other athletics teams of Auburn University, and for all intents and purposes, for Auburn University in general. It is also the title of the university fight song...
" statue which also faces not only the rest of the university, but also nearby Jordan-Hare Stadium
Jordan-Hare Stadium
Jordan–Hare Stadium is the playing venue for Auburn University's football team located on campus in Auburn, Alabama, USA. The stadium is named for Ralph "Shug" Jordan, the University's winningest football coach, and Cliff Hare, a member of Auburn's first football team as well as Dean of the Auburn...
.
Auburn boasted an impressive 198-73 record (.731) over the past 20 seasons, and a 285-135 (.679) overall record at Beard-Eaves Coliseum. Only five times in the 34-year history of the Coliseum has Auburn experienced a losing record at home. Auburn's 30-game homecourt winning streak from the 1997-98 season to the final game of the 1999-2000 season is the longest in Coliseum history. It was the nation's second longest current winning streak at the time and the second longest home winning streak in Auburn history.
On June 29, 2007, Auburn announced plans to build a new basketball arena and practice facilities that will be completed by the 2010-11 season. The new arena, officially known as Auburn Arena, will offer a state of the art, intimate environment for the Auburn team, with a seating capacity of 9,600. http://auburntigers.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/062907aab.html
Current team
Starters- PG 11 Josh Wallace (So) 5'10 160 1.2 PPG
- SG 1 Andre Malone (So) 6'5 210 1.7 PPG
- SF 2 Allen Payne (Fr) 6'6 205
- SF 22 Kenny Gabriel (Jr) 6'8 190 1.8 PPG
- C 41 Rob Chubb (So) 6'10 222 1.3 PPG
Bench
- SG 0 Josh Langfor (Fr) 6'7 207
- PG 3 Chris Denson (Fr) 6'2 180
- PF 5 Ty Armstrong (So) 6'9 220 1.0 PPG
- SG 15 Tony Neysmith (Jr) 6'5 205 0.1 PPG
- SG 20 Frankie Sullivan (So) 6'1 195 1.7 PPG
- PG 24 T.J. Rice (Fr) 5'9 160
- SF 25 Jake Drum (Fr) 6'5 215 1.2 PPG
- SG 33 Earnest Ross (So) 6'6 215 37.8 PPG
- C 40 Doug Merrell (Sr) 6'9 205
- SG 44 Dylan Spencer (So) 6'4 190
- PF 45 Adrian Forbes (Jr) 6'8 230
- PG 50 Varez Ward (So) 6'2 192 1.7 PPG