Ask any Auburn fan about Minneapolis and you’ll see a specific look in their eyes. It’s a mix of pure pride and a lingering, sharp sting. That 2019 run wasn't just a "good season" for a school usually obsessed with Saturdays at Jordan-Hare. It was a cultural shift. Honestly, it was the moment Auburn basketball stopped being a side project and became a national powerhouse.
We’re talking about a team that walked into the NCAA Tournament as a 5-seed and proceeded to incinerate the three winningest programs in the history of the sport. Kansas. North Carolina. Kentucky. They didn't just beat them; they dismantled them. And then, 0.6 seconds changed everything.
The Run That Defied Logic
The road to the Auburn basketball Final Four didn't start with a bang. It actually started with some pretty ugly road losses in the SEC. They got blown out by 27 points in Lexington. People were whispering that Bruce Pearl’s style was too erratic for a deep March run.
Then something clicked.
They won the SEC Tournament in Nashville, embarrassing Tennessee in the final. But the real magic happened in the Big Dance. After escaping a terrifying first-round scare against New Mexico State—where a missed layup by the Aggies literally saved Auburn's season—the Tigers turned into a buzzsaw.
They sent Bill Self and Kansas packing by 14 points. Then came the North Carolina game. Auburn put up 97 points on the Tar Heels. It was beautiful, high-octane basketball. But it came at a massive cost. Chuma Okeke, arguably the most versatile player on the floor, went down with a torn ACL late in the second half.
Watching his teammates huddle around him on the floor of the Sprint Center was gut-wrenching. Most teams would have folded right there. Instead, they used "Do it for Chuma" as a war cry. They beat Kentucky in an overtime thriller in the Elite Eight without their best NBA prospect. Jared Harper was a wizard. Bryce Brown couldn't miss.
That Final Four Finish (The Call)
The semifinal against Virginia was a clash of styles. Virginia wanted a slow, grinding crawl. Auburn wanted a track meet.
With about five minutes left, Auburn was down 10. It felt over. Then Bryce Brown happened. He hit three triples in a span that felt like seconds, and suddenly Auburn was up four. The stadium in Minneapolis was shaking.
You know what happened next.
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Kyle Guy hits a corner three to pull Virginia within one. Auburn misses a free throw. Virginia gets the ball back. There’s a controversial non-call on a double-dribble by Ty Jerome that still makes Auburn fans lose their minds. Then, the whistle.
Samir Doughty was whistled for a foul on Kyle Guy's last-second three-point attempt. 0.6 seconds on the clock. Guy stepped to the line and calmly sank all three. 63-62. Game over. Dream over.
Why 2019 Changed the Program Forever
Before that Auburn basketball Final Four appearance, the Tigers were an afterthought in the national conversation. Bruce Pearl changed that. He didn't just win games; he created an environment where the "Jungle" became the most feared arena in the SEC.
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The 2019 run proved that Auburn could recruit at a high level and, more importantly, develop that talent. Look at the roster from that year. Jared Harper and Bryce Brown weren't five-star locks. They were "undersized" guards who played with a massive chip on their shoulders.
Key Stats from the 2019 Run:
- 30 wins: A school record at the time.
- 12-game winning streak: The tear they went on through the SEC and NCAA tournaments.
- 457 three-pointers: They broke the SEC record for triples in a single season.
- 1st Final Four: The first time a team from the state of Alabama ever reached the final weekend.
The 2025 Encore
Fast forward to 2025, and Auburn did it again. Under Pearl’s continued leadership, the Tigers returned to the Final Four after a school-record 32-win season. This time, they were led by All-American Johni Broome and a deep rotation that looked a lot more like a traditional powerhouse than the "scrappy underdogs" of 2019.
They ran through the South Regional in Atlanta, taking down Michigan State in the Elite Eight. Even with Broome dealing with a late-game injury, the depth was too much. While they eventually fell to Florida in the national semifinal, the message was clear: Auburn belongs here.
The 2019 team was the spark, but the 2025 team proved it wasn't a fluke.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're looking at the trajectory of this program, there are a few things to keep in mind for future seasons.
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- Watch the "Pearl Guard" transition: Auburn’s success lives and dies with elite point guard play. Whether it’s Jared Harper in 2019 or the freshman Tahaad Pettiford in 2025, Pearl needs a floor general who can create their own shot.
- The Neville Arena Advantage: Auburn has become nearly unbeatable at home. If they can secure a top-4 seed in the NCAA tournament, they usually carry that momentum into neutral sites.
- Recruiting Identity: Pearl has pivoted from under-recruited snipers to high-level NBA prospects like Jabari Smith and Johni Broome. This has raised the floor of the program significantly.
To really understand Auburn's place in the modern game, you have to look at the 2019 bracket. They didn't have an easy path. They took the hardest road possible and were one whistle away from playing for a title. That's the DNA of the program now. They aren't just happy to be there anymore. They expect to win.