Inspiration can come from any source—even historic rivals. Ahead of the SEC tournament, Charles Barkley delivered a strong message to Auburn Tigers star Chad Baker-Mazara, quoting an unexpected and infamous figure in The Plains: Alabama Crimson Tide idol Nick Saban.
After an astounding season, Auburn must showcase their talent when it really counts: in the decisive month of March. Despite their recent losses to Alabama and Texas A&M, the Tigers arrive as heavy favorites in both the SEC tournament and the NCAA tournament.
First things first, however. Auburn must put on a strong image during the postseason tourney, after becoming the regular season champions in the Southeastern Conference. The Tigers wait in the Quarterfinals round for the winner of #8 Ole Miss vs #9 Arkansas/#16 South Carolina.
Barkley, a former Auburn star, is rooting for his alma mater to go all the way in March. For that to happen, Bruce Pearl’s squad will need to be at full strength. Ahead of their debut in the SEC tournament, Barkley quoted Saban while delivering a clear message to Chad Baker-Maraza, who was assessed a Flagrant 2 foul in the loss to Alabama, putting his team at a significant disadvantage.
Chad Baker-Mazara #10 of the Auburn Tigers looks on against the Texas A&M Aggies during the first half at Reed Arena on March 04, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
“Chad [Baker-Maraza] has got to be really careful with his emotions,” Barkley stated, per On3. “Nick Saban, the greatest coach in college football history says ‘I want you to play with emotion. But don’t be emotional.’ Because one emotional decision gets you tossed from the game or gets you a penalty. Playing with emotion and being emotional are two different things.”
see also
Charles Barkley’s net worth: How much money does the retired NBA superstar have?
Back-to-back
Auburn is aiming to defend its SEC championship after clinching the title in the 2024 tournament, as well as possibly crown themselves in the NCAA tournament. To do so, they’ll need to exceed the sky-high expectations surrounding the program and put the ghosts of their last two regular-season losses behind them.
The Tigers will make their debut on Friday, March 14th, with their opponent still to be determined in the quarterfinal round. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 PM EST at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
Coincidence or curse?
Auburn has been crowned SEC champions three times in program history—2024, 2019, and 1985. However, they’ve never won the tournament after claiming the regular season title. Maybe streaks are meant to be broken, or perhaps it’s an omen for the Tigers as they head to Music City to kickstart the decisive month in college basketball.
