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Tennessee basketball’s 2022 SEC Tournament rooting guide

By Caleb Calhoun

Nov 9, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers mascot Smokey entertains the crowd during the second half against the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 9, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers mascot Smokey entertains the crowd during the second half against the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports /
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Auburn Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl talks with his team during a break in the action at Auburn Arena in Auburn, Ala., on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022. Auburn Tigers lead Vanderbilt Commodores 42-38 at halftime.
Auburn Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl talks with his team during a break in the action at Auburn Arena in Auburn, Ala., on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022. Auburn Tigers lead Vanderbilt Commodores 42-38 at halftime. /

3. Any team playing Auburn (1-seed)

First game: Friday, March 11 at Noon ET

Three years ago, Tennessee basketball played Auburn on the final day of the regular season for a share of the SEC Regular Season Championship. They lost, allowing LSU to win it outright. A week later, they played Auburn for the SEC Tournament Championship as the higher seed and lost again.

One year before that, they lost a home game to Auburn that cost them the SEC Regular Season Championship outright. In 2020, they lost to Auburn on the final day of the regular season, which would have meant that they had to play their way into the NCAA Tournament had COVID not shut it all down last year.

Simply put, with games on the line against Bruce Pearl, the Vols always mess it up. As a result, they should be rooting against Auburn at all costs. All the matchup problems with LSU and Arkansas are magnified with Auburn. Sure, they beat them this year, but that was in Knoxville, where they are really tough to beat.

Rick Barnes’ team would face Auburn on a neutral court. They won the SEC in the regular season for a reason, and given the matchup issues with tempo, they would torch the Vols. Simply put, UT needs to root against Auburn in every game.

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